The record-union., 1899-04-09
THE RED CROSS AND THE GOV
ERNMENT.

President Mckinley through the me-
dunn of special letter and by letters
from heads of departments has request
ed Clara Barton and her Red Cross So
ciety to return to their noble work in
Cuba. The President asks the society
to work auxiliary to the War Depart
ment, for one thing, by taking up the
establishment of hospital institutions
according to a plan proposed by Gen
eraI Brooke, Military Governor of
Cuba.
This plan will include the establish
ment of a first class modern American
hospital in Havana for civilians espe-
cially where the American can go II
taken i'll in Havana, and be assured of
the highest grade of treatment and
nursing The President requests the
Red Cross people to especially look to
the sheltering of the homeless. and to
care Of the sick among the inhabitants
of Cuba. He promises them that they
shall have the supervision and protec-
tion of the military.
Miss Barton and her staff have ac-
cepted the invitation which grew out
of an offer on their part to serve the
Government at any point where Red
Cross work is most needed. Surgeon
General Sternberg has issued orders to
his subordinates to cooperate with
Miss Barton's corps and afford 1T all
possible assistance in hospital estab-
-ishment and operation. The Secretary
of War has issued orders to the mill
tary to serve the ends in view by aid
ing Miss Barton and her assistants, and
to the Quartermaster's Department or
ders have been issued regarding all
needed transportation the Red Cross
may call for.
In these statements and synopsis of
orders we have an exhibition Of fine
spirit and humane heart, that must
make the pulses Of Americans throb
with pride. 1t will do more than any
other thing to win the Cubans to US.
1t will prove to them the disinterested-
ness Of our, work among them, that we
have their concern at heart, and that
besides g. valiant effort to undo the
evil Of Spanish neglect during four
of the cities and towns of the island,
we are also concerned for their COM
fort and health, while the long and
laborious- process of setting UP sani-
tary system goes on.
Miss Barton, under the approval of
the President and accompanying his
letter to her, and the orders referred
to, has issued an appeal to the Ameri-
can people, saying that she goes out
with her corps of assistants TO supple
ment the work of the Government; that
there is demand for this; that con-
ditions make such work of charity and
mercy Imperative: that the Havana
hospital proposed is a necessity; that
though great good has been done and
many reforms have been instituted, still
vast work remains for the relief Of
the war scourged and desolate people of
Cuba
AilSc3 DdIVOtl uiien lIdlify tCllS Her
countrymen that the Red Cross can
do nothing without their material and
moral support, She says she must
have the support of the American peo-
pie:
That support and cooperation which
in the eighteen years of the existence
and labors Of the Red Cross in this
country has never for a moment failed
nor. faltered. The trust of the people
of the United States in the good faith
and work of their Red Cross is equaled
only by its trust in them. We
shall commence work directly by an
augmentation in Cuba of the force of
workers We have there at present. and
whom we have continued to sustain and
provide for from the first. AS the Red
Cross in no way takes up the providing
for the well, able bodied persons on
the Island, either Cuban or American,
for whom the Government makes pro-
vision, the necessities Will be more uni-
form, and the relief more concentrated
in kind. Besides funds, the need OF
which always goes without saying, will
be required medicines; delicate, whole
some and sustaining food for persons
too feeble to work. and who would be