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Show Columns I thru IX written by Barbara Clark THE RED CROSS Monday May 27, 1941 A red cross on a white field gave the Red Cross organization its name. The choice of insignia was made in deference to the republic of Switzerland, for the Red Cross flag is the Swiss flag with the colors reversed. The adoption of this emblem took place at a conference in Geneva in 1863, which was attended by delegates from 14 European governments and seven philanthropic societies. Up to the time of the present war the Red Cross banner has been recognized and respected by all countries. In the beginning, however, the society ran up against difficulty in Turkey. The Turkish soldiers regarded the insignia as of religious significance. SO violent was their prejudice that for a while a red crescent was substituted in order to secure speediest recognition and cooperation from that country. The international Red Cross flag first saw service in the war between Germany, Austria and Italy in 1886. The American Red Cross flag was first unfolded during the Russian famine of 1892 and in the Armenian war of 1896. Today America is doing its utmost, through this society, to aid her sister countries in distress. We are not helping the axis powers because they have not asked for aid. They have their own Red Cross units, which are shut off from their sister societies by their own wish. But to the rest of the world we gladly extend our hand, for it must be remembered that the Red Cross flag is the insignia of all mankind-to give when well and to receive when in distress. -B. G. C. THE RED CROSS Monday, May 12, 1941 Though the government of the United States apparently was not much concerned about the Red Cross, many prominent men of medicine were interested. In 1869, Clara Barton, a woman who had carried on individual relief work during the Civil war, went abroad for travel. While in Switzerland she became acquainted with the leaders of the new society who requested her to try to secure on her return to America the accession of the United States to the treaty of Geneva. In 1881 she interested President Garfield and James G. Blaine, then secretary of state. In July of that year the American National Association of the Red Cross, with Miss Barton as president, was incorporated under the laws of the District of Columbia. During its 18 years of life, the American National Association of Red Cross was a small and informal national committee with no official connections with the United States government. In June, 1900, it was reincorporated by act of congress, but the results proved unsatisfactory, and during the autumn of 1904, the old association was dissolved. A new corporation was created and approved on January 5, 1905, by President Roosevelt. A last important step in federal recognition was taken by President Taft on August 22, 1911, when he proclaimed: “That the American Red Cross is the only volunteer society authorized by this government to render aid to its land and naval forces in time of war. Any other society desiring to render similar assistance can do so only through the American National Red Cross. Thus from the date of the new charter and of this proclamation the American Red Cross became truly national in its organization, scope, and standing. –BGC. THE RED CROSS Wednesday, May 7, 1941 The international history of the Red Cross is a tribute to the best in mankind. The organization, established primarily for the aid of the sick and wounded in time of war and peace, is a neutral institution, recognized and authorized by military authorities and enjoying certain privileges and immunities under the treaty known as the Geneva Convention. As a witness of the Battle of Solferino, in the Italian war of 1859, Henri Dunant of Geneva, became horrified at the sight of thousands of wounded men left to die on the field without any aid or comfort whatsoever. In his book, Un Souvenir de Solferino, he presented to the world his idea of a society that would put an end to such inhumanity. His suggestion caught the attention of a Genevse lawyer, Gustave Moynier. Monsier Moynier appointed a committee of five to consider plans and methods embodying Dunant’s suggestion. The committee issued an invitation to all the European governments, as well as to military, medical, and philanthropic notabilities to attend an international conference to be held at Geneva on October 26, 1863. A proposed code of international enactment was discussed, and resolutions were adopted. The convention was revised in 1906, and its terms were extended to naval warfare by the Hague convention. –B. G. C. THE RED CROSS Wednesday, May 14, 1941 The aim and purpose of the Red Cross, since its inception, has been to serve mankind, regardless of race, color or creed. The Amer¬ican society of the Red Cross has to the best of its ability, lived up to the spirit and conditions of the treaty of Geneva, to which the United States gave its adhesion on March 1, 1882. The works of this great organization, accomplished under every circumstance, have been many, and the fame of the American Red Cross is known throughout the world. The charter of January 5, 1905, defines the purposes of the Amer¬ican Red Cross, which are "to furnish volunteer aid to the sick and wounded of armies in time of war; to act in matters of voluntary relief—as a medium of communi¬cation between the people of the United States and their army and navy; and to continue and carry on a system of national and inter¬national relief in time of peace and to apply the same in mitigating the sufferings caused by pestilence, famine, fire, floods, and other great national calamities and to devise and carry on means for preventing the same." In time of peace the American Red Cross conducts public health nursing services, offers class in-struction, and carries on routine service in disasters of various types. But today is a time of war and great is the need of man; and wherever that need is will be found the unfurled banners of the Red Cross, waving unafraid in the breeze. For the Red Cross is the banner of the righteousness of man, and in the end it will be righteousness that will triumph. —BGC. THE RED CROSS Friday, May 9, 1941 After the convention of 1893, to secure official international agreement by treaty to the plans contained in the resolutions, the Swiss federal council, supported by Napoleon III, addressed an invitation to 25 sovereign states asking them to send official representatives to a diplomatic convention to be held in August, 1864 at Geneva. This convention was held on August 8-22 and was attended by delegates from 13 European nations and the United States. The delegates drew up the famous Artices of Convention now known as the First Treaty of Geneva or the International Red Cross Treaty and signed them in the name of their respective governments, with the exception of Great Britain, Saxony, Sweden, and the United States. The governments of these four nations had not chosen to empower their delegates with authority to act. One reason why the United States did not take a more active official part in the diplomatic convention of 1864 was that the Civil War was occupying all its attention. When the convention adjourned Charles P. Bowles, one of the American delegates to the convention, submitted a report embodying the aims and text of the Treaty of Geneva to Secretary of State Seward, but no action was taken on it. The government seemed to regard the treaty as an entangling foreign alliance, and the American people were weary of war and all that pertained thereto.-(Next Monday-America and the Red Cross.)-B. G. C. THE RED CROSS Friday, May 16, 1941 Although the convention which made possible the Red Cross movement was necessarily international, the relief societies themselves are entirely national and independent, each one governing itself and making its own laws, and each central committee being charged with the direction and responsibility of the work in its own country. The American National Association of the Red Cross was a small and informal organization. All powers of administration were vested in the president, Miss Barton, and in an executive board of 11 members. The American National Red Cross is governed by its central committee, which is composed of 18 members, six of whom are elected by the board of incorporators and six by the representatives of chapters. The other six are appointed by the president of the United States, president of the American Red Cross, and include the chairman of the central committee and representatives each from the departments of state, war, the navy, justice, and the treasury. When a vacancy occurs in this body a new appointment is made at the first annual meeting occurring thereafter. Members of the central committee serve for three years, one-third retiring annually. The entire control, management and administration of the affairs of the organization, with the exception of the endowment fund, are vested in this committee. The charter also provided for the appointment of nine of its members as an executive board. The annual meeting of the central committee is held on the Wednesday preceding the second Thursday in December of each year in the city of Washington, the hour and place for such meeting being designated by the chairman. (Next Monday-Administration.)-BGC. |