Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1906-05-09
RED CROSS.
Organization of Hancock County as
a Subdivision.

A meeting was held last saturday after
noon ct Manning hall at which the or
ganization of Han cock county as a sub
division of the Maine branch of the
American National Red Cross society was
completed.
The meeting was addressed by Mrs. Eu-
gene Hale, president of the Maine branch,
who spoke in general way of the aims
and purposes of the society, prefacing her
remarks by saying that it was not her in
tention to trench on the ground that
would be covered by Miss Mabel t. Board
man, a member of the national executive
committee, who is to make a public adj
dress at Odd Fellows hall next Thursday
evening.
She read the following brief sketch of
the aims and purposes of the society:
The international conference which met
at Geneva, Switzerland, August %, 1854,
agreed upon treaty for the purpose of
mitigating the evils inseparabie from war.
This treaty has been ratified by forty-four
nations. including the United States. The
conference recommended "that there
exist in every country committee whose
mission consists in cooperating in times
of war with the hospital service of the
armies by all means in its power. They
also recommended the adoption and use of
distinctive flag and arm badge. This
fiag-a Geneva red cross on white ground.
and arm badge Or brassard, Geneva red
cross on white band-has been adopted,
and is now in use in every country having
a national Red Cross organization.
The charter granted by Congress, in
January, 1905, to the American National
Red Cross, declared the purpose OF the
corporation to be;
To furnish volunteer aid to the sick and
wounded of armies in time Of war, in accord
ance with the spirit and conditions of the
Geneva convention.
To act in matters of voluntary relief and in
accord with the military and naval authori-
ties, as q medium of communication between
the people of the United States of America
and their army and navy, and to act in such
matters between similar national societies Of
other governments through the "Comite
International de secours' and the govern
ment and the people and the army and navy
OF the United States of America
10 continue anu carry On system o1
tional and international relief in time of
peace, and apply the same in mitigating the
sufTerings caused by pestilence, famine, ere
floods, and other great national calamities.
Congress considered the importance of
the work so great that the charter granted
in 1905 provided for government super
vision. The charter conferred on the
board of incorporators and the central
committee the power necessary TO carry
into effect the above provisions.
In pursuance of this authority the CEN
trial committee proposes to organize, in
every state and territory of the United
States, branch societies, to enable every
person who desires to become a member
of the society, and awaken in this country
the same interest in the objects of the or
ganization that is so markedly manifested
in every other nation having a national
Red Cross society.
The necessity of being prepared for
emergencies has been too often demon
strated to require argument. The object
of the central committee is to have in
each state and territory branch society
that will be ready to act at once in time of
war or disaster, and so strong in its per-
sonnet that it will command universal
confidence.
Each branch will act as a unit in the
organization, and take charge in case Of
any great calamity in its state. Its execu-
tive committee or a special committee will
enroll doctors and nurses for Red Cross
service in time of war or great disaster in
the state or its immediate vicinity.
Reports as to the numbers OF doctors and
nurses enrolled by each branch will be
made annually through the central COM
mittee to the army medical department
In case of calamity its executive com
mittee win receive and take charge of all
contributions of supplies and materials,
forwarding the same to the field OF
disaster.
The secretary of each branch will keep
informed as to the number, names and adj
dresses of the doctors and nurses enrolled
for active service. This service may be
given either without compensation or for
the same salaries as those paid by the war
department, namely, s150 month for
medical officers, and for nurses, $40
month for service in the United States and
$50 month for service outside of the
United States. The secretary viii also
keep informed as to where hospital and
relief supplies can be obtained at shortest
notice.
Charts win be prepared by the central
committee. based upon the regulations of
the army medical department, giving the
personnel and supplies needed for field
hospital for forty-eight persons, so that
any branch or a subdivision thereof will
be able at short notice TO provide such
hospital fully equipped for active service.
The treasurer of each branch, in case of
calamity in the state, will retain all
moneys contributed for the relief work,
keeping an accurate account Of all receipts
and expenditures, as the charter requires
that all accounts be audited by the war de-
partment. In case of calamities outside
the state, he will forward promptly all