New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-12-06
PED CROSS READY FOR WAR
.cSrI,T OF THE WORK OF YEARS IN PER.
FECTING THE FRENCH SOCIETY.
PariS Noycmher 10.


Formerly, Embarrassment France was unpre
..rsd for war; now, heureusement tout est pritl'
p,otic CIVILIZATION in the voice TO be reflected
!. the hich-bred face of the distjngue speaker as
~ Glanced about the pavilion in which were en-
United the marvellously combined efforts of
..;.rce and philanthropy 10 alleviate physical suf-
,'5rs So inviting were the devices se5 forth that
~ was robbed of it's grewsomeness and TO be q
,,.sse Of the battlefield seemed less unhappy lot
nan civilians are taught TO believe. Since she
= deprived of Alsaac and Lorraine France has
vcr ceased 10 prepare for war, is this likely
:. ocase until the conquered provinces are aagin
.thin her fold No nation, il is said, surpasses it
..Aav in the manufacture of small firearms.
w;tbin its arSenals martial weapons are being
,,os,antly devised and at the point OF the bayonet
,,e interior life of the arSenaIs is guarded. The
siseipne. the endurance, 10 which its soldery are
INSTANTLY subjected is the marvel of Europe.
TAs zane pride. the same thrift, which enabled the
rrepeh Nation to pay off the enormous debt of the
last war is diSecrnible in the cheerful alacrity with
rBieh every appeal for martial defence is met.
put while France schools herself in the arts of
var the Red Cross Society, the third TO sign the
treaty. of Geneva, is equally vigilant in equipping
Itself 10 mend the TavageS arsenal and army may
inaict or invite. The bsrbarouS ravages and negl.
,,nee revealed on the historic field of Solterino
which reused the Indignation, the sympathy, Of
n Henri Durant, Of Switzerland. and resulted in
his pamphlet appeal to civilized nations to combine
,Or the alienation of the physical sufferngs in
~uarable from the battlefield has resulted in
humanitarian organization which, in its present
reflected state, marks an epoch in Christian
philanthropy unsurpassed in the history of the
world The description of the horrible suffering
and the loss of life at SolferinO due chiefly TO in
adequate medicinal and material care as set forth
bv Durant, was translated into many tongues and.
sppcaring at a time when all hearts were sensi.
tive. il struck a responsive chord throughout
Europe. Mr.. Moynier. president of the Society of
Public Utility of Geneva, presented to that body
Henri Durant's theory of an international compact
compatible with the articles of belonging TO the
several countries. whereby aid might be rendered
the victims of the battlefield irrespective of ma
ton. religion or cause. The result was conven-
ton at Geneva. October, 1864. Four days DELHI
Grafton eliminated in the organization of the IA
nous Red Cross Society. under whose banner all
Europe is marshaled. In compliment to Switzer-
hnd its cradle. and because of the fact that the
cross is the symbol of Christianity red cross on
white field. the reverse of the Swiss flag, was
adopted as the sociery's ensign But one military
hospital flag is recognized in the world to-day-the
Red Cross. 1t marks all the trappngs, is the badge
q its nurses and followers Turkey alone discards
The cross On the battlefelds its crescent has the
sgnifcation OF the Christian symbol.
The commander who knows his own knows his
enemy and he breaks an international treaty if
knowingly he turns gun or stray shot or the
Red Cross. Conveys of prisoners under escort
barring that sign are safe. No officer can fire
upon that unarmed and defenceless body of men by
mistake. No captured man can longer suffer lack
Of food The world is pledged to supply the
vant-friend and foe are alike to the Red Cross
Owing the sectional strife in the United States
at The time of the Geneva treaty and our subse
Quent peace at home and abroad, America was the
last Of the thirty-twO civilized nations 10 enlist
Hnder the Red Cross. This was brought about
through the heroic efforts of Clara Barton, famous
at bone and honored in Europe as the nurse of
he Civil War. In Switzerland at the breaking
ut of the Franco-Prussian War she joined the
ed Cross, and becoming personally cognizant of its
over for good she succeeded in 1882 in enlist
lg the United States, and her plans for organized
fort To alleviate suffering in catastrOphes outside
war are now embodied in the work of the So
ety throughout the world and are known as the
American Amendment.
The Red Cross as constituted to-day is largely
be outgrowth of the Sanitary Commission of the
'ebelliOn. At the exposition Of 1867 DR.. Thomas
Y Evans, DR.. Crane and Mr.. Bowles brought to
arts the ambulance. hospital tents, etc. used on
be American battlefelds The French ambu.
lnce, a Geneva invention, was then a two
iheeled cart carrying two men on the floor The
reneh Government offered prize for improve
tents. Doctors Evans and Crane modified the
mercan four-wheeed ambulance as to carry
our persons, two on floor, after the manner of
lie Pullman sleeper. The ambulance was
warded the prize and the French Government
egan its manufacture and il is the model
4 use to-day. For many years the original
mbulanee Of the American army was in
eneral use in France. The French had never been
be TO heat their hospital tents. They quickly
dOpted the American heating apparatus and 1t
TaS generally used during the siege OF Paris and
odly exhibited at the exposition of 1878 as a
Tench invention. The international Red Cross
1 Geneva was so thoroughly organized by 1870
hat when Napoleon Ill declared war upon Ger
aany July 3 the society Oil the following day
'as on its way TO the front The first man 10
al was picked up by the Red Cross corps. Active
york in the organization. however, was chiefly
oAhned 10 men and the Sisters of Charity.
ocular women had organized nor authorized
Anticipation in the active work of the society un-
L after the Franco-PrussiaD war
The present powerful role that French women
lay in the Red CroSs-constant anticipation of
Isr has made them ever vigilant-began with
ery Of women who congregated at the Grand
lotel during the siege of Paris 10 make bandages
I'd clothing for the wounded and diving strewn |
the open fields in the Champs Elysees, where
oetors Evans and Crane had pitched the Amer
an tents and stationed the ambulances which. |
nee the exposition of 1867, had been stored in |
warehouse in Paris. Among these pioneers were |
ountesS Flavieyny, her daughter, Countess Bondy |
seountess Flavian and the beautiful Countess |
Noe, New.Orleans girl educated at Sacre |
oe0f and early married Into the French nobility |
De BED Cross has the power to receive supplies |
rom neutral countries which could not be sent |
the governments During the Franco Prussian |