UNIFORMS AND INSIGNIA FOR RED CROSS WOMEN WORKERS
IN THE UNITED STATES
The American Red Cross has authorized the wearing of distinctive uniforms by the women workers engaged in the various Red Cross Chapter activities, other than nursing and hospital service, in order that these workers may be readily recognized as such throughout the United States and also for protective and hygienic reasons. The wearing of these uniforms is optional on the part of any member entitled to wear them, but as the right to wear them carries with it the assumption of responsibility for the organization both efficiency and esprit de corps should be greatly aided by the use of the uniforms.
Permission to wear these uniforms is granted by the executive committee of each Red Cross Chapter. No person under eighteen years of age is granted permission to wear the Workroom uniform, in the Motor and Clerical service the minimum age is twenty-one years and in the Canteen service it is twenty-three years. Everyone before being granted a permit to wear any of the official Red Cross uniforms is required to take the Oath of Allegiance to the United States.
DESCRIPTION OF UNIFORMS
Elaborate uniforms have been avoided and as far as possible variety has been eliminated. To distinguish the different corps of workers an apron and a “coif” or headdress of different colors have been prescribed. For workrooms the apron is white, for the canteen service it is blue, and for the clerical service grey, all being of the same pattern.
Workroom Uniform.—For all workers on surgical dressings, garments and knitted articles. If it is found desirable to distinguish the workers in different workrooms, a white arm band or a sash marked in blue letters “Garments,” “Surgical Dressings,” “Knitting” or “Comforts” may be worn.
Apron.—A large white apron fastening in the back, with sleeves to the wrist and a V or square neck. The belt is three inches wide and there are two pockets in the skirt. A red cross, two inches square, may be worn in front at the center of the base of the neck.
Coif.—A veil of batiste or similar material, cut one yard long and one yard wide, with a lower hem one inch broad and a hem at the top two inches broad and turned back on the outside. The color of the veil is red, white or dark blue. A band of some stiffer material extends around the head one-half inch from the front hem and a red cross is worn in the center of the forehead band.
