Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-06-13
IRON A STATE ooRREsroNpENr.l !


busiest women in Johnstown to-day is Miss
Clara Barton, President of the National
Department of the Red Cross Society; but
she nevertheless found time to cordially re-
ceive your correspondent and give him the
following facts concerning the noble society she
30 worthily represents:
'In the first place." said Miss Barton, 'let
me give you some little idea Of what the Red
Cross Society really is. Although we have
been closely identified with everything that
could be considered a national calamity since
1882, comparatively few people understand
what our mission is. To-day every civilized
nation recognizes the society in its medical de-
partment, and every civilized country-with
the exception of Turkey, that has special per-
mission to use the crescent-has but one hos
pital flag, the red cross on a white back
ground.
But great and powerful as our organization
IS, it will be still greater for we are growing
slowly, it's true, for that is our object. We
don't want to grow too fast. We want
To Get Firmly Rooted,
and not have too much top. Among our men,
bers are some of the best people in the world
! have here a cablegram 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 disaster
may be assigned in comparison to others, we
have been connected with, 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 in
jured and unable to help themselves we're
drowned; but there those who were struck by
falling umbers or trees were left lying upon
the ground and had to be picked up by search
ing parties 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 epi.
demic, miss Barton said: Considering the cir
cumstances, the condition is perfect and the
lack of serious illness remarkable l do not
think that there is the slightest danger OF an
epidemic, OF course cannot say that we will
not have one, but consider the possibility as
very remote.
Ready II COntaGion Comes,
I'VE are in readiness. however. Experience
has taught us that caution is never thrown
away. Our hospital for contagious diseases is
in excellent position on the hillside, completely
isolated from surrounding houses, and our sur.
geons are ready at moments notice."
Miss Barton is genial little woman, whose
support the heavy burden of organization SO
often placed upon her. She is of about middle
age and her black hair is but slightly tinged
with gray; her voice, low but very distinct, and
her method of dlsposing of routine work simply
marvellous.
Continuing her chat, and changing to the
historical phase of her subject, she said: ut
Is 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.
1.-The Red Cross Society knows no creed sect,
nation or color. 1t has but one object-the re-
lief of suffering humanity, wherever found or
under whatever condition. 1t knows but one
universal language-that expressing the cry for
help. The society is not confined to the United
last to join the federation, being the thirty
second civilized nation to avail itself of its
benefits. The Red Cross Society rs founded
in Europe. and its sole object was to relieve, as
far as possible, the horrors of war. For war
alone were the benefits to be dispensed. Were
there no war then there would be no Red
Cross, and in Europe to-day its 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 Possibility of War
there was-for don't think many European
nations would care to have any serious trouble
with us, and" she added with a smile, 'T
are liable to try it again ourselves very soon
included In the draft foods fires, cyclones,
etc.
when a country desires to join the inter
national society, draft of the constitution n
is forwarded to the headquarters at Geneva,
where it is first acted upon and then carried to
the congress at Berne, where, if satisfactory,
it is Endorsed and returned to
the country applying. Now my in
PRODUCTION of the other calamities
was a decided innovation, and confess that
] had serious doubts as to It's acceptance, but
to my satisfaction it met with but little opposi-
tion, and even that was finally overcome, and
by q unanimous vote the United States was ad-
mitted. As had labored for years with the
different congresses to persuade them to pass
resolutions applying to international member
ship you may judge of my delight at the con-
summation OF my hopes Each country has
its own national organization, independent of
the congress at Geneva, and its own governing
officers.
Only the American Head.
'tMany people imagine that am the head
and front OF the entire Red Cross Society.
This is not so. 1 am simply the President of
the division Of the United States, to which
position was appointed by President Garfield,
TO whom the position was first offered and de-
clined
"Our great object is to be always prepared;
to have an organization ready at a moments
notice, thoroughly equipped TO face any peril
or emergency-an organization in which the
people will place absolute faith.
at will be the work of years. but we are
patient workers and can wait. I can hken il to
the present system employed in extinguishing
fires In the olden time, when fire was dis.
covered, the people first ran to see what was
needed and then had to return to obtain sup
plies of buckets, axes ETC., but now an or
ganized force is at once on the scene Of action,
and the people know that all that is necessary
will be done. Yetwhen fire apparatus was first
introduced, for long time the people still con-
tinued to run. They were unwilling to believe
that peril could be faced systematically Thus
it is with our society. We want to show the
country that the Red Cross Society can be
safely depended on in any calamity, however
great" MORTON.