r disaster, was
made ready for extensive work by the subscription of one hundred and
fifty million dollars in June, 1917, by the people of the country. The
work was organized on a national basis and in every community there was
formed a Red Cross Chapter to make garments, sweaters, or woolen head
coverings to keep the soldiers warm; to roll bandages; to open canteens
or refreshment stations for soldiers while traveling or in camp; to
train nurses to care for the sick and wounded, and to do other work of a
similar sort.

Other organizations such as the Young Men's Christian Association and
the Knights of Columbus took upon themselves the task of entertaining
and making comfortable our soldiers and sailors, providing places where
they may read, write letters, play games, and otherwise relieve their
minds from the terrible strain of war.

If our army and navy that are fighting for us in Europe represent the
strength of our country, we can also say that the work of the Red Cross
and these other organizations represents the heart of our country.

THE WORK OF SCHOOLS IN THE WAR.--School pupils are the largest and
best-organized group of the population of the country. It was natural,
therefore, for the government to turn to the school children when it
wanted a national response. Boys and girls having the lessons of the
war impressed upon them in school, carry the message home. Often in no
other way can the parents be reached.

There are many ways in which the school children gave direct and
valuable help to the nation. It is not possible to do more than merely
hint at some of these.

The importance of saving and thrift was early impressed on the children,
not only through the thrift stamp and Liberty loan campaigns, but also
through direct lessons on conserving food, clothing, and public and
private property.

Many children planted and took care of war gardens, adding a total of
many million dollars' worth of food to the nation's supply. In
connection with the gardens, a canning campaign was conducted which
aimed at the conservation of perishable food that could not be consumed
at once.

The schools rendered valuable service in doing Red Cross work. Both boys
and girls knit garments and comforts for our soldiers, and the girls
made garments for the little children of France and Belgium who had been
driven from their homes by the war.

RISE IN PRICES.--When a country is at war the government must have
what it needs,