OCR Text |
Show m - 'i- 'i- n- RED CROS8 IN CIVIL WAR When tho farmers of tho treaty of HHJ Oonovn, which provides for tho pro- HBV 'tcctlon of. agents of tho Red. Cross in BV war, had complotcd their task thoy HBS had ommlttcd all mention of oho lm- ( portant question which has recently HBV I vt1'0011 a cause of uncertainty and soma ., embarrassment, This question re- ' j - ' latcs to tho function of tho lied Cross HHfl In civil war. Tho treaty, In fact, aoctt not pro- HBb vldo any mothod by which tho Red Bb Cross muy help to ameliorate the horrors of civil war. When two gov- crnments arc nt war with each other Bl if both nro signatories to the treaty HjBJ hoth are bound to protect tlio ngeuts BBm of the lied Cross and respect tho Red BBl Cross flag. If only ono of' tho w-ur- BBl ring governments has signed the BBl treaty, neither Is required to respect BBl tho Red Cross flag or agents. In such HB a case, tho two countries, by special BBl agreement, may bind themselves to BBl observe tho' rules of tho treaty, aud BBl thus uvnll themselves of tho humane BBl administrations of tho Red Cross. BBl In the enso of civil war or rovoKn BBl tlonnry movements, howovcrtho rov- BBl olutlonnrlos are not only not slgueru BBl of tho treaty of Gcnova, but as they HB ' havo no recognized governmental HB status, tho are held to bo Incapable BH of entering Into u responsible agree- BBl ment concerning tho Red Cross with BBl tho government which thoy nro try- BBf ing to overthrow. Thus no way Is BBf loft open by which tho Red Cros3 BBJ may legally and safely give its kind- BB y services In time of civil war. BH ..j During the progress of the recent BBr revolution In Mexico the American BJ Red Cross offered its services to the BB Mexican government, but Its offer BB could not bo accepted. As a result, BB j tho American Red Cross confined Its BB activities to the boundary lino be- BB tw'cen the United States and Mexl- BB. co, caring for sick and wounded- sol- BB. dlurs and destltuto refugees who BH- were brought across tho border or BH taking tho risk of venturing ovor tho BR lino without official protection, when BBj the demand of humanity were lm- HHH pcrntlvo ns was tho case. at Juarez, Ha Nogales, Tla Juann and elsewhere. HHTl The importance of rigid govern- BB I mental control of tho uso of tho Red BBj . Cross Is wo'.l Illustrated by tho prcs- BV- HBHH cnt conJltlon I" China, where no of- BBb 'BBHHHB supervision such BP. BHHHHvM different unauthorized organ Izatlons are using the emblem In tho hopo of protecting the lives nnd property pro-perty of their members. Since no ie-Htrlctlons ie-Htrlctlons on this use nro enforced, the result Is thnt tho emblem has lost Its sacred character In a farclal and pathetic scramble for a protection which It cannot give. Tho following extract from a prlvnto letter from Wuchang, China, bears directly upon this point; "All sorts of people are using the flag and badgo who have no right to do so, and many seem to think that a subscription entitles them to full Immunity nnd protection. Tho Red Cross is so badly abused by .misuse .mis-use through peoplo bringing their' valuables val-uables to bp stored under its acglb that presently It Is feared .the whole population will hoist the sign at the' Inst extremity ns a last resort." At tho ninth International Red Cross conference, to be held in Washington Wash-ington next May, this ommlsslon of .the treaty of Geneva to provldo for Red Cross operations in civil war will probably bo ono of tho Inpdrttmt topics for discussion. Representatives of forty or more countries will, participate par-ticipate in this conference. |