The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1870-10-30
THE WOUNDED IN War
The National Societies for the Relief Of
the Wounded and the Inter-
national COMMITTEES.


the world at this moment Is q witness 10 two
vaovements opposite In their aims yet at the same
time closely united to another -the FIRST, national
and military driving men 10 dispute, with arms In
hand, for political preponderancc; the second, pa
O nc and humane, tending 10 diminish the evils OF
this contest 10 alternate its consequences ana TO
bind up its wounds. II the one has It's side the
dramatic interest," the feyerish anxiety which always
" attached 20 these encounters between nations and
70 their terrible results, Is the other that every
sympahy should belong; 1t Is TO support and gene
raize il that all efforts should tend; for, not TO be
deceived as to les essential nature. 1t CONTAINS a
germ OF practical protestation against war, and
this protest entirely different from any thing that
can be said or written on the subject.
ltmay be OF interest 10 our readers to have some
definite details, which taken from good auth ORR
ties concerning the organization which has sprung
up OF she results OF the Conference OF Geneva
In 1853, concerning which many erroneous ideas
prevalent. Bur rs The materials are as abundant
the subject Is vast 1t Is TO cnoosc from
them only the most essential features.
The immediate result OF the Conference OF Geneva
and o the principles which il so happily proclaimed
has been the formation In the principal European
States OF national societies for the aid OF the
wounded. Each one of these societies mas It's own
separate existence ana It's own rules, which relate
only 10 ltse and ~ the government. FOR the latter
Willingly takes Them unaer It's patronage, even go
Ing SO lar Ia 10 appoint heir prest-
dents. Zach country has thus It's own aid society,
which organizes It's means oil action IN conjunction
with the cyd ana military authorities an accordance
with the habits of tae country 10 which It belongs.
In France tie headquarters or the Central Ald
Society during tie at the PalaiS de fIndus-
Iie.
ln Germany the aid societies OF the different bel
hgerent states decided TO centraize their Efforts ny
appointing q committee, with Its headquarters az
Berlin which delegates from each VI the national
ititIr ia M
Ia switzerland a similar society has been formed.
It's headquarters are ~ Berne and It's president Is
II. bus, who Is at the same time the President OF
the Confederation. Branch societies have been es-
tabllshed IN great number OF cantons. and at &C.
neya one has Ssen recently formed with ~ Tarrei-
Besides these national societies, whose objects ex-
PLAN themselves, there exists moreover, an inter-
iernatondi committee, whose functions are not SO
pasly defined This committee has It's headquar-
ters at Geneva aud has for Its president NJ Gustave
Noynler.
Ii is very generally and enormously believed that
the committee has the attributes and powers vi
sntve power IN regard to relief aud saSSe sS
tens. Matters have not yet gone SO Tar Us this, ana
the nations VI Europe have not yet reached the point
Of giving up favor OF All International committee
prerosatives which they consider as attributes or
their own sovereignty.
The international Committee has thus no autho-
rity whatever over the various AID societies. and
particularly none over the countries now ut war.
its action Is limited to serving as intermediary
between them and 10 lending Its good Offices to-
wards everything that Is OF common ana general
interest. such, Ill TWO words, Is the part played by
the International Committee and even reduced To
these modest proportions II Is not the less called
upon to render the greatest OF services. u
represents, 10 speak, In the midst or
the Jurors OF war, The neutrality OF charity
alongside OF these societies having official
Acter. There are found both VITA the beiligeIents
Aud among the neutral countries numerous inde-
pendent aid societies having special OBJECTS in
Such for example Is the committee of ladies' which
has been formed at Geneva Tor the purpose OF iur-
nishng stores OF all Kinds 10 the wounded OF boin
rdes. Sucn are also the committees winch nave
hAanf IN J,tfta Enr I'M
drst outbreak OF Institutes.
However. while these associations are not directly
Joined to the official societies. they have not the less
very great interest In making use OF the commit
mittees mediums for the application of their
charitable Intentions. These committees command
resources and facilities which the private societies
would have great difficulty in procuring for them
selves.
The organization OF the aid societies is more or
lees complete, according TO the countries. III some
shey are only IN their infancy; In others they arc
tAnk IN this respect. Her societies are organized In
manner TO leave nothing 10 be desired. During
the war all The German AID societies communicate
with The army through the medium OF the 'ROyu
Oommissary anu Military Inspector OF Free AID =
Prince Henry Won Pless. appointed to in,s inpor
lant post by King William. The Prince Pless
Is, speak, the Generai-in-Chief OF and for The
wounded, and all This goes On with true military
precision.
From rhe very outset OF the war important
declaration was made by the AID societies OF The
benHerents. The two central societies engaged
with each other TO ACT with the most entire Impair
TALLY aud TO treat the wounded without any dis
nnctJon OF nationality whatever-2 declaration
which Is In conformity with the principles Oh the
convention OF Geneva, as 1t Is in accordance WIN
the duiIes OF hunnanty.
Besides this the Germans have printed the con-
seDtion OF Geneva and have distributed 1t In proiu
publicity ARTICLES. AS for the societies OF
States not.engaged In the war; their functions
sist IN impartialy giving their assistance to the
committees uf the two belligerents.
The International COMMITTEE serves as bond OF
anon between The begerens, taking charge OF the
correspondence belonging 10 the wounded. AT the
present Tune despatches are freely exchanged be-
tween the committees OF the oelIigerenis
with which they are marked and OF the
stamp which Is affixed upon them by the
committees The International Committee receives
AID both In money ana In kind, when sent TO IT
from the neutral States and passes them TO the
committees OF the beIlgercnt5. For the purpose OF
facilitating this TRANSMISSION the International Com
nittee has established an agency at Basic for tho
whole duration OF the war. This agency carries on
she business oil an immense commission house,
whose gratuitOus services at the command OF all
who claim them in the name OF humanity. THIS
agency receives and forwards thousands Of letters
from the wounded OF prisoners Of both sides, and1n
Ill tine services which are entrusted TO IL shows a
zeal which Is beyond all praise.
The International COMMITTEE constantly Keeps
atsel informed by the committees OF the belgerents
concerning the kind OF articles Of which they are IN
cOrding to these needs ALL ~ Is needless 10 say with
the utmost impartlaity. II transmits, at the same
time, to the committees Of the neutral States the nd
vices which u IS charged with communicating 70
them In regard to the needs Of the belligerents In
this way this committee obtained immense guam
uy OF surgical Instruments which were called for
% both sides immediatey after the terrible series
Of engagements around Metz aud transmitted them
promptly to the theatre OF war.
The different national committees rival each other
In their zeal in procuring materials for the relief
the wounded, and The International Committee re-
ecves immense supplies from all quarters, which it
sends with great rapuity 10 the proper destination.
II ~ by tons that single OF these committees
that OF Milan has forwarded Dandages, clothing,
INT mosguitoDetttD2 &c.
The Dutch National Committee established at the
Hague, centrali2es the aid furnished by Holland
England, me United States Austria, Belgium and
Spain, and actiyey aTanges collections relief
OF the victims OF tbs war
The gifts IN money which sent to the Inlerna-
c0na Committee are, 10 preference, converted by
al INTO articles Tor the comfort OF the wounded, IN
accordance with the requests which arc made 10 IL
from Paris and Berlin
Passing from the questions OF material aid TO
those OF personal assistance 1t may be remarked
Ahat the International Committee has l,eer