The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1903-03-26
CLARA BARTON.
CENSURED BY ROOSEVELT ANI
DEFENDED BY w. P. PHILIPS.
The Red Cross and IT'S Wonderful
Achievement-Histo of the Amer
lean Organization-A Wom
ans Mission and Work.

Bridgeport, Conn, March 16.-Wal
ter P. Phillips, for twenty years secre
tary of the Red Cross, has raised hi
voice in protest against Preslden
Roosevelt's recent action regarding th'
society founded by Clara Barton, whom
he regards as a woman who has placec
new and striking imprint upon the
history of the human race. He regard:
Miss Barton as one of those person:
who is every now and again born into
the world for some specific purpose, anc
compares her greatness with that Of
Alexander, Hannibal, Napoleon, Wei
lington, Susan B. Anthony, and host
of others. Although he resigned his po,
sition one year ago, he says he owes ii
to himself to defend woman who is
being unjustly assailed. In lengthy
paper he has prepared Mr.. Phillips tells
of the wonderful achievements of Clara
Barton.
Some twenty-five years ago when Mr.
Phillips was at the head of the Asso-
ciated Press in Washington a lady TN
known to him at the time asked, through
mutual friend, for an audience with
him. It was Miss Clara Barton.
"She came to my Office and briefly
told me the story of the Red Cross from
it's inception in Geneva down to that
time" says Mr. Phillips in his article.
Even then every important nation on
the face of the earth had given its as
sent and become party to the Geneva
treaty, with the solitary exception OF the
United States. The matter had been re-
peatedly presented to Our government,
but it had not appealed to Secretary
Seward, and his successors in the state
department were reluctant to recon-
mend anything that had been cons1d-
erred and rejected by that alert and able
statesman. The latest attempt to secure
the adherence of the United States had
been made by the Rev. Henry w. Bel
lows, who had finally given up the con-
test against precedent and prejudice and
had written to Miss Barton that while
he wished her success in the field in
which he had been defeated, ne saw no
hope in the situation for her or anybody
else.
Miss Barton, whose services in the
Northern armies during the, civil con-
flee are matters of such recent history
that / need not dwell upon them, had
gone to Europe, in 1860, for much
needed rest.
DECORATED BY EMPEROR &
WILLIAM. -
with the breaking out of the war
between Germany and France she was
urged to attach herself to the army OF
the Grand Duke of Baden, and finally
complied Her services in that terrible
conflict were such that she was deco
rated by the old Emperor William with
the Order Of the Iron Gross. No higher
mark of distinction can possibly be con-
ferred by any ruler upon an individual.
In this war Miss Barton gained
direct and comprehensive knowledge OF
the operations Of the Red Cross. She
saw with her own eyes what could be
accomplished by an organized force on
the battlefield, in the hospital and in the
camp. Her opportunities were sur1rivaled
for contrastin the methods of the Red
Cross Society with the imperfect work,
great as it was, accomplished by the
Sanitary and Christian Commissions
during the son,ber days between the
line when the first hostile shot was fred
and Sumter quickly fell and the happy
day for both North and South when
General Lee surrendered his army at
Appon1attox to General Grant. She re-
.urned to America in due course deter
mined to secure the adoption of the
Red Cross treaty by the United State
wen if it cost her her hearts blood and
very dollar of the comfortable fortune
he possessed. This was the situation
When she came to me and told me what
lad been done by others and particu-
arly by DR. Bellows, and how every
no matter how well directed,
n how assiduously sustained, had end
d in absolute and eunequivocal failure,
mad invited my cooperation.
GOVERNMENT. ADOPTS. RED /
CROSS.
lust before President Garfield was
hot. in 1881; Mr.. Blaine, then his seere-