The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-05-25
STATE RED CROSS LEAGUE
ONE WILL PROBABLY BE
FORMED THIS AFTERNOON
1t Is Proposed to Let the Smaller
Cities of the State Have a Part In
the Work of Caring for the In
jured ON Tropical BattlefleIds-
Pastor Thiele Makes a State
ment.


There is every reason to believe that
the proposition for a general fedora
ton Of all Red Cross societies of the
state will be successfully executed this
afternoon at a meeting to be held at
the Ryan hotel for that purpose.
Three representatives from each Of
the st. Paul and Minneapolis societies
will be present, and a general outline
of the plan will be discussed.
1t is proposed through the general
society to organize branch organiza-
tions in many Of the most important
towns Of the state, giving them a rep
resentative on the central state COM
mittee, which will constitute the CEN
trail governing body of the organization.
The central committee will assign the
work and supervise the distribution Of
medicines to be sent to the front.
The proposition has created much
favorable comment among the st. Paul
women interested in the work Of relief
and there has been a general express
sion of approval Of the plan.
The Minneapolis society, the st. Paul
German-Amerlcan Red Cross society
and the st. Paul Red Cross Aid society
are the three societies most interested
in the movement Of federation.
1t is desired to secure for president a
person who has not been prominently
identified with any Of the Red Cross
societies thus far organized, but whose
sentiment towards the Red Cross work
Of relief cannot be. questioned. The
name Of Gen. Moses e. Ciapp mas baen
mentioned as most desirable man for
president of the federated organiza-
ticns, If he could be persuaded to &C
cept, inasmuch as he is known to be
an ardent supporter of the Red Cross
work.
BY the formation Of such a fedora
ton Minnesota will take the initiative
In the matter. being the first state in
the Union to propose a federation of
societies. Already she is accredited
with taking the initial step in forming
the first branch Red Cross association
In the United States. For many years
the Red Cross work has been carried
on as national organization, but Min
nesota is the first state to assist in
charging the scope Of the organization
Since the German-American Society
CT st. Paul was organized some three
weeks ago, similar branch of the Ma
tional Red Cross Society, of which
Clara Barton is the president, was or
ganized by the women of st. Louis
along the same lines as those of the
ST. Paul organization.
Secretary Tallmadge, of the St. Paul
Red Cross Aid society, held a satisfac-
tory conference with the officers Of the
Minneapolis society yesterday after
noon. He received assurances of CO.
operation from the Minneapolis ladies,
who are to attend the meeting this aft
ernoOn.
Rev. Albert Thiele, pastor of ST.
PaulS German church, who is PR Sident
Of the German-American society, was
seen yesterday and made the following
statement to The G O b e:
Red Cross Is the magic word you hear of
and see in print on all sides. After the first
impulse given here in this city Of st. Paul
societies are formed all over the coun ry under
the Red Cross, much to our satisfaction It
is, therefore, well to clearly define the real
purpose and the high aims of the association
many do not clearly understand what the
words RED Cross mean. The Geneva con-
yention, as is well known, was convened for
the purpose of making warfare more humane
and therefore the societies founded under that
Geneva convention have as their principal
purpose the care of the wounded and sick
fare and comfort of the well and not wounde
soldiers. While no doubt it is very noble and
humane to make the latter more comfortable
with presents Of money, clothing, underwear,
ETC., it is, however, the work in that direction
better attended to by separate aid societies
which can then devote their whole energies
to giving aid Of the description mentioned to
the army or part OF the same or to single
regiments, etc., as, for instance, is done here
in st. Paul by the Red Cross Aid society,
which, with very commendable energy, tries
to help as quick as possible.
However the real purpose and true aim OF
the Red Cross society is not work of the
latter kind. They work in much nobler,
much higher and different field as was seen
in the late war between Japan and China
The work which the Rcd Cross society per-
forms is the care of the wounded and sick
soldiers ON the battlefield, in the field hos
pital and in the hospitals, whether they are
friends Of foes. This principal work Of the
Red Cross society could, in the present state
of affairs, while our battles have only beer
fought on the sea, of course, not be executed
but who is our surety that this might moi
| be changed in the twinkling of an eye? Who
will say that We will not soon see the eyes
Of our wounded desparing and dying soldiers
on the field turn to the helping surgeon, to the
mercful sister Of charity, the strong nurse
all carrying on their arms the comforting sigr
to those who have shed their blood for theil
country. And how Is it with that other pur-
pose of the Red Cross, to help those that are
lying in the hospitals, sick with the deadly
fever. There is work; hard, but noble work
for the Red Cross society. And are not the
islands about which the is fought, JUS
the very ones which breed yellow fever and
malaria in the worst forms? Can one hope
that our soldiers, who come from the healthy
climate Of the North, will escape this murder
GUS fever? Shall we not prepare ourselves fol
these contingencies and the cholera that may
come also, and to many, especially, in the
Southern climate, carry off thousands Of oul
brave boys, and, not alone these, but others
! too. Can this not almost be expected with
| surely have, and even after the war may be
over and peace again reigns in our beautiful
country and the waves Of patriotism have
subsidized then the work Of the Red Cross will
still go on in the care of those that have
fallen victims to the fever. The diseases o.
the camp, etc. Truly work of mercy will
will follow those that have engaged in It,
Help in sickness and death,