[Data Furnished by Red Cross Headquarters, Washington, D. C.]
President Wilson, as President of the American Red Cross, on May 10,
1917, appointed a War Council of seven members to direct the work of the
organization in the extraordinary emergency created by the entrance of
the United States into the war. The original appointees were Henry P.
Davison, Chairman, of J. P. Morgan & Co., New York; Charles D. Norton,
Vice President First National Bank, New York; Major Grayson M. P.
Murphy, Vice President Guaranty Company, New York; Cornelius N. Bliss,
Jr., of Bliss, Fabyan & Co., New York, and Edward N. Hurley, Chicago.
Mr. Hurley resigned from the War Council when he was appointed Chairman
of the Shipping Board, and was succeeded by John D. Ryan, President of
the Anaconda Copper Mining Company. Major Murphy, after organizing the
Red Cross work in Europe, resigned to re-enter the United States Army,
and was succeeded on the council by Harvey D. Gibson, President of the
Liberty National Bank of New York, who has been the General Manager of
the Red Cross since it began its war activities. Mr. Norton resigned in
the Spring of 1918, and was succeeded by George B. Case of the law firm
of White and Case, New York, who previously had been legal adviser to
the War Council.
The first war fund campaign took place the week of June 18, 1917, which
was designated "Red Cross Week" by a proclamation of President Wilson.
The Finance Committee, which had charge of the campaign, was headed by
Cleveland H. Dodge of New York; Secretary of the Treasury McAdoo was the
fund Treasurer. One hundred million dollars was the mark set, and the
week's contributions ran slightly above that figure.
At the establishment of the Red Cross organization on a war basis its
membership was approximately 500,000. Six months later there were, in
round numbers, 5,000,000 members, and the number of chapters had
increased from 562 to 3,287. The "Christmas Membership Drive," during
the week ended with Christmas Eve, 1917, swelled the membership rolls to
more than 23,000,000.
In the period between the birthday anniversaries of Lincoln and
Washington--Feb. 12-22, 1918--the school children of the country were
brought into the Junior Red Cross organization.
Immediately following the war organization and the raising of the first
war fund commissions were sent to the various countries in Europe where
war was in progress. Major Grayson M. P. Murphy was appointed General
Commissioner for Europe and assumed direct charge of the commission to
France, where the greater burden of American Red Cross work has fallen.
The commission to France reached Paris during June. Eighteen men
constituted the original working force. From this nucleus there
developed before the end of the year an organization that operated all
the way from Sicily up the whole western front and into Great Britain.