The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-08-11
PRESIDENT OF
THE RED
CROSS SOCIETY

ceived a magnificent jeweled decoration
from the queen OF Servia.
After this there was comparative
quiet in international work tin 1892
Then occurred the awful Russian fam
inc, when the cars poverty stricken
subjects. obscure and unknown, per
ished by the thousand OF fever, filth and
starvation. how many never can be
known. The czar himself is the head OF
the Russian Red Cross. but Clara Bar
ton knows so much better what To do
I'm such cases than any czar or emperor
of them all that she was allowed to
manage the famine relief measures i'm
her own way. She did il, and among
those who show her most honor of all
this summer in st. Petersburg are Rus
sian high dfgnitaries. Clara Barton's
victories OF peace are no less splendid
than her achievements i'm war and
shine as bright I'm the telling.
What nextY The Armenian outbreak
ana massacres I'm 1896 Civilization was
waked up by tales OF the sufferings OF
the victims. 1t was believed that the
sultan, treacherous, tyrannical and sus-
picious to the last degree, would not
let the Red Cross people minister
among his subjects. rebel or otherwise.
N.
But that woman's tact and knowledge
oyercame even the grudging suspicion
of despot Miss Barton not only sue
ceeded in putting her relief forces. fully
equipped. I'm the field but performed
such works OF mercy that the sultan
was touched even TO his heart and
thanked the American Red Cross presi-
dent personally and himself bestowed
on her one of the highest honor decora.
tions within his gift. Clara Barton has
formed the habit of succeeding i'm her
undertakings. That habit once formed
Is, like others hard TO break
What next? Work at home Till the
Cuban insurrection grew 10 such pro-
portions that the Red Cross people were
wanted. Three years before the Span-
ish break with the United States there
was need of Red Cross work i'm Cuba
but just how to begin IL was a difficult
problem until Miss Barton asked and
obtained permission from the queen OF
Spain TO take her nurses, doctors and
supplies TO the island Then she toId
the people of the United States that she
needed $4,000 to care for the sick
starving and wounded Spaniards and
Cubans. Very quickly, as always. il
was forthcoming. President McKjnlev
himself was greatly interested i'm the
movement, and under his auspices--at
his request. in truth-Miss Barton
sailed for the island. Her field work
I'm Cuba is among the most thrilling
and dramatic of her experiences. There
she remained. neutral minister OF
mercy. helping Cuban and Spaniard
alike, till one day message came to
her. 1t said:
War will commence at once between
Spain and the United States The Ameri-
can consul has been ordered home from
| Cuba. Get ready TO sail with him to the
United States. Clear out quick
! Which she did. She continued her la :
bors. however. during all the progress
of the war and up to its close.
Miss Barton has always preserved the
entente cordiale with military authori-
ties by holding herself and her aids
amenable to discipline. Arriving on a
battlefield, she first presents her cre-
dentials 10 the commanding general:
then she puts herself her supplies. her