The Savannah morning news., 1900-07-15

knows why-+he work has gone steadily
forward and has been the channel
through which the people of the United
States have reached the suffering with
the minimum expense of administration
BECAUSE most of the workers have given
their time and labor gratuitiously, with
out a thought of earthly reward. Miss
Barton herself, the soul of the. cause, in
herited an ample fortune, which she often
draws upon for the public good. In the
Armenian work, for example. the ex-
nense of distribution, including the long
Journey, was less than E per cent. of the
amount -disbursed-which is a record un-
equaled in charitable work. The publish
ed records of the Red Cross show that
upward of million and a half has gone
through its hands, and every penny has
been duly accounted for.
Forty-three nations of the civilized
world are now confederated for their mu-
tual good under the Red Cross Treaty
of Geneva" and it is a Notifying re-
Election that Spain and Turkey and a doz-
en- other countries adopted the treaty
nearly twenty years before the United
States, and that only just now, thirty
six years after the international conven-
ton at Geneva, has our government Civ
en- proper legal recognition 40 the society
which has struggled along as best it could
since President Arthur was persuaded by
Miss Barton to sign the treaty, on March
/, 1882.
While originally formed only to give
aid in time of war. through Miss Barton's
efforts there has been added an article
charging the work of the Red Cross to
all cases of national emergency and dis
aster known in foreign countries as the
american amendment" In accordance
fhn
leadership of this same heroic woman,
the United States has already given its
aid to Russia at the time of the famine,
in '92; 10 Armenia and Turkey, in '96:
i'm our own country has relieved the suf-
ferings arising from the fires in Michi-
gan, in 81; Mississippi floods, I'm 1913;
Mississippi cyclone, 49, Ohio cyclone, in
'Ss; Florida yellow fever epidemic, in SS;
Jamestown disaster, in $50; Iowa cyclone,
in go; and the South Carolina island bur-
ricane in "a; and as all the world knows,
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
country to the suffering In Cuba I'm 1913.
The vital idea Of the Red Cross IL not
charity. as the word Is usually under
stood. but helpfulness and friendlness to
those in trouble, in the Good Samaritan
sense that they are neighbors. 1t recog-
snizes no particular creed or denomina-
Mon. except the broad religion of Jesus
Christ, as embodied in she words Love
one another" Some OF the subjects which
come lust now before the national So
cie'y are the requests of Alaska and Por-
to Rico for branch. each, Of the Amer
lean Red Cross or provisional connection
with t. In Cuba provisional connec-
lion has already been arranged, which
awaits acceptance under proper officers.
The Red Cross has siso been lately So
icited by the Governors Of various
states 10 aid in the establishment OF
soldiers and sailors home at Manila.
The Red Cross will continue to retain its
headquarters in Washington; but in order
TO property perform the work demand
ed Of II, there ought to be
fund OF at least half a million dollars.
This may be easily raised among our
ninety odd millions OF people, Independent
Of the government. for the feet should
never be lost sight OF that the Red Cross
means peoples hep for national necessi-
ties. not national help for peoples needs.
The American National Red Cross has
never received dollar OF support from
the government as such, and has never
sought it.
At the meeting OF Tuesday Miss Barton
closed a glowing speech with this modest
reference TO her own services: Added 10
the home duties. with a correspondence
equol to a bureau. with no revenues, no
dues. no fund, seventeen fields have been
worked I'm nineteen years-every one car
rled through, its work finished. its com
munities rescued, its lives saved. the ac-
count OF each closed at the end and the
public report made, II there was some
thing left to make Il with.
took up the worn OF the Red Cross fot Its