The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1898-11-24
THE RED CROSS SOCIETY.
An Appeal From the State President for Local
Aid in its Behalf.

"Now the war is ended, what is the Red Cross
going to do" is so frequently asked that we
have concluded it best to answer the query to
each of you who have worried so hard, and are
willing to continue so to do If you saw the
necessity Washington State Red
Cross adds to its constitution that in case of
actual war with the United States participant
the work of the Red Cross may include emer.
geucy work for the soldiers and sailors of the
United States army and navy. Seattle Red Cross
declares in its local constitution, "to care es-
pecialy for the families of active participants
in time of war"
Washington States constitution allows local
societies to reserve such proportion of their
fund for local expenses and emergency work as
is deemed best by a majority vote of the local
Society, but transmit to the State Treasurer all
other funds, who shall hold 1t IN trust aud sub
ect to the order of the National Red Gross. thus
providing for local aud state emergency work.
Every soldier has been fed, supplied
with little luxuries of home life cheered and
comforted, and each given an identification
badge: all who embarked were given pillow
slip, comfort bag, cap chest protector aud chol.
era bandage and lunch. Many were supplied
with clothing and other necessaries by the well
organized California State Red Cross, without
regard to whether he came from Minnesota or
Oregon, New York or Washington.
Much work which should have been done be-
fore troops left the state camp, has been done
since in desultory way by small bands OF
women in almost every village or toSn-imper
fectly done because they did not know what to
do. and III a majority of cases been sent to Cali
fornia to swell the grand record of that state,
but leaves the state OF Washington with but
meagre showing because not reported to any
common center, but divided up between Elmer
gency corps Women's Relief corps church So
ceties aud Red Cross.
The work of the Red Cross takes in the whole
nation, but let us glance for moment at the
work OF our own Pacific coast. City hospitals
rs well army hospitals are overcrowded with
the victims of glutted and lily supplied camps,
sea-coast climate and contagious diseases.
The government has named the steamships
Arizona and Scandia as hospital ships. The Red
cross has undertaken to supply them with
nurses, drugs, medicines, hospital appliances
and appurtenances. Hospitals must be estab =
lished in Hawaii and the Philippine Islands,
and additional hospitals here for the overflow
from those already flled.and the returning con
valescents. The troops who have gone
some "a 600 have embarked from this coast-we
hope will soon return. AS they have been
cheered in going forth, they should be welcome ed
on their return, as conquering heroes who have
offered their health and comfort, home aud lives
for their countIy's honor.
Thank God, but few lives have been sacrificed !
let us bow our heads in grief for those which
have been given. But what of the health and
broken constitution? Many brave boy who
passed the rigid examination of U. S. army sur
geons who ruthlessly rejected for slight physi-
cal defects, even toe or finger, height or
weight will come home physical wreck. per
haps never, even with all our care, to recover
his former vigor OF constitution.
All our boys mbarked from San Francisco,