Date: November 8, 1930
Location: Northampton, MA
Summary: Coolidge urges more Americans to join the American Red Cross.
(Original document available here)
The annual membership roll call of the American Red Cross, about to begin, will be actively conducted in 16,000 communities. The present adult membership of 4,130,000 does not provide sufficient funds to meet the local, national and international demands that are made for relief.
There should be several more million members. People should join not only because the work needs financial support but because of the individual and public benefit that accrues from an extended membership in the greatest charity in the world. It has a charter from the Congress, and the President of the United States is ex officio its president. So many of its officers serve without compensation that its funds are almost entirely used to relieve temporary human suffering.
Fire, flood, hurricane, earthquake or any other catastrophe calls it into immediate action anywhere on earth. We have no greater instrument of peace, friendship and good will devoted to humanity without regard to race or creed. No more practical and far-reaching philanthropy was ever created. Nothing better represents the true spirit of the people. In the great response to the call for membership will be revealed the moral power of this country.
Citation: Calvin Coolidge Says: Dispatches Written by Former-President Coolidge and Syndicated to Newspapers in 1930-1931 (Calvin Coolidge Memorial Foundation)
The Coolidge Foundation gratefully acknowledges the volunteer efforts of Fr. Stephen Lawson who prepared this document for digital publication.