The European Red Cross Societies have tens and hundreds of thousands of members, and the Japanese has a membership of 1,035,000. The United States, so long delayed in the creating of a great national Red Cross, must make up for lost time by its activity and energy. To increase the membership of the American Red Cross and thereby its efficiency and strength the individual personal efforts of its members must be depended upon. A national pride should be felt in the American Red Cross, and all Americans, men, women and even children, who are able to pay the dollar a year dues or twenty-five dollars for life-membership, should become members of our National Red Cross. Application blanks will be found in each Bulletin with the addresses of the Branch Secretaries to whom such applications can be sent.
JAPANESE FAMINE FUND
The American National Red Cross has forwarded to the Japanese Red Cross for the famine stricken provinces in northern Japan a total of $265,855.67, of which $200,000.00 was received from the Christian Herald; being contributions made to that paper. A list of the contributions received from the Christian Herald from the Red Cross Branch Treasurers and those made directly to the National Treasurer from the different States is contained in this Bulletin.
On March 31st when $100,000 had been received by the Japanese Red Cross the following letter was sent to the American National Red Cross:
Tokyo, March 31, 1906.
Miss Mabel T. Boardman, The American National Red Cross Society, Washington, D.C.
Dear Madam:
We have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your esteemed favor under date of the 22d, February.
A generous appeal for our famine sufferers in northeastern provinces in Japan done by your President Roosevelt, whose sympathy with Japan and her people we have highly appreciated has echoed to our shore, when our own people have been throwing their effort in relieving the distressed, whose conditions are beyond imagination terrible. From the date when you mailed the letter up to this day the monies you sent to us in cable remittances amount to $100,000.00 in gold, which we lost no time, in compliance with your desire and under the direction of our Government, in distributing to relieve the immediate necessities of the most needy sufferers by forwarding a certain amount of money to each President of our Red Cross Branches in those provinces, who are Governors and, at the same time, we have had them conveyed to the sufferers all the kindness, good-will and sympathy that have ever been extended to us by the American people.