The Washington herald., 1910-11-06
Nv CHARLorrE VI. CoNGER.

nautlcs. descriptions OF the races,
sketches of the birdmen in the daily
papers. there recently appeared the fol-
lowing cable dispatch from Geneva,
Switzerland: Henri Dunsnt, founder Of
the International Red Cross Society. died
last night at Heida, health resort. "
That was all. yet 1t was enough TO in
spire every one who knows anything OF
the history OF the Red Cross Society
with the desire to lay upon the cata-
falque of Henri Dunant a flower as
tribute OF respect affection. and graft
tude.
He was an old man. Henri Dunant.
when death claimed him, and the great
work he did was accomplished SO long
ago that the people of to-day-few OF
the people. at Ieast-connect him with
IL, yet his brochure, ''Un Souvenir de
Solferino." created a sensation all over
the civilized world and was a potent
factor IN bringing about the establish
ment Of the Red Cross Society.
Horrors of Battle.
In this little book he stated that $1,000
men killed. sick. and wounded attested
the horrors of that battle. and that,
while military ornaments were still in
creasing. no sort OF organization existed
competent 20 deal with such mass OF
misery as war now involved. People
read and wondered and were deeply
moved but nothing practical toward
forming such an organization as Nj.
Dunant had IN mind was done
until he himself brought the subject be-
fore the Geneva Society of Public Utility,
This society met on February 9, 1863, 10
discuss NJ. Dunants proposition whether
means might not be found to form, dur.
ing the time OF peace and tranquility, re-
lief societies whose aim should be TO
help the wounded In time Of war by
means of volunteers, Jealous. devoted,
and well qualified for such work.
At this meeting the society took the
matter under its patronage and appointed
a special committee TO inquire into It.
This committee consisted OF NJ. Gustaye
Moynier. president Gen. Dufour. COM
mander-in-chief of the Swiss army; DR..
Maunoir. DR. Appia. NJ. Henri Dunant,
and It's deliberations resulted IN an IN
ternationa conference for its was per
suaded that only by a union of all the
powers and conserted action could this
proposed idea be carried out. This con
ference met in the Athenaeum of Geneva
in October, 1863 NJ Moynier was made
president. Prince Henry OF Reuss. vice
president. The basis OF the deliberations
of the conference was that AT every
period, and among all nations, from
cyrus down to Napoleon III, the per-
sonnet and material OF the army medical
departments, or the corps analogous 10
these. charged with the care and trans
port of the victims OF war. have been IN
h. \ q Nsa ee.f
dav the project was we'll under way.
and the Geneva Society realized that it
had begun a new chapter IN the history
of the world.
sixteen from Europe.
Sixteen European governments were
represented at this conference, sixteen
governments who, by sending delegates to
this congress. tacitly admitted the in
adequacy and inhumanity of their official
arrangements for the care OF the sick
and wounded in time of war. These gov
ernments, through their delegates,
showed the deepest sympathy for and
interest in the movement, and acted al
most as one man i'm launching the project
in hand The Swiss humanitarians who
had taken the initiative were naturally
delighted al its success and its president,
NJ. Moynier. declared. we shall not rest
until we have found means 10 lessen for
cur fellow creatures the privations, the
sufferings, and the evils of all kinds
which are the inevitable consequences Of
armed contest
In less than a year the Red Cross
treaty was a fait accompli, and the flag
Of the society, the red cross on white
field. the visible sign of what the society
stands for. humanity in war, was adopted.
Thus the great organization, whose name
is to-day a household word, was born
It's father was a Swiss gentleman OF
leisure, whom chance stranded In Sol
ferino al the time OF its historic contest.
lie saw face TO face the horrors OF war,
the agony and anguish of the wounded
and dying, and then and there took up
the work from which he was never TO
turn back and to which he devoted his
entire fortune.
Dunant Little Known.
Little is known OF NJ Dunant. In look
ing over my library for some account
Of him. I could find nothing in the Ordi-
nary books of reference. Finally, in the
Qui est-ce. which corresponds to our
Who's Who" / came across a brief
notice. and further research was re-
the founder OF the Red Cross Society
seems to have escaped interviewers and
exploitation by the yellow journals. 1t
requires little imagination to picture him
living in his Geneva home, far away from
the maddening crowd, among books pic
lures. and flowers 20 adoTn and beautify
the existence which he devoted to the
service OF his fellow-men.
is Dfea SAINT uiapa in urhfph IA Ifva
the quaint old city of Geneva, where NJ
Dunant was born and where he passed
the best part of his life. Replete with
traditions, ghosts of famous men walk
It's streets and sit IN its halls OF learning.
and Mount Blanc looks down upon Il
with the same awful serenity with which
il looked down upon the Allebroges. the
Romans, and the Germans who ruled
over 1t at various times; and Lake Ge-
neva lies blue and smiling about IT, as
il lay in those far-off days when Hello
gabalus burned the city to It's edge for
Aurelan 10 rebuild. Rosseau was born
here and wrote here. and it was the
birthplace Of our own Albert Gallatin.
But if one is tempted 10 babble on about
Geneva. IL would make too long a story.
Suffice il that our friend and benefactor,
Dunant, was born here. under the shadow
OF Mount Blanc and within sight Of the
beautiful lake. Of gentle parents: for
gentle they must have been to have given
To the world such a gentle son, in ISIS
He probably went 10 the university Of
mis- native city. but this is purely I'M
aginay, for l have no reference book,
as / have said, al hand but that he In
herited a fortune. We know. for he was
gentleman Of leisure on pleasure bent
when the battle OF Selferino was fought.
which turned him aside from his travels
and his pleasure seeking 10 nurse the sick
and comfort the dying, the victims OF
that terrible engagement.
Sees Project Grow.