The San Francisco call., 1898-04-26
CALIFORNIA will no,

/ ALlF FONNl IA VIII no Only Cneer-
 fully furnish to the Government
 its quota of soldiers It has raised high the banner of the Red Cross, and, where the stars and stripes may be called, the Red Cross will follow Un- der its shadow will be devoted men and women, ready to attend the wounded and the sick, anxious to brave danger that the hardship of the boys at the front may be lessened, their patriotism quickened by the thought that the coun- try sustains them.
 The Red Cross League has been or ganized There IS back of it an earnest purpose. Women were at the meeting. and, as they talked of the work ahead, their voices trembled, for some of them thought the plans discussed for gentle ministration on the field of battle or i'll the hospital might mean the placing of cup of water to the lips of their own sons. Some remembered well the sui tering after every engagement of the late war in this country. Some had known the sorrow of sending away rela- tives who had not returned. There was no division of sentiment. It became evi- dent that the women were to take a prominent part. Every humane sug- gestion came from them or received their quick indorsement.
 [. One gentleman could not see the need , for haste He remarked that nobody had been slain. that no soldier was bleeding. Gently but firmly the ladies overruled him, but with a graciousness which reirained from characterizing his position as ridiculous. They all real ized the present to be the time for ac- ton. There could be no excuse for de- lay, and noAe was accepted. Of course the first formal meeting could do little more than discuss the broad proposition of supplying relief in every possible form. The details will be arranged later, but with no unnecessary delay. There are many things to be provided, large sums to be raised, but all will be given. The spirit of patriotism is in the air. People are ready to give. They are only waiting for the opportunity. It will soon be at hand.
 The prevalent idea as manifest at the meeting was that especial attention be paid to the welfare of troops going from California as other States are preparing to take care of their own. But the services of the league are to be ten dered to the national Government. An especial effort will be made to see that the Californian volunteers shall go to the front equipped with every appliance for comfort and the preservation of health that the medical corps in charge of them shall have ful, supply of mod ern instruments There must be special tents, bedding, tent stoves; thousand articles such as will not be in the regu- lar Government stores. That all these will be forthcoming there Is no shadow of doubg
 But while California naturally thinks first of her own, where there are wound ed men in need of attention, where the sick lie in hospitals, patriotism draws no line The Red Cross knows no fav- orites It has no enemy. Even the foe man loses his character as such and be- comes but suffering mortal The hu- manity which takes to the place of car mage the emblem of mercy IS as broad as the world It will not ask whether a man is from the Pacific or the ever glades, whether his home is among the hills of New England or the Carolina pines