The Executive Committee of the Aid Society intended to read its annual report during yesterday evening's festival of the German Friends, at the Northside Turnhall. However, as a detailed account of the disbursements had been given in a distributed, printed pamphlet, the reading was dispensed with to save time.

In the main, the following figures were quoted: When this association was founded during the early part of August, 1914, very few of our organizers believed at the time that the overwhelming World War would last for years instead of months. The Executive Committee believes that its efforts must continue throughout the duration of the war. We have followed this idea steadfastly to the best of our ability. If our success at present is not equal to last year's attainment, then it is undoubtedly due to the public's general attitude towards the conflict. It has become accustomed to it and 2therefore shows less enthusiasm than formerly.

The Executive Committee hopes that active citizens of German, Austrian, and Hungarian descent, will give energetic support to the Society during the new year.

Total receipts from all sources, up to Dec. 31, 1915--------------$347,377.70

This sum comprises the following:

1. Contributions-------------------------------------------------------$285,120.22

2. Receipts from sales of articles----------------------------------- 34,305.38

3. Contributions for war and civilian prisoners in Siberia------- 2,626.60

4. For blind soldiers-------------------------------------------------- 240.00

5. For German defense---------------------------------------------- 1,151.50

6. Monthly contributions--------------------------------------------- 23,934.00

Total--------------------------------------------------------------------$347,377.70

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Expenditures:

1. Remittances----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------$267,501.57

2. Bandages and hospital supplies------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 29,956.22

3. Support for civil and war prisoners in Siberia------------------------------------------------------------- 16,572.55

4. For blind soldiers---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2.000.00

5. For prisoners of war in Canada------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1.152.70

6. For German defense------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1.020.33

7. Purchases: expenses incurred in the sale of articles------------------------------------------------------ 9,367.30

8. Office expenditures: printed matter, postage, cable and telegrams, salaries and all other expenses--- 7,419.84

Bank surplus---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 12,387.19

Total------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ $347,377.70

The next items show all of the Aid Society's remittances, i.e., since its organization:

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To Berlin

Sept. 17, 1914	Mark	100,000	$23,875.00
Oct. 8, 1914	"	150,000	34,593.75
Nov. 15, 1914	"	150,000	32,414.06
Dec. 29, 1914	"	150,000	23,100.00
Feb. 6, 1915	"	12,000	2,718.39
Mar. 25, 1915	"	1,000	209.37
Mar. 25, 1915	"	2,000	418.75
June 11, 1915	"	60,000	12,403.13
Sept. 2, 1915	"	100,000	20,203.13
Dec. 16, 1915	"	60,000	11,531.25
Dec. 22, 1915	"	5,000*	1,005.90
	Mark	745,000 [sic]	$162,472.73

* For German Defense

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To Vienna

Sept. 17, 1914	Mark	50,000			$ 11,937.50
Oct. 8, 1914	"	50,000			11,531.25
Nov. 9, 1914			Kronen	50,000	8,750.00
Dec. 20, 1914	"	35,000			7,750.00
Mar. 10, 1915			"	1,069	166.77
June 11, 1915			"	70,000	10,815.00
Dec. 10, 1915			"	30,000	4,029.00
	Mark	135,000	Kronen	151,069	$ 54,979.52

To Budapest

Sept. 17, 1914	Mark	50,000			$ 11,937.50
Oct. 8, 1914	"	50,000			11,531.25
Nov. 19, 1914			Kronen	50,000	8,750.00
Dec. 29, 1914	"	35,000			7,750.00

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June 11, 1915			Kronen	10,000	$ 1,545.00
Dec. 16, 1915			"	30.000	4,029.00
	Mark	135,000	Kronen	90,000	$ 45,542.75

To Siberia

To the United States Ambassador in Peking, China, for aid of the civil and war prisoners in Siberia:

April 15, 1915		$ 5,297.00
Sept. 23, 1915		5,000.00
Dec. 3, 1915		5,000.00
July 22, 1915	To the American Red Cross for Hospital in Siberia	4,000.00
		$ 19,297.00

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To Canada

Dec. 16, 1915.

Xmas gift for prisoners

$ 1,000.00

To Munich (Bavaria, Germany)

Oct. 7, 1915.

Contribution to the Hospital for the Blind

$ 2,000.00

The Aid Society sent $29,956.22 worth of cotton, bandages and hospital supplies to Germany, Austria and Hungary. This includes the shipments mentioned in our last report.

In regard to deliveries of hospital supplies, we have encountered serious difficulties. The lack of shipping opportunities and the attitude of the warring nations, particularly England, compelled us to suspend our activities in this line, at present.

One of the provisions exacted by England proved very disagreeable to us; The British Government insisted that all identification marks, the shipper's 8name and address, must not appear on boxes or bales, nor anything which tended to show the source of the article. We therefore faced the long drawn out problem of receiving verifications of arrival from the Red Cross abroad. Although all shipments were sent under the protection of the American Red Cross, we nevertheless are confronted with the uncertainties of transportation which makes us dissatisfied in this phase of our work.

During the early part of last year, we received an appeal from the Aid Association for the Support of Civil and Military Prisoners in Siberia. The communication came from Tientsin, China, and its request, based on reliable information, secured from officials who investigated Siberian prison conditions at the behest of the Red Cross Society, showed a heart-rending picture of the misery prevailing in those detention camps.

The mortality in one place reached almost 20%, up to September of this year. [1915, Transl.] One of the especially sordid features in the environs 9of these unfortunates is to be found in the total lack of any suitable occupation and the consequent fearful monotony. To eliminate this condition as much as possible, the Tientsin Association asked us to send books and periodicals in various languages. We brought it to the attention of the German newspapers, as well as all aid societies (160) in the United States. The result was most gratifying.

We received donations from all parts of the country and were able to send about 50,000 pounds of books and clothing during the first week of August.

Within a short time thereafter, another call of distress reached us; it appealed for bedding, shoes, and warm clothing. Conforming to our first effort, we proceeded in the same manner; again we were blessed and profoundly successful. We sent 70 cases from Chicago, Ill., containing about 25,000 pounds of clothing, underwear, woolen wear, and bedding, which were gathered here and elsewhere. We were also able to give other aid 10societies the benefit of our experience in regard to this important matter. Countless packages reached us by rail and post, containing useful articles for these prisoners. Among the largest items, which we received for further delivery, were 20 cases from Indianapolis and 10 boxes from Duluth.

The sorrowful plight of these prisoners makes it imperative that we send financial aid to the societies that endeavor to ameliorate human suffering. In the last letter from Tientsin we note that no wool or leather is obtainable in this part of Siberia or contiguous Chinese territory. Therefore the Aid Society [Tientsin, China] decided to manufacture 100,000 padded overcoats and 100,000 pair of felt boots to alleviate suffering as quickly as possible. We attach much importance to this proposal, because such coats serve as clothing during the day and can be used for covering at night.

In the belief that such activities require adequate financial backing, we immediately dispatched $5,000 to the American Ambassador in Pekin, 11for the use of the Tientsin Aid Association. All together, we have spent about $20,000 for the Siberian prisoners.

We are glad to announce that a number of influential Germans and other nationals in China are doing their utmost for the pitiable Siberian prisoners and we are convinced that.... ample.... help will ge given.

Prisoners in Canada

We have received requests from various sources, particularly the American consuls in the vicinity of the Canadian prison camps, to do something for the Germans and Austro-Hungarians who are confined there. While it is not a simple matter to obtain reliable information from that district, because the Red Cross lacks proper connections there, we have, nevertheless, received ample news from well-informed persons, which convinces us that extensive help is needed. Compared with Siberia, the number of the interned is, of course, much smaller. The reports from many of these concentration camps show that the relatives and dependents of the civil 12prisoners face deplorable conditions.

During Christmas we sent about $1,000 to the several consuls, stipulating that the money was to be used as a holiday present for the prisoners.

As we still had a part of the Siberian consignment on hand, such as clothing, underwear, etc., we considered it opportune to send inquiries to the commanders of the Canadian prison camps, the American Consul General in Ottawa and Vancouver, to ascertain if it is permissible to give these articles to the prisoners; and whether they can be sent into Canada, free of duty. We were informed that such gifts would prove most welcome and whatever may be sent for the use of prisoners, will be exempt from customs charges.

In conformity to this information we shipped a part of the Siberian allotment, 24 cases, to the American Consul General, John G. Foster, 13in Ottawa, for further distribution and delivery to its final destination and, as the gentleman has been authorized by the State Department to act in all matters appertaining to aid of prisoners, we have no doubt that the eventual division will be fair and equitable.

Objections from various quarters arose; it is claimed that such help actually accrues to England, as that nation must support its prisoners. We call attention to the fact that in Canada, the predominating number of the confined are civilians and, obviously, international law makes no specific provisions which cover the status of the foreign citizen, whereas paragraphs exist which consider the soldiers prisoners of war.

Under the circumstances aid becomes a paramount duty, as the treatment of the civilian non-citizen is left entirely to the discretion of England. We hope that we will be enabled to give these unfortunates more help this winter. In this instance, we are not confronted with transportation problems, and this should prompt us to intercede energetically, so that 14these impartial, innocent victims of the war may live in humane captivity.

The Ladies' Committee, which was organized at about the time the Society was founded, has been exceptionally active during the year. The manufacture of woolen ware, notably socks, shawls, etc., hospital supplies, bandages and clothing for the wounded, were produced in large quantities. The collected material is packed under the supervision of the Ladies' Committee, and forwarded to the Red Cross Society, which sends it abroad. Some of the work alluded to was also shipped to Siberia and Canada. The gifts which this committee provided are of great importance and are received with profound gratitude by the Germans, Austrians, and Hungarians in Europe.

In our last report, we mentioned our plan of securing members who donate a definite sum each month. We now have 1,100 such permanent contributors; their monthly stipend is about $2,200. Our progress in this branch, regardless of our best efforts, did not conform to our expectations. We cannot emphasize enough.... just how necessary an adjunct this is to our labor of love 15and reiterate its importance to friends, members, and all who participated in the work.

Low Administrative Costs

Our financial report shows that the administrative costs have risen during the past year, being now slightly below 2 per cent. The principal reason is to be found in the smaller number of collections and diminished amounts which were collected during the fiscal year of 1915, when compared with the half year in 1914. [Verbatim. As the war began in August, 1914, the phrase "half year" is evidently meant in the broad sense, because the elapsed period since the commencement of hostilities to the time of this issue, Jan. 19, 1916, could not possibly be figured as one fiscal year, plus one-half year. Transl.] The efforts to secure collections were correspondingly greater and this necessitated increased expenditures; also, the work of helping the prisoners and spreading this movement throughout the land, could not be accomplished without funds.

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Our material collections for the prisoners, as enumerated above, are about 100,000 pounds; and, if a proper appraisal of their cash value would be given, together with the articles which the Ladies' Committee produced, then the ratio of receipts and bills would be much lower.

Furthermore, since the beginning of June, the Aid Society only had two employees on its pay roll. The total salaries are $25.50 per week.

The aforesaid is intended to convey a general idea of your Executive Committee's activities. We believe that we have managed the affairs of the Society to the best of our ability, and that the help which we were instrumental in giving, reached those who needed it most. We have not been satisfied in merely collecting money. It was our aim to ascertain how we could best serve in this great cause.

We again rely on our members and friends of this great work, to give active support during the ensuing year. All who have been associated 17in this task have the assurance, as heretofore, that the moneys entrusted to the Aid Society will be conscientiously disbursed. We shall always endeavor,--in so far as our means permit,--to give help wherever it is most urgently required.

We hope that the New Year will bring us many collaborators so that we can be justly proud of the final results.