the danger zones. Medical supplies and equipment began to go to England for distribution through the British Red Cross. Acceptable arrangements were finally made with the German, Polish, and British authorities for relief operations in the Government General area of Poland, and medical and hospital supplies, clothing, and chapter-produced ar¬ticles were shipped there for distribution. Supplies were allocated to the various areas of the Government General by a Central Polish Relief Com¬mittee consisting of representatives of the Polish Red Cross, other Polish relief agencies, and delegates from the Jewish communities. Red Cross staff mem¬bers made periodic visits to the distribution points. With the invasion of Finland in December 1939, Red Cross relief was immediately dispatched to that country. Medical supplies purchased in Brit¬ain were flown to Helsinki, where distribution began within four days after the invasion. American Red Cross representatives were soon on the spot, making recommendations, receiving supplies, and observing distribution through the Finnish Red Cross and its cooperating agencies. In spite of the rapid occupation of Norway, American Red Cross medical supplies were distributed there through the British Red Cross as long as the channels for the distribu¬tion of such supplies remained open. Assistance was also extended to Nor¬wegian refugees through the Swedish Red Cross. Soon the devastation of war began to move across Holland, Belgium, and Luxembourg. Attempts were made to bring aid to the Red Cross societies of these countries, but the rapid military developments limited such relief to refugees who had fled to other countries. The intensification of hostilities and the mass movements of refugees which began with the invasion of the Low Countries was the signal for an American Red Cross war relief campaign. Chapters immediately responded to the call, and through them the American people contributed nearly $22,000,- OOO for war relief. Shortly after, the Congress appropriated $50,000,000 for relief to war refugees abroad. The President was authorized to use these funds for the purchase by Federal agencies of supplies to be distributed abroad by the American Red Cross or any other agency that the President might designate. With the funds from the Red Cross campaign and the supplies purchased by Government agencies at the disposal of the American Red Cross, extensive and timely help was assured for war sufferers wherever ways could be found to carry on the work according to well-established Red Cross policies. The pressing needs of refugees crowded into Southern France required the chartering of the first Red Cross "mercy ship" which carried medical supplies, food, and clothing for distribution there under Red Cross supervision. Soon after, the extensive bombing of thickly populated British cities multi¬plied the relief needs in England, and since then ship after ship has sailed for Britain carrying Red Cross supplies. In cooperation with Harvard Uni- Fifteen Million Have Been Helped versity, arrangements were made to establish a hospital to study communicable diseases under wartime conditions and to ease the burden on the British medical facilities. In response to a call from the British Red Cross for Amer¬ican doctors to reinforce the British medical services, the American Red Cross undertook this service. The availability of Government-purchased supplies made it possible to increase greatly the assistance being extended to China. A delegation of Red Cross relief workers sent to that country in the fall of 1940 has super¬vised the distribution of hundreds of tons of foodstuffs, cloth, medical equip¬ment, drugs, and medicines. After intensive famine conditions in Spain were verified and an agreement reached with the Governments concerned, ship¬ments of flour, milk, and medicines were begun in January 1941. An Amer¬ican Red Cross mission sent to Spain at that time began the supervision and distribution of such supplies through the Spanish Red Cross, the Auxilio Social, and cooperating local agencies. During the early spring of 1941 the destruction of war spread rapidly through the Balkans. In Greece an American Red Cross representative re¬ceived funds and provided assistance through the Greek Red Cross, while at home cargoes were being assembled for the long journey around Africa and thence to Greece. In the meantime Yugoslavia was invaded and Red Cross funds, administered by a representative of the American Red Cross there 9