TAE RED CDOSB
ww-raw-w?
uy^ C Karies Loo Drvsotv
S NOW constituted, the American Red Cross is but 12 years
old. It was chartered by congress in 1905, and is protected
by various laws passed since that date. But it owes its
existence to the convention of Geneva, held in 1863, and the
treaty—often called the Red Cross treaty—of 1864, at which
, a number of civilized nations agreed that each should form
an organization for the relief of the wounded in war, and that
this organization of each, should be respected by all the others.
The most powerful immediate force making for this
treaty was a little paper written by Henri Dunant, a Swiss,
describing the horrors of the battlefield of Solferino. He
visited that battlefield after the French, Italian and Austrian
armies had fought over it and had left 30,000 wounded to die uncared for.
multi ngonies that cannot be told. Neither sur-
Jteoox, nurses nor comrades paid any heed to those
30,000 whose tortured bodies lay for days on the
•eld, until death relieved those who could not
«»wl away.
But Dunant saw—and heard —the horrors there,
and he told so much of it that he was able to. get
the leading nations to send delegates to the Ge
«e»a convention, and so started the movement
which has now’ developed into the Red Cross. A
account of this achievement was in the Red
Oobs Magazine of May, 1917.
Though now acclaimed a leader in humani
tarian work, the United States was then so little
haterestod in the Red Cross that the treaty was
not signed until 1882. But in,190.' the government
•woke. at least in part, to the opportunity, and
chartered the American Red Cross as It is today.
W» president of the United States is the active
head of the Red Cross, and presides at Its meet
ings. But so little influence has politics in this
work of mercy that former President Taft is
chairman of the central committee, by appolnt-
Ment of President Wilson. And the present writer
Wishes to say that, though he has been connected
■sore or less closely with headquarters of the
central division for two and a half years, he
actually does not know the politics of another
officer of either national or local organization.
Mke snakes in Ireland, politics in the Red Cross
fat not.
The government of the American Red Cross is
vested in u central committee of eighteen mem
bers, six appointed b.v the president of the United
States, the others elected by representatives of
the members. And since the president himself
is chosen by Hie people, the policy of the entire
Red Cross Is united very closely alike to the gov
ernment and to the people. Since a central com
miUee of eighteen is too unwieldly to transact
routine business with dispatch, power is further
concentrated i« an executive committee of seven
members, of whom five constitute a quorum. The
chairman of the executive committee must, by
hw, be the chairman of the central committee.
How closely the Red Cross is identified with the
government is shown by tracing, briefly, the posi
tions held b.v its officers. As has been said, the
■president of the United States is president, and
he appoints the chairman of the central committee
and six of its members. The chairman of the cen
tral committee is also chairman of the executive
committee of seven. The treasurer of the Red
Cross is John Skelton Williams, comptroller of the
currency of the United States, and the counselor
of the Red Cross Is John W. Davis, United States
solicitor general.
Under former President Taft on the central
committee are such men as Brig. Gen. Charles
Bird of the United States Army; Rear Admiral
William C. Braisted, surgeon general of the United
States navy; Maj. Gen. William C. Gorgas. sur
geon general of the United States army; Robert
lounsfag, United States secretary of state; Frank-
Na K. Lane, secretary of the interior, and Judge
W. W. Morrow.
The work of the national organization is carried
•a under three great departments: One for mili
tary relief; one for civilian relief, and one for
chapters. The composition of each will be briefly
outlined
The department of military relief is under Col.
Jefferson Randolph Kean, United States army
medical corps, a grandson of Thomas Jefferson.
Wader him are the medical bureau, In charge of
the medical personnel of base hospitals, the first
aid Instruction; the nursing bureau, in charge of
auraes and nurses’ aids for base hospitals, and
women’s classes in training; the service units to
care for soldiers and sailors —ambulance com
panies, base hospitals, nurse detachments, sani
tary detachments and general hospitals; and the
Red Cross supply service, for the buying, storing
and shipping of all kinds of supplies.
The department of civilian ,relief is under Ernest
F. Bicknell, director general, with a long record
of personal service in disaster relief. His depart
■aent controls all relief work at domestic and for
eign disasters of Are. flood and pestilence; the
Belief of noncombatants in war, both here and
abroad; the care of the families of soldiers und
■allots; the town and country nursing service;
and the sale of Christmas seals for the stamping
•ut of tuberculosis.
The department of chapters is under E. H.
Welts, director of chapters. It deals, through the
directors of the nine territorial divisions, with the
organization of new chapters, and the membership
campaigns in those already formed..
The Red Crqps Magazine, nt first little more
limn a monthly bulletin which told, briefly, the
doings of the organization, has now grown into
a splendid publication (valued recently at $1,000.-
OUUL which tells by clear pictures and vivid
■tones the history of the Red Cross for each
tnontii all over the world.
Each member of the Red Cross above the one
dollar class gets the Red Cross Magazine free,
part of the dues going to the publication. The cir-
MhtUon, which was only 25,000 three years ago. Is
■ow about 200,000, and growing by leaps of 50,000
at a time. Il has been predicted b.v men in the
position to know best that within a few years It
will be making $250,000 a year clear profit for the
Red Cross, instead of costing SIO,OOO a month, as
M did until a short time ago.
Under the national organization at Washington,
the territory of the United States Is divided Into
■even great divisions, each under the supervision
«f • division director, responsible to Washington,
■nd standing between the national officers and the
Me state and local organizations.
The unit of the Red Cross system is the chapter.
This always covers some definite territory, usually
Very briefly stated, the American Red Croat is an
organization to relieve human auffering, and its aim is to
prepare, in time of peace and quiet, for its relief work
in war, disaster or pestilence.
It works under the protection and with the aid of the
government, and, being international in its scope, is rec
ognized by and works in harmony with similar organi
zations in all civilized countries. But its strength comes
from the people directly, who give of their time,
their money and their lives to it.
Its reason for being is the same that has called into
existence our hospitals, our asylums, our charity organi
zations — even our physicians — because it stands fora
work which must be done and which cannot bo done
except by preparation in advance. Until the Red Cross
was organized, the wounded on the battlefield and the
victims of civil disaster alike had to go without care until
amateur relief could be organized after the need had
become imperative.
>i large city or a county —sometimes several coun
ties.
The chapter is governed, on a smaller scale,
very much as the Red Cross as a whole is gov
erned. It has its chairman and other officers, its
board of directors and its executive committee, in
whose hands the active work is carried on. In
large chapters an executive secretary usually does
most of the active work of the executive commit
tee.
Each chapter is divided into a section for mili
tary relief and a section for civilian relief, much
as the national organization Is divided. And each
section has its committees to carry out the various
activities.
The section for military relief has Its commit
tees on: Red Cross; instruction; hospital sup
plies ; warehousing and shipping; supplies for
fighting men, and special committees for such
work as organizing hospital companies, sanitary
detachments, surgical sections and supply depots.
The section for civilian relief has its commit
tees on: Care of families of soldiers and sailors;
relief for noncombatants; care of discharged sol
diers and sailors; training in volunteer civilian
relief, and special committees as needed on local
disaster, care of refugees and other kindred sub
jects. t
How the Red Cross operates is perhaps best
told by citing some of the concrete examples of its
work. To begin with, two of the most recent in
stances of civilian disaster relief, take the torna
does which devasted Newcastle and New Albany,
Ind., at intervals of about two weeks.
When Newcastle was laid in ruins with the loss
of a score of lives, and several hundred persons
made homeless and thrown out of work, the pres
ent writer, learning the situation through tele
graph and long distance telephone messages to
the press, notified Division Director John J. O’Con
nor of Chicago. Within ten minutes Mr. O’Connor
was calling for Red Cross nurses, surgeons,
trained Investigators, and arranging with Wash
ington for whatever funds might be needed to
start the work of rescuing the survivors, feeding
and housing them, getting them back to work, and
collecting, identifying and burying the dead. All
night long, from his room in Chicago, he was put
ting this, that and the other agency to work at the
end of a wire, and the dawn of the next day saw
order coming out of chaos.
Then, and not before. Mr. O’Connor took train
for the scene, and when he arrived, found his or
ders being carried out. He took personal charge,
aided by the chairman and committees of the In
dianapolis and other nearby chapters, and the
work of rehabilitation went swiftly forward.
While the director was still at Newcastle he
received a message that an even worse disaster
had befallen New Albany. Again sending orders
b.v wire for surgeons, nurses, investigators and
supplies, he took train for the scene of the latest
calamity, and again he arrived to find the system
already at work. The*living were cared for und
work found for them, the dead buried, and all
with the least possible delay and disorganization
of the daily life of the community.
The June number of the Red Cross Magazine
contains a succinct account of the splendid relief
work accomplished.
The work of organizing base hospitals Illus
trates the forehanded methods of the Red Cross.
With a clarity of vision for which the country
now blesses him, Colonel Kean called last autumn
for the Red Cross to organize for the army and
navy with the least possible delay 36 base hospital
units. Ho did not want hospital buildings—whut
.he wanted was 36 units of surgeons, dentists,
apothecaries, orderlies, nurses and assistants, with
all the cots, mattresses, bedding, laboratory appa
ratus, bandages, splints, surgical shirts, bed
gowns, and the thousands of things that must be
had before a single wounded man can be properly
cared for. Each of these 36 base hospital units
was to be enrolled ami trained, all their perma
nent equipment bought, and all fhelr consumable
supplies bought or made, boxed, labeled and
stored, so that the whole could be shipped by train
or steamer on notice of a day or two.
Instantly, ull over the country, the division di
rectors passed the word to their chapters, and the
various committees took up the work of forming
base hospital units. Under the supervision of
Washington Itself the surgeons and nurses were
chosen and enrolled. Purchasing agents bought
nt the lowest possible price the equipment. Un
der each chapter engaged In the work a commit
tee on hospital supplies got standard patterns and
specifications from the war department, and set
hundreds and thousands of women to sewing on
the bandages, wound dressings and hospital gar
ments.
AU that was long before the United States
THE BIHXETIN. IRWINTON. GEORGIA.
gave up hope of peace. When, finally, the nation
declared war, the 36 base hospitals were complete
ly organized, equipped and supplied, and back of
them was a great body of men and women trained
to the work of keeping them supplied.
That is how Ihe Red Cross works in all its man
ifold activities. The heads of the organization—
and that means the heads of th6 nation —deter-
mine what is needed, and through the division
directors to the chapters goes the word of what
Washington wants —and instantly the people, on
whom rests the Rod Cross, begin to supply It.
Belgium was violated, and ten millions of help
less civilians left starving and freezing. The Red
Cross to the rescue, and at President Wilson’s
call money and supplies were raised and sent
over, to be there distributed by Red Cross agents.
Serbia was crushed, and stricken with typhus
fever. There went the American Red Cross, with
strong and capable surgeons and skilled nurses,
backed by money and medicines and supplies fur
nished by the Red Cross. It cost the lives of
some of the finest of the Red Cross workers, but
typhus was stamped out and thousands upon
thousands saved.
There was an earthquake at Messina, Italy.
The American Red Cross was there with surgeons
and nurses, food and clothing—yes, even with
portable frame houses “made in America” to
house the victims until they could rebuild their
homes.
There was a great famine in China. There, too,
was the American Red Cross, not only helping
feed the starving, but with a commission of some
of the most famous engineers of the war depart
ment, to whom China intrusted the task of spend
ing $50,000,000 on a system of works to prevent
the overflow of the great river which yearly de
stroyed crops and caused famine.
That is how the Red Cross works.
Why the work is done by the Red Cross is
easiest of all to explain,, though perhaps least un
derstood by the public, yis because the work of
preparing beforehand to meet unforeseen emer
gencies, and of alleviating human suffering, has
never been undertaken by any other agency. In
the words of the old saw, “everybody’s business is
nobody’s business.”
It seems almost incredible, but after all the cen
turies of war and agony, no nation in history ever
went to war with an organization capable of car
ing for the men wounded on the battlefield, to say
nothing of the victims of rapine, disease, famine
and pestilence that stalked across the land after
the armies.
Never, until this present year of grace, has
there ever been a base hospital organized, in time
of peace, to care for the wounded after a battle.
There is a small medical corps with the army, yes;
but it can merely pass the wounded back to field
and evacuation hospitals, giving only a temporary
dressing—often not even that. There are always
home hospitals, too. But the gap between them,
now filled by base hospital organizations, has
never heretofore been filled until thousands lay
on the field dying of thirst and fever and loss of
blood for lack of that very thing.
After the battle of the Marne, in the present
war, the Red Cross facilities were so limited that
men lay in the scorching sun on the battlefield for
two. three, four, and even five, days with not
even a drop of water, nor a bandage on their
wounds. It cost, thousands of arms and legs that
could have been saved, cost many a life needlessly
spent, and the anguish endured can never be
voiced.
That Is why the Red Cross is here. It may be
said that the governments of the various coun
tries should have met the need. True —but they
never did. All governments are more or less
bound down by precedent,’ constitutional and leg
islative limitations, politics and short-sightedness.
And it has now been found that the Red Cross,
protected and encouraged by the government, can
do quickly and well many things which the gov
ernment could not do for itself.
Speaking locally and selfishly, there are strong
personal reasons why every American should help
the Red Cross. In this war, it may be you or me,
your brother or mine, whose life is saved by the
bandages the Red Cross Is making. Here at
home, it may be your house or mine blown up or
storm-wrecked or flood-swept; your family or
mine left destitute by any one of a score of disas
ters. And in that ease we ourselves would benefit
by the ministrations of the Red Cross.
From the standpoint of the business man, a
strong and active Red Cross is an insurance
policy. When disaster comes. It is always the
business man who is called from his office or store
to take up the unfamiliar task of raising funds,
Investigating cases of destitution, overseeing the
purchase of supplies and their distribution, and
getting the survivors back to where they can earn
their living again. But with a trained Red Cross
the disturbance of normal life is at a minimum.
Almost before a citizen’s committee could be
called together, capable and experienced men, di
rected by the head of a division, himself under
orders from Washington, lays a firm and steady
hand on affairs, and relief is given surely, swiftly,
Justly, and the business man does not have to
spend valuable days and weeks at work for which
he has no training.
Nationally and locally, the Red Cross is the
best accident insurance any people can have.
ISN’T THIS SILLY?
“Arch,” she of the high arches and arched eye
brows said, archly, “do you love me?"
“Why, of course, why shouldn't I, Gladys?
You’ve got the Gladys rags In this town and when
I know you’re my own little Glad, I’m Gladys I
can be.”
STATE IS URGED
TO CUT EXPENSES
Chairman Hall Makes Clear Position On
Appropriations At First Meeting
Os House Committee
COLLEGES MAY BE SUFFERERS
Under War Conditions Values Are
Steadily Increasing In .Nearly
Every County
Atlanta. —
The deliberations, activities and
comment on the general assembly
and legislators showed that the main
concern of this session of the legis
lature will be for the state’s finances
and fiscal system, with stiff fights
looming on repeal of the tax equali
zations.
At the first meeting of the appro
priations committee of the house,
Chairman Joe Hill Hall, of Bibb,
made clear what he had already inti
mated —that, insofar as he is con
cerned no policy will be pursued in
making appropriations except that ot
cutting everything to the bone. A
number of the committee agree with
the chairman, even down to reducing
appropriations to state educational in
stitutions, as a “war economy’’ meas
ure, on the ground that many of the
young men who would otherwise be
served by these institutions will be
aw’ay at war and that, therefore, the
expenses of the institutions should
not be as great.
Other members of the committee,
however, are of the opinion that
men can be found to work out the
states financial salvation, temporarily
at least, so that the educational insti
tutions may be saved from the effects
of a penurious policy.
Mr. Akin, of Glynn, strongly con
tended in the committee meeting,
Chairman Hall strenuously to the
contrary notwithstanding, that the
state is not a pauper, and that the
money can be found to save the situ
ation.
It. is understood that some of the
members of both the appropriations
committee and the ways and means
committee will insist upon a joint
meeting of the two committees before
any appropriations are recommended
by the appropriations committee.
It is reported that chairman Akin,
of the ways and means committee,
and Mr. Wright, of Floyd, are work
ing upon a scheme which they will
present to the house at an early date
to relieve the depleted condition ot
the state treasury. This move will
probably take the form of a revision
of the general tax act, with the cre
ation of machinery for its enforcement,
especially as it affects invisible prop
erty.
It is also known that advocates of
amendment to the tax equalization
act are seeking means of perfecting
the act so that, it will reach invisible
taxables more effectively, which, ac
cording to figures produced by Mr.
Taylor, of Monroe, are bearing but
2 per cent, of their share of the bur
den of taxes.
There are now pending In the
house three bills for the repeal of the
tax equalization act. Meanwhile, it
is certain that there will be a bitter
fight against the repeal of the act,
and that strong efforts will be made
to make the act more effective, es
pecially on reaching Invisible taxable
values, as was recommended by Gov
ernor Hugh M. Dorsey in his inaugur
al address.
t
Wire Guarding Germans Cut
The big military colony at Fort
McPherson was stirred by the discov
ery in the early morning hours of
what appears to have been an at
tempt to liberate the 411 interned
German prisoners who have been un
der close guard at the fort for some
time. They have only recently been
moved to their new quarters.
The heavy wire barricade which ex
tends completely around the quarters
occupied by the Teuton sailors was
found to be cut by a sharp m feta I
clipper. In one place three strands of
the heavy wire were completely sev
ered, making an opening which is re
ported to have been large enough to
allow the passage of a man’s body.
An investigation instituted imme
diately after the discovery of the at
tempted escape revealed the fact that
none of the Germans had escaped
and their quarters were at once
placed under heavy guard.
Military authorities at the fort are
completely at a loss as to whether the.
work was done by the interned Ger
man sailors in a vain attempt to gain
their freedom or by some outside
party.
Cuts Milk Sample Charges
The state railroad commission an
nounced that an agreement has been
brought about by the commission with
the Southern Express company, where
by that company greatly reduces the
transportation charges on milk samples
taken for and sent to the state depart
ment of agriculture for laboratory an
alysis. The reduction will amount to
a saving of $2,400 a year to the depart
ment. The rate on the milk samples
Ihas heretofore been second class and
will hereafter be one-half of a second
class.
Georgia Cavalry To Mobilize Here
Atlanta —
News was received from Camp Har
ris, Macon, that the Georgia squad
ron of cavalry would be mobilized in
Atlanta possibly for the purpose of .
serving as a mounted provost guard
during the encampment of the thou- :
sands, of soldiers for the di’aft army.
Troop A, detached, will leave Camp
Harris, where it is now encamped, on
foot to Augusta, where it will relieve
Troop K, which is on guard duty.
Troop K will then make the journey
afoot to Atlanta. Troop B will also
leave for Atlanta.
Where the squadron will be en
camped in Atlanta was not made
known. The orders came direct frun
the war department in Washington.
Neither was the purpose of the mobil
ization stated. It was rumored for
considerable while, however, that the
cavalry would serve as a mounted
provost guard for the downtown dis
trict during the training ot the draft
army quota in Atlanta.
The mobilization will bring to the
city more than 600 cavalrymen. At
prese_nt there are tw'o troops already ;
here —F, “the Candler Horse Guards,”'
of Gainesville, with a personnel of 110
men, and Troop L, “the Governor’s
Horse Guards,” of Atlanta. The lat
ter troop is stationed at Silver Lake,
where it is guarding the canton
ment site. It is quartered at Lake
wood.
Student Aviators Working At Tech
Atlanta's aviation school began at
Georgia Tech, when 34 student officers
from Fort McPherson and Fort Ogle
thorpe reported for duty.
Within five minutes after reporting
for instruction in aeronautics, profes
sor H. P. Wood, head of the chair of
electrical engineering at Tech, and
chief of the academic staff that is in
charge of instructiing the student offi
cers, had the men down to work learn
ing how to operate a machine gun.
Sergeant B. W. Jeffers, of the machine
gun company of the Seventeenth regi
ment, was instructing them.
There are “rookie” aviators all the ■
way from Seattle. Wash., and New
York city, studying at Tech to become
aviators. S. J. Catts, Jr., of Tallahas
see, Fla., son of Governor Catts, of
Florida, is a student there.
Captain H. H. C. Richard, of the U.
S. Aviation corps, will have charge of
the entire school.
The other members of the faculty
at the head of departments will be Pro
fessor Richard H. Lowndes, held of
the mechanical department, and Dr.
Daniel H. Elliott, head of physics.
There are eight colleges that have
been designated by the war depart
ment as training schools for aviators.
Sibert Has Nephew In Atlanta
While the arrival of the American
forces is an event of world-wide im
portance, it is of especial interest to
Eugene Sibert, purchasing agent for
M. Rich & Bros. Co., as Mr. Sibert
is a nephew of Major General Sibert,
who is second in command to General
Pershing.
Major General Sibert is a graduate
of West Point and distinguished him
self for the efficient work he render
ed in Panama during the construction
of the canal. He was military com
mander of the Gatun department of
the canal, and was beloved throughout
the isthmus for his democratic nature.
General Sibert was nominated for
major general by President Wilson on
June 8 last. He is a close friend of
General Pershing’s and the news of
his advancement comes as no surprise
to those army men who knew him.
Ending Rreliminary Work On Cards
Atlanta’s exemption boards are
gradually completing their prelimi
nary work on the registration cards, ■
such as comparing the copies and
certifying that they are “true copies,” I
making four lists of the cards, and ;
forwarding them to Mayor CandleTa I
in turn to be forwarded to the adjut
ant general.
Four of the seven exemption boards
in the city have turned over their
cards to Mayor Candler. They are
the boards known as divisions 1,3,
6 and 7.
Gordon Road Widened By Board
Gordon road will be widened six
feet, according to the decision of the
county commissioners at the regular
monthly meeting. The contract re
cently awarded to Pittman Construc
tion company for paving the street
was changed so as to provide for the
extra' width. The road at present ia
18 feet wide. There was some opposi
tion to the change.
Two Committees For Senate Named
President Sam Olive has appointed
two standing committees of the sen
ate provided for in the rules, but not
named at the time of his announce
ment of committee appointments. ■
These committees are the committee i
on congressional and legislative reap- ’
portionments and the committee on I
the tuberculosis sanitarium.
Ambulance Members Mustered In j
Nearly all of the members of ambu- 1
lance Company No. 20, which is com- '
posed mainly of young men from At- j
lanta, who will leave some time soon ;
tor Allentown, Pa., where they will •
be trained for service in France, have (
been mustered into the federal service i
It is not known when the company '
will leave, or the exact nature of the S
training they will receive at Allen- j
town, but it is understood that they ■
will be taught how to handle a modern g
field ambulance, administer first aid >
to the wounded.
