The evening times., 1900-03-24
THE RED CROSS SOCIETY
Favorable Report on the Bill for
lis Incorporation.
House Committee on Foreign Affairs
Declares That the ORGANIZATIONS
Work Entities Ii to Recognition
and Protection-A History of the
Movement to Aid Victims Of War.

The House Committee on Foreign Affairs
to which was submitted the bill to incorpo-
rate the American National Red Cross and
to protect its insignia has recommended
that the bill as amended by the committee
shall pass.
The bill is one which has in different
forms. but all having the same general
purpose, been fayorably reported TO both
Houses of Congress, but failed to receive
consideration, and has once passed both
Houses, reaching the President too late tc
become a law.
The report in part says The impor-
tance and magnitude of the work OF the
American National Red Cross for the past
sixteen years is such as entities it TO recog-
milton and its work and insignia to the pro-
lection of the Government. which it is or
ganized to serve in cases Of national ca
lamity or emergency.
The work of the Red Cross in the diff
ferent civilized countries of the world is
carried out under compound treaty be-
tween forty-three of the civilized nations.
1t was the outcome of conference which
convened in Geneva, Switzerland October
26, 1863, at which fourteen governments
were represented by delegates. and there
were also present five members OF the
Geneva committee, six delegates OF diff
ferent associations and some unaccredted
visitors. It's object was to ind out and
agree upon some humane and reasonable
methods for the treatment OF the unfor
tunate and helpless victims OF war, and
series of resolutions looking 10 this object
and providing methods by which they
should b. carried out were adopted. These
resolutions were the basis OF the Red
Cross treaty of August %, 1864. which was
entered into at Geneva, Switzerland. by
the plenipOtentiaries representing Italy,
Baden Belgium, Denmark, Spain, Portu-
gal France. Prussia, SaXony. Wurremburg,
and the Federal Council of Switzerland.
This treaty has been found of incalcu-
liable usefulness in every war which has
occurred In Europe since its adoption.
During the first ten years of its existence
there were five great wars, and in all of
them the National Red Cross Of each sig
natory country was the capable agent
which carried succor to the wounded and
sick of the opposing armies.
Miss Clara Barton, whose public work
for humanity began IN our Own civil var.
Franco-Prussi ian war and was asked 10 join
the relief corps Of the Red Cross in the
field. which she did, and her heroic ser
vice on the battlefelds OF France during
that war are matters OF history. When
she returned to her native country by re-
quest of the international Committee or
the Red Cross at Geneva, Switzerland. she
presented the subject of the Geneva Treaty
to the President in 1877, and four years
later President Garfield, in his first mes
sage to Congress, recommended the Gcces-
sion OF the United States to the treaty.
Pres ident Arthur, in his first message 10
Congress. made the same recommendation;
the Committee on Foreign Relations OF
the Senate reported favorabiy, and it was
ratified by the Senate and received the sig
nature of the President March /. loS2,
making the United States the thirty sec
ond country To come into the Red Cross
Treaty.
While originally formed to give its aid
in times nf war through the efforts Of Miss
Clara Barton. there has been added an
article enlarging the work OF the Red
Cross to all cases OF national emergency
and disaster. known i'll foreign countries
as the American amendment. and in ac-
ccrdance with this article this country has
already. under the leadership of this same
woman given It's aid to Russia at the time
Ct the famine in 1892 TO Armenia and TGT-
key in 1895. In our country the Red Cross
has led in ameliCrating and relieving the
sulferings arising from the fires in Nichi-
gan in 1881: the Mississippi foods in 1sS2
and 1859; the Mississippi cyclone in 1883;
the Ohio and Mississippi foods in 1884: the
Charleston earthquake in 1886 the Mount
Vernon. H. cyclone OF 1883; the Florida
yellow fever epidemic of 1855; the Johns
town disaster of 1889; the PomerOy. Iowa
cyclone of 1898. and the South Carolina
Islands hurricane of 1898 and 1894.
AT the request Of the President OF the
United States. and with the permission OF
Spain, the American National Red Cross
carried the bounty of the people OF this
county to the suffering recOnCeDtrados of
Cuba in 1897 1898, and 1899
The work done by the Red Cross in
the late Spanish American war in Cuba
and in the hospitals and camps In the Uni
ted States was far-Teachiug in its benefac-
tions including, as it did. officers and men,
friend and foe alike, and many q man to-
day owes his life TO the Red Cross
The incorporators named In the bill are
Clara Barton George Kennan, Julian B.
Hubbell, of the District of Columbia; Ste
phen F. Barton. of New York: William r. |
Day. of Ohio: BTainard II. Warner, Ellen |
Spencer Mussey Alvey A. Adee of the |
Charles F. FairchlId. William |
of New York city Hilary A. |
Herbert. of Alabama; Joseph Gardner, |
Enola Lee Gardner. of Bedford, Ind; John |
W Noble. of St Louis; Richard Olney, of !
Boston: Alexander ". Terrell. of Austin, |
Tex; Leslie N. Shaw, Benjamin Tilling- |
hast, of Iowa; Abraham c. Kaufman, of |
Charleston. S. c.. ]. B. Vinet, of Louisi |
ana: George Gray. of Delaware; Redfield |
of Vermont; George F. Hoar, of /
Massachusetts; Charles A. Russell of |
Robert W. Miers. of Indiana; |
George C. Boldt, William I. Wardell, Of |
New York; Daniel Hastings, J. Wilkes !
O'Neill, of Pennsylvania; Thomas L. |
Walsh. Of Colorado; John G.. Sumner, Of |
California: Charles c. Glover, Walter s. |
Woodward, Elizabeth Kibbey Mabel T. |
Boardman, Walter ~Wyman, Sumner /. |
of the District of Columbia and |
Edward Lowe of Michigan.