Show I WASHINGTON WASI LETTER HE 1 CROSS CitO s Tn SI I IL Il IN L' L h S. S Bl FI I IT 11 ITS WAS W S non IN IX S O l XH 1 Editors l note nole This Is N the thit sod sod- e mill of ce tilling n It how lo lie lIed Hell CIO Cios meets inc t ei like the n a tr h t no nt NEt NEA F kc WASHINGTON May 17 The Thc The American merican Red nell Cross Cros which is ts spending spending- In the- the theMla theMis Mla Mla- sl pI l flood area Is I almost tho the only organization which can ask for huge donations land and find a unanimous opinion or that it should it have the money Although the international Tied ned Cross has more than twice as many members rs In the United States as s ll In any ny other country its origin is I. I J Swiss There was a time after aCter the Civil war whop when this hits country eO seemed scented to regard It H with somewhat the same suspicion ns as greeted the tho League of Nations N after aCter tho the World orld wo wai and It re re- remained ti maint-ti for fot Clara larr Bai Dalton Barton ton to the Idea to President GartI ld In 1881 1851 Paternity of or the time Red Cross is credIted d to ta M 1 mi Henri Dunant a ayoung young joung Swiss ranco Swiss tra who wl o happened upon the battle of ot Sol- Sol Solferino Solferino Solferino ferino between the Austrians and nd I 1859 jort thousand men were score were left len killed or wounded on OD the tho field and Dunant recruited compassionate women from nearby towns to care for the wounded of oC both sides as best they the coul There had been three or or four pre pro previous historical Instances Instances' of ot men menor menor menor or women getting together to less less- lessen lessen lessen en tho the misery miser of ot wounded friends friend toes foes after acter battles batties but but the Idea had never been made to stick slicK SOUGHT r. r K BODY M it I Dunant however published In 1862 an eloquent pamphlet en entitled en- en entitled entitled titled A A of or SOI Including all au the gruesome details talu and asking l it not b b. b p sibio to found and organize in 1411 all rii civilized countries permanent nent so so- societies societies of or volunteers which In time of ot war would render succor to the lie lieS lie'S wounded S 'S without distinction of r nationality 1 1 These societies added ty Dunant could also render great service Ret at the time of ot epidemics floods fires tires and other unexpected ed Ld cata c tho the humane mo mo mo- motive motivo tive tivo which would ouM have created them would Instigate them to act acton acton acton on all occasions in which their labors could be he exercised The conception of or M M. Dunant covered the very emergency which the Red ned Cross Croas Is ts i meeting today tOllay In Inthe the tho tb Mississippi vailey a lie His Hi pamphlet attracted International attention Gustav G Meynier president of or the philanthropic So Society of or Public Utility at Geneva Geniva Gen a appointed a n commission front from ito tho society to study it Dunant was v secretary of the tho committee of ot five which bleh extended a general ener l Invitation Invitation tion to Luro enn countries for a conference to study the Ito Idea 1 I Fourteen n nations s and Ioven phil philanthropic societies were represented i represent sent d at the tho first conference in October 1863 1563 The conference recommended development of f the organization now known as is the Red Cross and reversed the tho na national s 0 of t the Swiss I republic ep r eo tt to obtain t the familiar t II lied ICed e Cross insignia SIGN SIG TY l Tho rho Swiss federal sup sup- supported supported ported portell by bv Napoleon III called a diplomatic convention held at Geneva va the following August Del Dd- Delegates gates came caine came from front 13 European nations and the United States and time the result was the 1 First Treaty of or Geneva or International Red ned RedCross RedCross Cross Cro 5 treats treats' treat Most delegates were empowered pred to sign for or their na nations na na- na but the tho two American dele dele- delegates SAtes gates were riot Although the Hie sanitary Military commission of ot this coun coun- country country country try hal hial done important work during time Iho Civil Cit war Will along Rod fled Cross lines tines the Washington eov- eov eminent t lo tO regard rt gard tho time trent treaty as nn an entangling foreign ai- ai had best be shunned rho fhi sanitary commission how- how howel f er el developed Into the tho ho Ameri American can cais Cl n Association of oC Relief neller of ot Mis- Mis cr ry on the ho Battlefields adopting adof cross on a a. field as lIS emblem In 1870 It sent relief contributions to to belligerents in inthe inthe the pj l war but be being b be ing log without official i recognition It was disbanded In 1871 1571 Meanwhile Clara Ciara Barton Darton wag I fr the Red lied Cross Crol's In Eu Eublio rope h Garfield A uhl ml s r at and ind In I July 1881 1851 with Misa 1193 Barton Darlon as president the American National of or the I Hed ted Cross was W. Incorporated In the tho District of Co Co- Columbia Co- Co lumbia Garfield was assassinated before ho he could personally super super- superintend superIntend intend ratification of ot tho the Geneva treaty but Lut President Arthur took up ur the the- th cause causo- and signed the tile treaty March 1 I 1 1882 with tho the unanimous unanimous- ratification ratification-of of the sen sen- senate ate There were then 31 signa signa- signatory signatory signatory tory nations HEl CROSS CHOSS RI In its early days dRYs the tho American Red ned Cross gave grave aid al' to victims of at atthe the Michigan forest fires Ires In 1881 subsequent Mississippi l and Ohio river floods the Armenian mas mas- massacres massacres of or 1866 Russian famine of 1892 1592 the Galveston and tidal wave in 1000 1900 find and the Span Span- ish American war In which the he organization had Its first chance to function under war w r conditions In this century the tho Red Hed Cross has been built IntO Inter nn an efficient national organization n under und r fed Ced r- r rai al ai supervision al and federal fed rat In 1911 President Taft Tatt that the Red fled Cross the volunteer volun eer society ty a ed by tu bythe hIthe the government to t r nd aid to toland toland toland land and naval na forces In time of oC war Today there thero are aro 57 7 national Red ned Cross societies with a total membership of ot moro mor than 18 The Th largest larg st societies are aro the tho United Jolted States with S se senior so- so senior and junior members Japan Jar an Rail Italy and 1 |