The times., 1898-08-09
THE RED CROSS.
Origin of the Society for Help in
Time of Trouble.

Time of Trouble.
Many people have recently asked about
the origin CT the Red Cross Society that
has done so much to alleviate tuTer:ng
IN Cuba both before and s.nce the VIZ
between the Undted States and spian-
The statement of the New York Tribune.
therefore, will be read with interest:
"a council composed of delegates from
every government in the civilized word
desiring to enter into a compact whzreoy
much OF the seemingly unnecessary hor-
rors OF war and its attendant suffering
might he alleviated, il not wholly averted.
was he'd in the city of Geneva, fwitzer-
lard, in the year 1864. At that time pa
per called the Treaty of Geneva was
drawn UP, its express purpose being TO
afford relief to the wounded and sick In
any army, the treaty stating that the
meaning OF the order was the people
help for suffering through military nee
essity.' and all those who undertook the
good work were to designate thei pur-
pose ami denote their VIII hereabouts t.
the world by displaying special flag
to be adopted by the society, which flag
was a red cross ON a white fed. or the
Cross derived its name from this symbol
or flag.
LAS the convention Which formed this
tirst treaty consisted of repres en- atives
from nearly al the governments, 1t be-
came from lis CONCEPTION an international
affair, and stands today as the resu
Of enlightened ard compassionate Senti-
nent TO avert suffering.
THE first convention formed a code for
the better regulation of the work of re-
lief. and 1t was accepted by all the gov
ernments. This code provides for the
naturalization of all field hospitals. am
balances and military hospitals, and it
declares perfect neutrality for all persons
employed in such places, and also makes
the property of persons maintaining sick
and wounded to be respected as neutral
| the wounded acting as a protection 10 the
houses. No attention whatever Is paid
| by the order in its work to the ma ationality
| of the sufferer the mere fact of succor be-
| ing needed being cause enough for the
| best available help being freely given.
| The flag as prescribed by the rules is a
| red cross on a white field those in at
| tendance to wear an arm badge which
| shall bear a red cross on a white ground,
| and on all occasions this uniform hospital
| flag Is to be accompanied by the flag of
! the nation maintaining the hospital.
| Under this universal banner every wound
| ed. sick or suffering man is safe; no
! prisoner suffers for food no hospital
| lacks attendance, and no injured soldier
| lies unattended on the battlefield. and
under the wise provision of this treaty
no one serving this flag can be captured.
Tine articles OF regulation expressly
| state, furthermore. that no distinction is
| 10 be made while caring for the sick and
| wounded: all factions and nationalities
are to be considered neutral, and all alike
/ must receive the best care available AS
| in all such work, many emergencies arise
which only those on hand can deal with,
much of the detail is left TO the COM
aander-in-chief of each warning army
! WHO. however. is expected TO act under
| instructions from his home government
| Al all times he must keep his actions
within strict conformity with the various
| rules of the society TO which his govern
| ment has aSsented. The great work is
| under the guidance of committee COM
| posed OF representatives of each govern
ment taat. has adopted the treaty. which
| body Is called the International Commit
| tee of Geneva, and the first thing TO be
| done by any government that wishes to
| aGopt the treaty is TO appoint a national
| COMMITTEES to communicate with this in
| ternational one. To the national commit
4 &c III WIN "a OUT JIc TuieS Oh
| the general body. belongs. through it or
deis are given to the officers in the fed,
| all field attendants are provided proper
| equipment given out. and every detail not
| alone Of the relief work during actual
| war. but for all conferences between ma
| tions, and such reports as from time 20
| slime are necessary for exchange between
countries. are planned and directed by
| this national committee
/ The first country to adopt the treaty
was France, on September %, 1864, fol-
lowed in the same year by Belgium, Italy.
Switzerland and one or two others. The
| following year Great Britain. Prussia and
| many others ratified it. and as its great
! benefits were realized the nations came
| TO adopt its provisions, so that today
nearly forty countries. or about all the
governments of the civilized world, be,
long to the order.
The United States owes its Red Cros:
almost entirely to the earnest and per
sistent efforts of single woman. 1t wa:
while resting m Europe after her hare
and difficult work in the civil war tha
Clara Barton learned of the treaty. saw
its practical application in the wars theI
pending on the Continent. and came hom
thoroughly determined to have such al
organization ratified by her own Govern
ment. After many years of weary wait
ing and hard work the treaty was finall.
accepted by the United States Senate IL
1881. and the presidency of the nationa
committee and the general guidance 0
the work in the country offered to Mis-
Barton by President Garfield and rati
| fed by President Arthur. who took VI
the work after the untimely death o
Garfield Miss Barton accepted the taSl
and has ever since held the high and ex
acting position. Owing to the fact tha
|. the country suffered much more oftel
from the disastrous effects of great ca
| lamities other than war. which neede'
the systematic aid given by the order
Miss Barton, on behalf of the country
| petitioned the International committe
| for permission to give such succor. Tn
| permission was granted and today tn
| only country in the world having sue
. power is the United States. and TO dis
tinguish it from the others 1t was name
by the international committee Tn
American Amendment TO the Red Cross
There is today but one hospital fia
( all over the world, and the commandin
officer who knowingly directs even on
2 stray shot at a camp with the Red eros
floating over 1t violates an internationa
treaty"
a Nnture,s TOddy Shops.