The Portland daily press., 1898-06-08

ization determined to provide aid for
such emergencies. Other nations seeins
the usefulness of what has been caiietl VIC
American Amendment, are 1oiioWips
our example and adding the amendment
to their constitutions. During the past
seventeen years the American Red Gross
has given aid to sufferers in niteen
disasters or famines, the husslaHs'
Armenions, and Cubans being those VINO
have received aid outside OF our own
countrymen,
Notwithstanding the fact that MISS
Barton advocated starting hosplUals oul-
ing peace, no such work has been ooile "a
America, with the exception OF one lnsol,
opened in the city Of New York IN lo94'
1t was founded by Miss Bettina hofker-
now The wife of DR.. A. Monae Lesser-a
graduate of the Mount SIM training
schoGl for nurses, the daughter OF
General of the Prussian Army, and
whose mother and aunts had served as
assistant nurses during the Franco-Prus-
sian war. We may quote from Miss Bar
toms speech when she opened the hosp1-
tai, and said: ''This is an institution
founded by the intelligence. sympathy,
industry, and sacrifices of girl, Sister
Bettlna hofker, born under other skies
than ours, speaking another language,
but endowed with that love of humanity
that makes the whole world kin. Pity
has been her inspiration, and patient
perseverance in effort her success.
To-day, when all hearts are full of the
suffering and sorrow that war may
bring upon US, we may all turn with
comfort and hope to the Quiet, good work
that has been done by an alien in our
midst. and be thankful that we can de-
pend upon the organization that is now
ready to come forward fully equipped for
the emergency and ready to send aid and
tralned assistance to those who may need
The life of a professional nurse is one
OF constant self-sacrifloe, but at least she
sees 0hat she is being rewarded for her
services, and that when no longer able to
continue her work, she has been able to
lay aside small sum, which will be
sufficient to support her for the rest of
her life. But while trained nurses in
general receive fair compensation for
their services, the sisters of the Red
Cross get nothing whatever. With the
danger of war before us, noble profess
sional nurses have come forward bv
hundreds, and offered their services for
Red Cross work. They fully comprehend
the magnitude and importance of the
work that they will be called upon to
perform. and undertake it quite aware
uudu uu0J dI0 giving SIdLulOOuS S6fploe.
But what shall be said of the unprofes-
sional women who, without training or
skill, offer themselves as assistants to
this Red Gross? 1t would seem folly to
accept their services and yet the officers
of the society base their opinions on the
experiences gained in the Franco Prus-
sian war, when the princesses of Prussia
and women of all degree offered their SER
vices to the Red Cross, and proved of
inestimable assistance.
In the present emergency unframed
women will have to be more carefully
selected than those who bring diplomas,
aud possibly but few will stand the pre-
liminary tests. This. trained nurses will
have life and death In their hands, but
the unframed assistants will have no less
responsibility, for while upon ono will
the care of the sick devolve, on the other
the protection of the healthy will fall
and in hostile country, with unaocli
mated persons, the task will BE- neither
easy nor light. 1t is difficult to forecast
what the duties of an assistant may be,
but we may picture one of the scenes that
may we'll take place. A great battle has
been fought; the ''Red Gross" is called
tor; bearers begin to carry the wounded
The country is devastated, smoking
ruins show where the homes Of the
inhabitants once stood; there is 70
shelter, there are no provisions; the
wounded fanish for a sip of water
which would poison them if served from
the polluted streams about them. The
surgeons and nurses are bending over the
wounded. rendering professional aid.
The unprofeSsional worker is now alert
aud calls to her aid her housewives
training, and looks after the comforts
and wants of an emergency household.
While the trained nurses have been pro-
viding themselves with bandages, lint,
&C., the assistant has besn loading a
small cart with bread, boiled water, tea,
coffee, &C., and she hurriedly follows
the ambulance corps. A sheet thrown
over the branch of tree makes shelter,
fires are lighted, food is prepared, and the
assistant follows the nurses and doctors,
feeds the wounded, and gives woman's
gentle aid to the soldier. AS nurses and
doctors turn exhausted from their
fatiguing tasks, the improvised tent offers
the shelter and food provided by the
assistant.
1t is for this kind of work that the I'M
professional women are Offering them
selves, and no doubt those of America
will be found as useful as were the
daughters of The German nobility in the
Franco Prussian war. Among those who
have volunteered are some of the most
prominent women of this city, the
daughter Of the chaplain at West Point,
the daughter of famous physician, and
we)l-known Australian author and
naturalist, who is already acclimated to
tropical heats. We may wish them God
speed in their noble work
TIE DOMINICAN REBE LIS.