Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-08-30
STERNBERG DENIAL
sunGEoN-GENERAL SAYS HE HAS
NOT REFUSED RED CROSS AID.
BIS OBJECTION TO FEMALE NURSES.
n Is Only 10 Their Being Sent With
Troops I'm the Field and Engaged
in Active Operations.

WASHINGTON, August 29.-surgeon-
| General sternberg gave out statement
to-day. denying the charge that he IS
hostile 10 the Red Cross Society. and
that he had refused to accept It's as
sistanC. in the care Of sick and wounded
soldiers. He says no only objected 10
the sending Of female nurses with troops
in tho field, engaged in active operations,
as he was OF the opinion that such
nurses would DO an incumbrance TO troops
during such times.
General SternbeTg further says
80 soon as serious sickness developed
in our camps and 1t became necessary
to treat typhoid-fever cases in our field
hospitals, / gladly accepted the services
Of trained female nurses for the division
field hospitals, and in our general hos
pitfalls we have employed them from the
first. The general testimony from the
surgeons in charge of these hospitals
has been that their services have been
Of great value. Very many Of these
trained nurses have been obtained through
the kind assistance of the Red
Cross Society for the maintenance
Of trained nurses, Auxiliary, No. 3, and /
desire to express my high appreciation
OF the valuable services rendered TO the
medical department of the army by this
organization.
"My attitude toward relief organizations
is shown by an endorsement dated
May 9Th. upon a letter addressed by Rev.
Henry c. McCook, of Philadelphia, to the
President, and referred TO me for re-
marks, as follows: May 5. 1895 Re-
spectfully returned 10 the adjutant-gene-
raj of the army. The plan proposed for
the organization of relief association
appears to have been well considered,
and the object in view will commend it.
SELF to every patriotic citizen, but 1t
is a question whether the President
should give special privileges TO any par
ticular organization. Other prominent in
diy!GEals in different parts of the coun-
try may be organizing for the same pur-
pose One such proposition has come
10 mo from Gu s!gO. While L approve in
a general way Of organizations for the
relief work proposed, it appears TO me
that it will be best not TO give in ad-
vance exclusive privileges to any one
particular organization. In case Of need,
assistance should be accepted from any
organization prepared TO give it.
HIS GUIDING PRINCIPLE.
This has been my guiding principle
throughout, that relief when needed
should be promptly accepted. without
reference to the source from which II
comes. The relief afforded by the Ma
tional Red Cross Society at Siboney was
promptly accepted by surgeons on the
spot. but it is evident that It was en-
tirely inadequate 10 meet the emergency
"a committee of the American Ma
tional Red Cross Association called upon
me in my Office at Washington some
time in advance of the landing of our
troops at Santiago, making an offer Of
assistance. 1 received them most courte-
ously, and advised them to use their
resources in fitting up hospital ship.
Furthermore, the American National
Red Cross Association has had fun au-
thority to send agents and supplies TO
all our camps since June g. 1898, and If
there has been suffering for want Of
needed supplies they must share the
responsibility with the medical depart
ment of the army for such suffering
General Sternberg concludes his state
ment by quoting from number of let
tiers written by him, showing his kindly
feeling for the Red Cross Society.