The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1889-06-19

ton4i caiAnity since 1852, comparatively
few people understand wha. our mission
is To-day every civilized nation recog
nizesI the society in is medical depart
ment, and every civilized corn;ry-with
tie exception OF Turkey, that has spe-
cial permission 10 use the creseeEt--has
bot one hospital flag, the red cross on a
white background
L But great and powerful as our organi-
zafion is, il will be still greater, for we are
growing slowly, its true, for that IS our
object Wedon't want to grow too fast.
We want
TO GET FIExIY ROOTED,
and not have too much top Among orr
members are some Of the best people in
/ the world. have here cahlegram from
the Grand Duchess of Baden, who has
heard of our calamity here, and sends
her deepest sympathy.
In regard to what place the present
disrster may be assigned in comparison
TO others, We have been connected With.
I / would say that in loss Of life it stands
foremost and alone, but in regard to the
amount of physical suffering. it is not TO
be compared TO the cyclone at Mt. Yer
non two years ago. Here people who
were injured and unable 10 help them
selves, were drowned but there those
who were struck by falling timbers OF
trees were left lying upon the ground and
had 10 be picked up by searching par
ties and conveyed to hospital quarters.
and this entailed immense suffering
IN reply to a question regarding the
sanitary condition Of the town and the
danger OF an epidemic, Miss Barton said ;
Considering the circumstances, the con
dition is perfect, and the lack Of serious
illness remarkable. l do not think THAI
there IS the slightest danger OF an epi-
denic Ofcourse / cannot say that we
will not have one, bat I consider the pos
sibility as very remote
READY ~ coNTAGioN CONES.
aWe are in readiness, however. Expe-
rience has taught Us that caution is new
er thrown away. Our hospital fer conta-
gious diseases isin excellent position on
the hillside, completely isolated from
surrounding houses, and cur surgeons are
ready at q moments notice"
Miss Barton is a genial little woman,
whose slender figure seem scarcely strong
enough to support the heavy burden Of
organization so often placed upon her.
She is Of about middle age and her black
hair IS bat slightly tinged with gray her
voice, low bat very distinct. and her
method Of disposing Of routine work sim
ply marvellous
Continuing her chat, and changing to
the historical phase of her subject, she
said 1t il generally considered that
we are a religious society that We were
organized for the relief, principally. Of
Catholic sufferers. Others imagine that
Protestants alone receive our benefits,
both Of which are wrong.
THE Red Cross Society knows no
creed, sect, nation, or color. Il has but
one obiect-the relief Of suffering hu-
manity, wherever found or under what
ever condition. 1; knows bat one uni
versal language-that expressing the cry
for help. The society is not confined 70
the United Siates-in fact, cur country
was among the last 10 join the fedora
ton, being the thirty -seeond civilized ma
tion to avail itself Of its benefits. The
Red Cross Society was founded in Es-
rope, and its sole object was to relieve, as
Ear as possible, the horrors Of war For
war alone we're the benefits to be dis
pensed. Were there no war then there
would be no Red Cross, and in Europe
to-day It's services can be utilized for that
purpose alone but, in drawing up the
constitution governing its duties in the
United States and considering how
LITTLE ross IBuITY OF VAR
there was-for don't think many Euro
pean nations would care to have any
serious trouble with us, and, she added
with a smile, don't believe, after our
trifing expense, We are liable to trv it
again ourselves very sOon-I include in
the dr4ft floods, fires, cyclones. etc.
When a country desires to join the
international society, draft Of the 81
stitution'is forwarded to the heaal.sAr-
ters at Geneva, where it IS first act II upon
and then carried to the congress at Berne
where, it satisfactory, it is indorsed and
returned to the country applying. Vow
my Introduction Of the other ealamities
was a decided innovation, and I confess
that had serious doubts As TO its accept
anee, but to my satisfaction it met with
bat little opposition. and even that WAS
finally overcome, and by a unanimous
vote the United States was admitted. As
l had labored f5r years with theditferent
congresses 10 persuade them TO pass reso-
lutions applying TO international MEM
bership, you may judge of my delight at
the consumation Of my hcpcs- Zach
country has its own national organiza-
ton, independent Of the congress at G.s-
neva, and its own governing officers.
oSLr TIE AMERICAN HEAD.
Many people imagine that / an the
head snd front Of the entire Red Cross
Society This Is not 80. am simply
the President Of the division Of the
Unitel States, to which position was
appointed by President Garfield, 10
whom the position Was iirss offered and
declined
~Our great object Is to be always pre-
pared to have an organization at a mo-
ment's notice, thoroughly equipped to
face any peril or emergency-an organ
ization in which the people will place
absolute faith.
Il viii be the work OF years, but We
are patient workers and can wait. can
Iiken il to the present system employed
n extinguishiHg fires. n osden time,
when IRE was discovered, the people
first ran to see what was needed and
then had to return to obtain supplies Of
buckets. axes. etc, but now an organized !