The Washington times. (Washington [D.C.]) 1901-1902, 1902-02-23
Relates History of Society to
Council of Women.
MRS. HELMUTH MADE PRESIDENT
Presentation of Handsome Sill. Ran
ner to Mountaineering Drill
Of Children an Important Feature
of the Days Session.

The feature of the evening session OF
the National Council of Women was the
address of Miss Clara Barton. She said
at the outset:
Il suppose that if my subject had not
been announced everyone would know it as
soon as my name was mentioned.
Il have been speaking and writing and
filling massachusetts with literature on
the Red Cross for years. and yet l some
times hear people ask what the Red Cross
is.
II there is a member of the original Red
Cross in the audience think there arc
three or four now living-will he come
to the PLATFORM"
Mr.. John Hicks, of Washington. made
his way to the platform and took a seat
near Miss Barton
Miss Barton reviewed the work OF
Florence Nightingale. which came at just
the time when the developing press was
ready to let in flood of light upon the
conditions of war. She spoke of the day,
June "A, 1859, when she said. amid the
horrors of the field, and there was not a
surgeon for fifty men. Henry Demant
worked for the wounded. The memories
of the suffering he had seen. haunted him
in after years until at length he published
them
Took Firm Root.
The seed had been well sown. and in
1863 it took root in a conference at
Geneva, the object of which was 20 find
if it was not possible to lessen the need
less sufferings OF the soldiers.
Another convention followed in 1864.
to which came delegates from the war
makers, the sovereigns of the leading ma
tions of Europe. 1t is known as the
Treaty of Geneva or the Geneva Conven-
ton. Here commenced the work of or
ganization.
The arguments used here were that no
army ever had been, or ever could he.
equal to the task Of carrying with it all
the appliances needed for hospital work
in and after battle. For this condition
of things there must be found a remedy,
and the remedy, after days of deliberatiop,
-as suggested. namely that military hos
pitfalls and all connected with them should
be held as neutrals. This has been re-
spected since that day.
Another provision which has been hap
PLY successful, for it struck a blow 1t
one of the time honored rules of war
was that societies of civilians should
be formed, whose duty should be to pro-
vide whatever might be lacking in ma
terial for the work Of the hospitals. One
of the ironclad customs of war is that no
civilian shall be allowed on the field Of
battle. especially in time of battle The
convention provided for a civilian arm OF
war, to be kept in preparation to ac-
company the army. holding itself in readi-
ness for any emergency.
Powerful Interests
''of this convention mere than half were
official delegates, representing powerful
Governments of the world 5000 miles
away. We knew little Of European move
ments, and the Red Cross was TO us an
unknown, nameless child in a faraway
country
1T is mistake to speak of the services
Of the Red Cross in our civil war. We
had no Red Cross-more's the pity. -
us consider some of the things that would
have happened if We had
All wounded would have been held as
neutral. and must have been treated by
the conqueror as his own. All surgeons
would have been free to so upon the field
All hospitals and hospital stores would
have been saved from capture by either
army. The countries which enter into
this convention now bind themselves to
do all these things or break one of the
worlds strongest treaties.
THE convention took place in Switzer-
land. That little country was brave
enough to call the attention Of all these
other nations TO their fault
In compliment to her the convention
wished to adopt her flag as the emblem
OF the relief society. But she had fought
for that flag = thousand years, and she
could not give it up. So they adopted her
colors reversed-a red cross on white
ground-and this became the sign of the
greatest humanity the world has ever
known.
THE soldier on the field, the monarch
on his throne, alike must know it.
The Red Cross.
What is that mark on that long train
of cars? Why do the onlookers and the
workmen along the track lift their hats
as it passes? 1t is the Red Cross. Friends
let US not despair of humanity. when its
heart is 50 easily reached.
THE treaty itself is known as the |
Treaty OF the Red Cross. One would |
think that this name would inspire re |
spect everywhere. Yet you drink Red |
Cross whiskey, you smoke Red Cross ci- |
CARS, you play euchre with Red Cross |
cards. You probably feel that you arc |
the Red Cross"
The fine sarcasm in Miss Bartons voice |
cannot be expressed in type.
These are frauds. We are not only a |
warlike. but we are an enterprising peo-
pie.
The secret societies bearing this name |
are all very well. But the Red Cros, o. |
Geneva is not a secret society, nor an |
order, and should never be spoken of as |
such. There is only one International |
Red Cross Society,"
Reviews Work of Society.
Miss Barton then briefly reviewed the
work OF the Red Cross in the wars which
nave taken place since its inception. In
1870 the German Red Cross Society raised
10 600 goo, and the French society
equipped seventeen field hospitals,
Turkey dares not adopt the cross for
lear OF its effect upon her ignorant and
anatical soldiers, but adopts instead the
ed crescent, and is one Of the most loyal
members Of the organization. as is also