The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1898-08-30

Washington, August 29.-The following
statement regarding the medical corps of
the army and the American National
Red Cross society was given out by Sur
geon General Sternberg today:
"Owing to the pressure of my official
duties have not heretofore felt justified
in taking the time to make an explana-
tion with reference to my attitude to.
wards the American National Red Cross.
'It has been repeatedly charged in the
newspapers that am hostile to this or
ganization and have refused to accept its
assistance III the care of our sick and
wounded soldiers, and that, as result of
this refusal, there has been unnecessary
suffering.
"These charges are without foundation,
except insofar as have objected to the
sending of female nurses with troops in
the field engaged in active operation.
We have Red Cross hospital corp in the
army, of enlisted men, whose duty 1t is
to render first aid to the wounded upon
the field of battle and to care for the sick
in our division field hospital, and have
been of the opinion that female nurses
would be an incumbranoe to troops during
active operations, but so soon as serious
sickness developed in our camps and 1t
became necessary to treat typhoid fever
cases in our field hospitals gladly &C.
cepted the services of trained female
nurses and In our general hospitals we
have employed them from the first The
general testimony from the surgeons in
charge of there 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 trained nurses auxiliary number three
and desire to express my high apprecia-
ton of the valuable service rendered to
the medical department Of the army by
this organization.
"My attitude towards relief organiza-
tions is shown by an endorsement dated
May 9Th upon letter addressed by Rev.
Henry q. McCook of Philadelphia to the
president andsreferred to me for remark:
+" May 3, 1898, respectfully returned to
the ndjutant g eneral of the army.
" The plan proposed for the organiza-
ton of relief association appears to have
been well considered and the object in
view will commend itself to every
patriotic citizens. But 1t is q question
whether the President should give special
privilege to any particular organization.
Other prominent individuals in different
parts Of the country may be organizing
for the same purpose. One such PROPOSE
tion has come to Inc from Chicago. While
approve in general way of organiza-
tion for the relief work proposed, 1t ap'
pears to me that 1t will be best not to
give, in advance, exclusive privileges to
any one particular organization. In case
of needassistance should be accepted from
any organization prepared to give 1t.
"Thfs has been my guiding principle
throughout, that relief when needed should
be promptly a-cepted without reference to
the course from which it comes. The re.
lief afforded by the National Red Cross at
Siboney was promptly accepted by the
surgeons on the spot. but it Is evident
that it was entirely inadequate to rleet
the emergency. A committee OF the
American National Red Cross association
called on me some time in advance OF the
landing of our troops in Santiago.
them most courteously and advised them
to use their resources in fitting up
hospital ship, telling them that a hospital
ship was now being fitted up for the use
of the medical department, but that it
was not at all improbable that an
emergency would arise which would over
tax our resources and that In such an
Ov0uu O AObp1td1 61AP PAOROsAJ O4NAPfSN,
having on board a corps of doctors and
nurses would be q most valuable
auxiliary.
"Furthermore, the American National
Red Cross association has had full au
thority to send agents and supplies to all
our camps since June 9, 1885, and If there
has been suffering for want OF needed
supplies they must share the responsible
ty with the medical department of the
army for SuCh suffering.
1.-THE following letter was sent by ME
to every chief sur geon OF department. or
Independent army in the field on June 8.
1923:
=" The Secretary of War has approved
of the following proposition made by the
American National Red Cross association
and the chief surgeons. ON army corps and
divisions will cooperate with the author.
ICED agents of this association for. the
purposes indicated: We can put any de-
sired amount of hospital supplies-ice.
matted milk. condensed milk, etc., into
any of the volunteer camps In few
hours. Will you be kind enough to bring
this letter to the attention of Secretary
Alger, and ask him if there is any objec-
tion to our appointing Red Cross repre-
sentative to report to the commanding
officer and the chief surgeons in every
camp confer with them, as to their
immediate needs, and if anything of any
KlnO is WaubluG, opcu Uuero leou SioSo
station and send in the supplies. We can
do this, not in few weeks or few days,
but in few hours and can furnish any
quantity of any desired luxury or delicacy
for hospital use We hereby tender our
aid and put our organization at the War
DEPARTMENTS service for cooperation In
this field
ITO show my cordial relations with the
National Rod Cross Relief COMMITTEES,
venture to quote from letter of August
1. received BY me from Mr.. Cleveland H.
Dodge, chairman of the supply commit
tee. Mr.. Dodge says:
I" Il want again to assure you person.
allv. and on behalf of our committee, of
our earnest desire to assist you in every
possible wcy and to thank you for calling
npor as So frankly
HIn a recent letter from Mrs. Winthron
Cowdin, vice president of tho Red Cross
society for maintenance of trained nurses
she says:
We greatly appreciate your courtesy
to use.
YELLOW FEVER FEARED.
Montgomery, Ala, August se.-Late
this afternoon the governor on the recon j.