National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1884-09-27
the RED CROSS CONFERENCE.
business Transacted and Entertain-
monts Enjoyed by the Delegates ut
Geneva.

Business Transacted and Entertnin-
mcnts Enjoyed by the Delegates ut
Geneva.
GENEVA, SWITZERLAND, Sept Tho
American branch of tho Geneva Red
Cross association has been ably repre-
scented here in the persons Of Miss Clara
Barton, Mr.. A. S. Solomons, and Judge
Sheldon, of Hartford, Conn. at the inter-
national conference, which .closod its de.
liborations yesterday. Out Of thirty
seven countries who are parties to the in
ternational treaty twenty-five were
represented by eighty-Evo delegates, ali
of whom were intellectually and socially
superior to members who usually attend
conventions.
After somo preliminarles at the first
meeting on the 1st instant the following
vice presidents were elected: Judge Hol-
leben, of Germany; Count Room, of Rus
sia; Lieut.. Col. Tosi, of Italy; A. $. Solo
mons of tho United States; President
Vornes d'Arlandes, minister of finance,
of Franco, aud DIR. Schlesingor, of Aus
tria. With tho exception of the delegates
from the United States all tho rest were
fairly covered with jewels, ribbons, and
orders that almost blinded the eyes of the
audience (who were in full evening dress
and were also veneered over in much the
same way as they looked up to the raised
platform upon Monster Mayner, the
| president, and his glittering surround
| ings. Besides the delegates on the floor
| of tho amphitheater of tho university
where this, the second meeting, was held,
| tho first and second tiers of the galleries
were we'll filed with AN Interested audi
ence of ladies and gentlemen who ap-
| plsuded to tho echo all the good things
said. Tho parliamentary laws applying
to French legislative bodies were those in
force, and they differ so much from the
"rules of tho house" in Washington that
there seems to bo hardly anything in
common.
Miss Clara Barton and three other Ia
dies were tho only females among the
delegates, and only one of these (of the
other three appeared at one of the ses-
sions. On the fourth day resolution
pimentary to Miss Barton for the
| work she has done was offered aud passed
without dissenting voice. The debates
were carried on in French, German, En-
glish, and Italian, and when each speaker,
other than tho French, concluded, his re-
|
tho translator. 1t was noticeable that
while most of the Germans spoke at other
times in French when they mounted
the platform they invariably spoke in
| German, and it was whispered around
| that the order camo from the German
government-tho old jealousy toward
France having not yet quite died out
Many questions of great interest in the
practical workings of the Red Cross on
the field of battle were decided with
great unanimity, thereby showing that
tho members were perfectly familiar with
| the work.
Several good long steps were taken in
| the right direction by the convention ap-
proving the course pursued by the Ameri-
can Association Of tho Red Cross, which
was explained by Judge Sheldon, while
Miss Barton invited tho international
| societies to send exhibits to the New
| Orleans exhibition in December next.
| Judge Sheldon also read a paper, COM
menting favorably upon some exhibits
made by Col. Julius Port, of Bavaria,
showing great ingenuity in improvising
things of the greatest need and import
ance out of almost nothing, such as max
ing comfortable houses out of empty tin
cans hattened out and few sticks of
wood, stoves out of thatched twigs and
straw, splints out of hoop iron, drinking
cups, lanterns, filters, hinges for doors,
&C., ont Of the ordinary black glass quart
| bottle. Mr.. Solomons closed the proceed
ings of the last day of the conference by
| expressions of thanks on the part of the
delegates for the courtesies shown to them
by tho officers of the convention. Subse-
quently, at meeting of the delegates
representing societies only, when tho
question was discussed as to the best dis
| position to be made of 5000 francs do
| mated by the empress Of Germany, and
brought hero by her private secretary,
Mr.. Solomons proposed Washington as
the place for the next meeting of the con-
vention, two or three years hence. and
elaborated upon the advantages to be
gained by the foreign members coming to
America, but the distance was thought
too great, and Carlshrue was selected as
the place.
An excursion on the lake Of Geneva,
garden parties at the magnificent man
sions of Mr.. Moynier, the president, and
Mr.. Ador, the secretary OF the interna-
tional society; receptions at the Athinee,
&C., were the order of every day and
evening, and the whole round of work
and of pleasure was concluded last night,
and dinner given by the state and civic
authorities at the Hotel National, which
fairly capped the climax for proHigate
elegance. Miss Barton was the only lady
present, aud several very complimentary
remarks were made by tho speakers for
engrafting this unusual event upon the
customs of the country. There, as else
where, everything was conducted en- regle.
Those who were to speak were invited to
do SO days before, and not voluntary
toast or syllable was uttered.
The presence of the delegates from tho
United States to the conference was
looked upon as great compliment and
J the most cordial feeling toward them pre-
vailed.
Taken as a whole the convention was a
great success, and unquestionable good
must come from its deliberations and con-
clusions QUI VIvE.