The Washington herald., 1909-01-31

I carried the light Of a broader humanity
I so soon to dawn upon the world In 1Ssl
this broader humanity took shape IN the
I Treaty Of Geneva, providing IN time OF
var for the protection OF hospital for
I nations. with their personnel. Since ther
The Hague convention has extended to
naval warfare the provisions Of this
treaty Out Of compliment to Switzer-
land. its flag was reversed. and the red
cross on a white ground became this sym
+ Dol OF humanity.
Grown to Huge Proportions.
Under this banner have grown the
great Red Cross societies Of the world
great in ali the important countries save
cur Own The japanese. for example.
have 10000 members; we, about 15.00o
Millions Of dollars flI their treasury and
make them ever ready to cope with sud-
/ den disasters or with war. while we. prac-
teal people as we generally are. make the
great mistake of believing that when
war or great calamities oefau I'D. all
I that Is necessary IS TO open our generous
/ American pockets and pour out the gold.
regardless OF the inefhciency Of suddenly
created bodies, the pitiful waste arising
from ignorance and inexperlence, and the
confusion and overlapping of the work of
many committees
Are We proud Of our record in the war
with Snaiu2 On the one side yes on
the other side no Had We the Red Cross
Society We should have had. would 50
many % our brave boys have sacrificed
their lives because Of our neglect an7
lack Of preparation, rather than from
the enemies buIlets2 We may look down
upon Russia and Japan as not so far
advanced as we in the march OF human
progress, but their record during the late
terrible war -four years ago. puts Us to
blush. They gave up their lives to the
shot and shell Of the enemy, and not be-
cause Of their own country peoples neg
leet.
War may come; calamities viii come.
and the American Red Cross is striving
to 1T itself for The work our people viii
then call upon It to perform. Il has ere
a;ed an emergency relief board 10 study
the methods and measures best fitted
after great disasters II has created q
war relief board. whose duty Il is 20
study war relief measures what vessels
are suitable and attainabIe for hospital
ships. how hospital trains with oper1
ating cars may be acquired and how 70
provide the necessary personnel OF doc
tors, trained nurses. and hospital order
lies. It has provided for an international
relief board so that when great disas-
ters occur among our sister nations We
may b able 10 give help tc them. To-
night I win not dwell on what II has
done after great disasters, beyond saying
that since its reorganization IN 1S5 II
has assisted IN relief work after eighteen
national and international disasters.
Selling Red Cross Stamps.
by unanimous resolution in IS07. al
the International conference IN London,
the Red Cross societies agreed 10 assist
in the campaign against that most fear
fuI pestnencs so often called the great
white plague. To-day. ike David OF
old. our Red Cross army. with only a
little penny Christmas stamp, is going
forth 20 JON the fight against this devas-
tating Goliath Little that Christmas
stamp may be, but Z5.o00.0e9 OF them are
flying through the mails, or waiting for
the Christmas parcels. and at the same
time calling out that glad message OF
good viii 20 men. to thousands Of the
poor victims who suffer from this fell
disease.
IN the greatest Of all our national dis
asters. caused By the fire and earthquake