Evening journal., 1899-04-03
MISS CLARA BSRTOMS APPEAL
RED GROSS WORKER ADDREssE

AN OPEN LETTER TO THE PEO-
PIE OF THIS COUNTRY.
Miss Clara barton, the president OF
the American National Red Cross AS
sOciation, has addressed the following |
latter to the public at large:
Washington, d. c., 900 f St., n. w.
To the People Of the United States:
In compliance with the wishes Of |
the President of the United States, the
War Department and the military gov
ern0r and in response to the multi |
tude Of appeals from the island, the |
/ Red Cross has returned TO Cuba to as
s.st in completing the work of relief |
bagun so long ago. The service is
auxiliary to other relief work by the |
govsTnment, and is purely OF hos
r.tal nature-to shelter the homeless
and care for the sick Incidentally it |
is proposed to establish in the city Of
Havana a hospital for civilians, de-
signel especially as an institution
where Americans, who are taken seri-
ously in, may receive that care and
ate-rt-on which they would get in a
similar institution at h-me.
I'M the face Of the heartrending re-
ports that come from the press, from
visitors, from investigators. and most
Of all, the sufferers themselves, is il
necessary to state that, in spite Of all
that has been done on all sides for the
mitigation of the woes Of these war
s1curged wrecks of humanity, there
yet remains a work to do-a work, in
view of which we may not approvingly
close cur eyes, nor fold our hands, but
not, we trust of infinite continuance.
We believe that once weL relieved,
the Proper provisions made the suit
able methods inauguraued and their
own people Interested in the work, the
Inhabitants Of the island will be found
equal to their own needs as in former
years They have not been mendi-
cants in the past, and we trust will
MOT become so.
In carrying. out successfully our pres
ent mission 10 Cuba, the Red Cross
Win depend enitire,y upon the active
cooperation Of our many friends and
the generous support Of the American
peopleIthat support and cooperation
which in the eighteen years of the eX-
iistence and labors Of the Red Cross in
this country has never for a moment
4, failed nor faltsned The trust of the
people CT the United States in the good
faith and work of their Red Cross is
equaMed only by its trust in them.
One Of the most remarkable evil
dences existing of such good will and
, endeavOr, has been shown by the gen.
, eral banding together, for greater
strength and more effective work, Of
the larger part of the relief force of
P the country as auxiliary to the Red
/ Cross. At the first scarce-audible cry,
they rose like the Scots from the
heather, and forgetting themselves,
their own interests. their comforts,
and even life itself, they have food
in the ranks Of the Red Cross &. 18th
fully and as uncomplainingly aa the
soldiers in the ranks of war, and have
done a work probably never equaled in
the same length of time-a work that
the world has praised, the sufferers
! tlessed, the dying prayed for, and we
believe the angels approved.
To these auxiliaries still patiently
waiting for the parent organization to
un.cad its busy hands sufficiently to
oren a door and prepare an entrance
r for them to become legitimatecy and
permanently a part of itself, we ex-
tend our invitation to aid in this work
! With this invitation to them so the
! thanks for the past which we shall
never lie aE.e to express in words; VIC
4 can only show it by calling them again
, to take their part in this delicate and
highly recognized service which
, awaits us.
The auxiliary societies have shown
, themselves not only charitable AID
benefcent. but practical bodies Of peo-
!, Pie as we'll, and we will at once name
here a few Of the leading points upon
: which they win desire information i'm
mediately We shall commence work
:, directly by the augmentation in Cuba
!, of the force Of workers we have thers
. at present and whom we have con
tinued to sustain and provide for from
the first. AS the Red Cross in no way
. takes up for the providing for the well
- atle4bOdied persons on the island
: either Cuban or American, for whom
the government makes provision, the
necessities will be more uniform, anC
the relief more concentrated in kind
: Besides funds, the need Of which al
. ways goes without saying, will be re
quired medicines; delicate, wholesome
: and sustaining food for persons toe
: feeble 10 work, and who would be sub
jects Tor hospital life, il the hospital.
{ existed for them; suitable clothing fol
{ the same class Of unfortunate people
: men, women and children; bedding
without stint, and all that goes tC
make up the comfort, so far as possi
e be, Of hospital life
The activity and enterprise Of Oul
y people is opening up Cuba itself tC
all kinds Of trade. and it may be tC
= competition as we'll. If it appears lat
I er. that many of the needed supple.
. can be purchased there, to the saving
5 of the cost Of transportation and labor
we shall so inform you; hut the dire
: experience of the past year has provet
: the efficacy, the safety. and the lif,
u need Of a few staple articles. For ex
= ample, condensed and matted milk
2 dried fruits. well protected cereals, rice
Z lprOperly canned foods, meat extracts
u soups. etc. BY the thousands Of pro
n lOnped preserved and grateful lives