Show Red Cross Cross Cross- Cross Universal Sign of Mercy I 4 t 4 4 4 1 r t kf if j i 4 F iw w i L 4 1 N h 4 Y b c 4 o h af M th Red cross workers are often as busy in peace time as during a war as are the nurses shown shoy above transcribing ing Braille for the blind and those at the registration desk taking applications for relief in a a. California earthquake earth earth- quake Inset left Henry P. P Davison war time head of American Red Cr Cross Crass ss Inset right Admiral Cary Gary T. T I Grayson rayson chairman of the League of Red Cross Societies By WILLIAM C. C UTLEY S DEPLORABLE as and AS A perhaps even less excusable excusable able than deaths on the field of ot war are the some deaths which result from automobile accidents In the United United Unit Unit- e ed States ever every year If It quick aid could be given to the Injured along our highways Ya Yas s this staggerIng staggering stagger- stagger Ing lug annual total could coul be lessened materially In wartime It Is the Job of ot the Red Cross societies to see that men hurt so severely se that they ma may die are are given gl quick me medical and surgical aid ald Now the American Amerlean Amer ican lean Red ned Cross Is going to bring Its noble and efficient sen service Ice Ice along the highway fronts In the war against automobile deaths Within a few months according to the officials of oC the society trained members of the Red fled Cross will be stationed at every ery possible point along the busy highways s 's read ready to lend a hand to save n a life Just how the campaign will willbe willbe be e conducted conduct was not available le leat at the time of this writing for Cor plans were not yet complete but It Is more than likely that agreements agreements agree agree- ments will be reached between the Red fled Cross and the oil companies which operate gasoline filling stations stations stations sta sta- to effect some sort of or cooperation co co- operation Busy In Peace Times The Red fled Cross you know Is far from Idle when there Is no war going on Rather Hather there Is always a war going on for the Red fled Cross ross rossa a a war against the ravages of floods dust storms hurricanes earthquakes and other national disasters a war against the terrors terrors ter tel of oC eternal darkness for the blind against demons of ot discouragement discouragement for Cor the disabled veterans a war against countless things that bar the roa road to happiness and I health for whole communities s unless unless unless un un- less organized battle Is con conducted against them This year more than ever er before the battle has been a terrible one l In IL the average year there are S 82 national disasters one every ery four Cour I Ia days a s During the last 12 13 months months' there have bave been Hi 1591 That Is an time all record And the battle of the American He Red fled Cross has been nobly fought With all this Impressive record the tr-e American Is one of the younger young young- er Re Red fled Cross societies There are arc 01 Gl of them In as ns many different countries Their methods s of operation operation operation op op- differ surprisingly little Corthe for Cor forthe forthe the many kinds of populations which they serve In one thing they are completely complete complete- ly uniform Almost no matter where you go on this old globe you will find that the Insignia which Identifies the angel ang who relieves relle the soldiers soldier's suffering Is the Red fled RedCross RedCross Cross on the field fjeld of white Hapl Rapidly ly since the World war the activities of ot all these 01 Gl societies so have grown to be more uni unI- form They have proved themselves themselves themselves them them- selves to be as Important In the relief of ot human suffering during peace pence time Ime as they ever were at atthe atthe atthe the peak of or wartime activity Americans Spread the Light What has been responsible for such de developments It Is good to tobe tobe tobe be able to say that In large measure measure meas meas- ure Americans have ha For It Is Americans who In less than twenty twenty twenty ty years have been the leaders In Inthe Inthe Inthe the work of or International correlation correla correIa tion which has hns been conducted by bythe bythe bythe the League of Red ned Cross Societies whose mo modest est headquarters stand about yards ar 5 from the Place de e ell ll tolle In Paris It was personality of tho late Henry P P. P Davison lson war time of the American ne Red fled Cross I hilt hat effected the agreement between heads of the Red fled Cross In France Gre Great t Britain Italy Japan and the United States launching the league a few months after the signing of or orthe the armistice Davison lson was the first chairman of ot the league John Barton Pa Payne ne another chairman of ot the American Red fled RedCross Cross became chairman of the league to succeed Davison In 10 1021 1931 1 when hen Judge Pa Payne nc died early this year another American Admiral Cary T T. T Gra Grayson son was unanimously chosen to succeed him And since 1031 1931 another American Ernest J J. J Swift has been the leagues league's s secre- secre cre- cre tary The league has brought about the creation of 20 new Red fled Cross societies societies societies so so- since It was formed forme but Its Influence has gone much farther than that Almost every ery one of ot the 01 Cl member societies Is today engaged engaged engaged en en- not only In keeping leepIng rea ready y Corthe for Cor forthe forthe the emer emergency enc of war but In a regular regular reg reg- ular day to program of health and welfare work disaster relief an and other Important peacetime acU ac ac- ac- ac U It I es Plan Air All Ambulances The highway service ser planned and already started In a n small wa way In America Is being worked out along International lines As aviation develops develops develops de de- the the possibility of air all ambulance ambulance ambulance am am- services are fire Interesting the league Through the league secretarIat secretariat secre serre Lariat health propaganda material Is made regularly available a to all of the societies The league has widely publicized the disaster relief organization perfected perfected perfected per per- by the American Red fled Cross and has helped other societies emulate emulate emulate emu emu- late It When a a disaster occurs on ona ona ona a scale so large that the society In Inthe Inthe the nation affected Is not able to cope with it alone operation co-operation of at other member societies Is a recognized recognized duty As a recent Illustration may be cIt cited the earthquake e which wiped out the city of India In May Iny of this year Fifteen national societies in response to an International Red fled Cross appeal Immediately immediately Im me mediately latey forwar forwarded ed contributions to Increase the resources of the Indian Indian In In- dian Red Hell Cross The Red fled Cross Is one of or the few Cew humanitarian organizations which have been born in a war Its origin Is traced to the battle of Solferino In the Italian war of 1850 Henri Dunant of Geneva Genera saw that bloody battle and In Un Souvenir Sou de Solferino Solferino Sol Sol- ferino described the tragic suffering of oC the woun wounded ed soldiers so vl vividly an and powerfully that his words were rea read throughout the world These sufferings he pointed out were largely the result of Improper care He lle suggested the possibility of ot organizing organizing organizing or or- In all civilized civilised countries permanent societies of ot volunteers which In time of war would render succor to the woun wounded e without distinction distinction dis dis- of nationality Dunant's Idea caught on with Gustave Gustave Gus Gus- tave ta l Genevese law lawyer cr and social worker He De appointed a committee committee committee com com- of five Genevese Gene to meet and construct a plan of carr carrying out the Dunant suggestion At the Invitation tion of the committee delegates from 14 19 nations met at Geneva on October 20 G 1862 They adopted resolutions laying the seed for the formation of ot the Red fled Cross as we know It today although most of oC the duties with which they charged members were associated with war emergencies On One of ot tue Important important tant acts of the convention was to declare concerning the volunteer societies Uniformity of Emblems They shall wear in 10 all nil th the countries countries coun coun- tries a 8 white band ban around the arm with a red cross upon It It as a distinctive and uniform badge The first of the new v Red Hell Cross societies was organized In December Decem ben ber of or the same year at Wurt Wurtem- Wurtem m- m berg In Ia a II convention at Geneva In 1 delegates from 1 12 nations signed a treaty providing for or the neutrality of ot ambulances lances and military mill mili tary hospitals and a adopting the tho red cross as the emblem and distinctive dis sign of the sanitary servo ice Virtually every civilized na nation nation na- na tion has since acce acceded ed to it It The Hague peace penCe conference of ot 1809 1590 extended its terms to naval warfare war war- fare Although the convention of at course ha had to be International In nature the thc lied Cross society In each countr country Is entirely national and Independent It makes Its own laws and Is directly responsible f for r the work In Its own countr country The International committee comprIsIng comprising com com- IS Swiss residents of Geneva Genera Gene Gene- va ra is the medium um of communication communication com coin between the national organizations an Important function function tion In time of war when It becomes becomes be be- comes the neutral channel for relief relief relief re re- lief of prisoners When the first convention was called at Geneva the United d States was In the throes of Civil war and the people of the North the recognized government were caring for the wounded It was not until 1807 1867 that the real foundations foundations foundations of the American Red lied Cross were lal laid Miss Barton Is Founder An American Miss Clara Barton Barton Bar Bar- ton In that year ear met the founders of He Red fled Cross In Geneva and they prevailed upon her to foster the work In the United States She Interested President Garfield nn and James G G. G maine Elaine then secretary of state In 1831 and steps step's were taken for the United States to ratify ratify ratify rati rati- fy the treaty In the same year the American Association of ot the I Red fled Cross was organized with Miss 1 Barton as Its president President President Pres Pres- ident Garfield was assassinated I but In 1882 President ent Arthur Arthur signed It and the senate confirmed It I Tho The American organization has hns I been clarified several se times Its charter now cans calls for tor a yearly I audit of Red fled Cross accounts b by bythe bythe the War department and for federal federal federal fed fed- eral supervision through official l representation on the Red Hed Cross I governing governing- body I During the World war the American Red fled Cross distinguished Itself In n a manner never to be for for- gotten It organized and completely completely com equipped 54 base hospitals of 1000 beds each elch and each with witha a personnel of for the army medical corps and for the nn navy y seven se more The society spent 3 3 on this work worl It assigned nurses to active military duty an and equipped of or those for overseas o duty at a cost of It co operated co-operated In health an and ho hospital work both In Inthis inthis this country nn and abroad Canteen worl workers ers served refreshments 40 40 times to troops In transit and times to soldiers In France France- Financial aid was given en to the families of American American Ameri Amerl- can cnn soldiers lers All In all nH In the years from 1917 1017 to 10 1923 3 the Red fled RedCross RedCross Cross spent on Ameri Amer- American AmerIcan can soldiers an and their families In addition a 8 total of ot nearly was spent by the American Red fled Cross bringing relief relief re reo lief lIet to sufferers In foreign countries countries coun coun- tries durIn during those years ears With Americans leading the work worl of ot the League of or Red Rell Cross Societies the number nUll of at members of ot the Red fled Cross has bas steadily Increased Increased increased In In- creased even through ugh the depression depression depres depres- sion slon years until today there are are In the world adult mom mom- hers and an equal number of ot Juniors And perhaps no Is so universally tint uni recognized as the sign of the Red fled Cross t Wt n u vr na ru |