The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-09-19
THE RED CROSS IN CUBA.
-,-rN REGENT GRANTS CLARA
uARTON PERMISSION TO Go
TO THE ISLAND.

10 90 TO Cuba. She starts upon her
.o from the Vienna conference.
1,. Snanish government recently grant
s.Iperrnission to Miss Barton president OF
-. American Red Cross, to carry her
,-.rar 70 suffering Cuba, and as soon as
W. necessary funds have been raised,
~. Barton will depart. In the twenty
b+ wears during which Clara Barton
been identified with the work of the
n,1 cross she has been called to thirty
t..l.5elds. and fifteen scenes of national
o,i,mity. but in all that time she has
>~.i,e1 none where there is a more urgent
- for the work of humanitarianism.
Far The past three years there has been
"a of the Red Cross in Cuba, but the
I-r5+ed States was in a difficult position.
.,o,,ld not urge the Red Cross to go, nor
ai5it mink itself at one time in position
q, nernit this society to do this work in
c,,hs. but since the suffering became about
a,uaIlv divided last spring between Span
;orls and Cubans the Red Cross became
continent as the only agent that could
,orl, Unfortunately in this divided field.
The work of the Red Cross is a peculiar
one 1t all has its foundation in the
treaty of Geneva, which was signed in
rurone in 1864. This treaty was drawn
m in Switzerland by one Henri Durant,
ubo saw the general need of aid on the
battlefield. He formulated treaty by
which the governments of the different
countries could extend their protection to
society. which could be sent into any
suffering district.
In 1854 the European governments united
and formed what is known as the Red
Cross Society. The governments became
The guardians of mercy, and agreed in
time of any trouble to send the society to
whichever country most needed it. In
case of war; this treaty of Geneva allowed
different corps of the same society to go
upon different battlefelds, and there, al
most within sight of each other, to work
for opposing armies.
one of the clauses of the treaty states
that this society shall be granted protect
ion by the forces of the army. They shall
be furthered in their aid in any way the
army can do so, and will be assisted to
move from one battlefield to another; in
other words, they work as one department
of the army, subject to rules and regula-
tons JUST exactly as the doctors corps of
an army
When the situation in Cuba became very
severe, Clara Barton applied to the Span
ism government for permission to carry
her Red Cross there. This the queen
granted and Miss Barton announced 20
the people of the United States that she
and her staff would go to Cuba as soon as
the people should express their desire in
substantial form. When asked the
amount which would be needed to take
her there, she replied that $4,000 was the
minimum sum needed to begin her minis
tradons on the stricken island
To raise this sum the National Relief
Association for Cuba was formed with
Mrs J. c, Burrows, of Michigan, for its
president; Miss Mary Hilbert, correspond
II ing secretary; Miss Jeanette Richards of
Chevy Chase. Md, for recording secre-
tary, and Mrs. Mary Lockwood,
of Washington; Mrs. John M. Thurston,
OF Nebraska, and Mrs. William Lindsay,
OF Kentucky, as vice-presidents; J. Ellen
Foster of Washington, was appointed adj
Vo1ate general.
The National Relief Association for Cuba
Is now raising money to send the Red
Cross there, and it is expected that within
few days the sum will be complete and
Miss Barton and her staff of workers will
start
Clara Barton's method of working on a
battlefield is unique. She herself
laughingly says that the idea of the Red
cross is conveyed by the picture of a wo-
man with cup in one hand and a spoon
IL the other, but this is a feeble represen-
taton of what the Red Cross accom-
pushes though both cup and spoon are
there' When Miss Barton goes on a bat
Ueleld she reports first to the general in
charge She takes to him her letters of
4 introduction, also copies of her treaty with
4 tne governments, and introduces herself
win al necessary state and dignity.
Inc general in charge receives Miss Bar
Ton with equal state and gives her the
freedom of the battlefield. He also
& PAGES IN her hands such supplies as are
gu' 10 the army for the sick and wound
Gu. lie puts her in charge of the post
VHcg TO secure the distribution of letters
70 the soldiers and ne introduces her to
Ue surgeons as an aid to their work.
now comes the work of diplomacy Miss
carton must so select the leaders of her
inherent departments that all will go har-
rloLlously in the different parts of the
WORK and without friction with the ac-
n ,o"ledSed heads. Her nurses must
81 80 win the surgeons. Her own doc
'ois must be subordinate to those already
~ II Snarse of the battlefield Her order
81 a ,oS must not fall out with the agents who
tSdyof TO convey the letters to the bat
d-iN Her commissaries must deal
sd tbF'Yl'dIicaIly with the supply trains, and
VI t t5oSg VINO come in personal contact with
81 in "ouhded must be skillful and trained
II ~ ltarianism to high degree.
ST. ,,, o organize such a corps requires the
'uest executive ability, and this 1Iss
81 sbe Iu seems peculiarly to have When
Jt ,U5caed to go into the new field she
81 arsr 't oe known through her own private
C9b "N mat the Red Cross was going to
sur Immediately from all sides there
WIZ up nurses, doctors and assist ants
81 Ont 'sNlled their willingness to help her.
~ me- 'lls number she must make a
csssrs seiection. after which She must
tber, ~, and grade each and finally send
annai. ol ready to do their work fil the
Al fre,ioa way. The Red Cross h as no
81 ereat This is probably due to the
81 W. upiomacy of Miss Barton h. srself
81 IL u+s WI sne went to Armenia a ear ago
a Bart thought that here at la Il Clara
81 when e. would find her Waterloo. But
II tan .t SNe came face to face with the sul-
n fine U.s.. so' along nicely with him. and did
N back =, VI his fields; and when she came
Il han be. was wearing a special orc Ter. which
n lent sar,i sranted her by him for excel
The ~ wee IN Armenia
~ wav ~ cross is remarkable in anothar
N for mon! Haa never made a gen eral appeal
n found i, ~ Thus far Miss Iarton has
n tons ana SuInclent to announces her inten-
a One doi Speedily the money bas come in
Il WasbIinV1Iar sent to the Rex cross in in