The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1910-12-07

no Office in the organization, but 10
her even the distinguished head OF the
American branch, President William
II. Taft, looks for the management
OF the details OF the ork in times
OF peace and she will be the command
ing figure at the meeting In the cap
ital this week.
That the activities OF the Ped Cross
are not confined TO those dread times
when war clouds hang over the ma
tons OF the earth. is brought home to
every individual at his season OF the
year. for II is during the holidays tnat
the organization begins Its campaign
for raising funds TO fight the grim
NEST OF warriors against humanity
the pestilence of tuberculosis. Within
the last two years by means or the
Red Cross stamp. fund OF $350,OOO
has been raised. These stamps have
heretofore been fixed upon the face OF
letters and holiday packages. This
wear, I'm Difference TO the wishes OIL
the postoffice department. they are 70
be known as Christmas seals instead
OF Christmas stamps, there having
been much confusion on the part OF
thoughtless people who believed that
the Red Cross stamp took the place
OF the regular postage stamp.
The first direct movement I r the
establishment of an organization to do
the work which the Ked Cross assumes
was started In Geneva, Switzerland In
1863. but the idea may be said to
have fructified nine years earlier In
the heart of Florence Nightingale. who
went TO the Crimea to nurse the
wounded French and English soldiers
who fell In the struggle with the Rus
SLAMS. Her work In the Crimsa. which
extended over a period OF two years
attracted international attention. and
her deeds OF mercy each evening ar
ter a battles when she sought out the
HELPLESS on the field, won for Ter the
affectionate title of The Lady With
the Lamp" SO great was her hold
upon the public's affections that when
she returned ID England she was Civ
on $3.50 600 by a grateful government
and with this sum she founded
training home for nurses, which re-
NAMED az a monument TO her mem
cry.
The Red Cross. as a concrete agen
cv. however. owes its origin 10 Henri
Dunant-a philanthropic Swiss gentle
man who witnessed the frightful SUI
fering on the battlefield OF Selferino
near Mantau. Italy, In 1859 when the
dead and wounded among the French
and Sandman allies was $1,000 and
among the Austrians 10000. He saw
how inadequate we're the medical
forces of the two armies 10 take care
OF their own injured, and upon ms
return 10 Geneva he proposed 10 the
Public Utility society, a philanthropit
organization OF that city. 10 start q
movement for the establishment or
volunteer force 10 supplement the
work OF the corps OF surgeons main
tanned by every nation.
general invitation TO the nations
OF Europe to take part In an interna
tional conference was sent ont ano
fourteen countries were represented III
the council which was held IN GeneVs
I'm 1861. In response 10 Genevas IN
yitation thirty-six delegates from -FOUR
teen nations of Eurore Gall except
Turkey. Greece, Portugal and the Pa
nal states) assembled ~ the Swiss cap
jtal and I'm conference recommendec
lion. authority and protection 10 san
itary commissions and their rene
CORPS: that In time or war the PRIV
leee OF nutrality be EXTENDED 10 an
hnlances. military hospitals. omclais
and attaches OF the medical services
regulars and volunteers, 10 nurses ahC
IN the inhabitants In the theater OF
war who should receive and care Iol
the wounded in their houses; and thai
the universal insignia and nag or per
sons. officials and volunteers, whe
might assist in the care OF the wound
cd I'm war and of ambulances and nos
ni,als I'm all armies be white mas
ar hand with a red cross The TORN
OF the insignia was adopted as a trib
ute TO Switzerland the parent coun
try OF the idea, the Swiss nag being
a white cross on a red background.
while the United States had moth
ing 10 do with this first conference
ito influence was OF supreme impor
lance the following year when Two
DELEGATES were sent to tell the inter
national body OF the success or the
limited states Sanitary Commission
which had been organized at the open
Ing or the tlNli wal hhN ''e'
narfnrmed wonderful service with the
Union army. This testimony from tho
limited States. setting forth the rrac
,icability OF movement similar &c
rho proposed Red Cross. was a splen
did inspiration TO the founders OF the
new organization.
The first American Red Cross was
founded a year after the close OF the
Civil war and was known as the Am
erican association for the Relief OF
Miseries of Battle1elds, and 1t was
about the same time that Clara Bar
ton first came into the public eye
Miss Barton was a government CLERK
I'm washington In 1854. With the be
ginning of hostiliues between the
northern and southern states she en-
tered the hospital service and after
the war organized. at her own expense
a search for missing soldiers. Suisse
auently she followed the German ar
my throughout the Franco-Prussian
war and at its close was decorated