The Washington herald., 1912-05-09

That the Red Cross win attain It's high
est mission in the great sea battle Of the
future-a battle in which mighty fleets
win be demolished and a veritable host
viii be touched by the hand CT death
was the moral pointed by Surg. Gen.
c. F. Stokes, u. s. N, in addressing the
international conference yesterday after
noon.
He drew a picture Of the powers OF
annihIIation developed by the modern
navy. In conclusion he urged that the
Red Cross should be under the control
OF the military or naval authority with
which It is working. that women nurses
should not be assigned TO hospital ship
duty, but should be kept on land, and
that uniform instructions should be given
| in all cases.
TT may safely be. assumed there is
general tendency toward concentration Of
ships, so individual combats at sea be-
tween single vessels or small units are
becoming respectively infrequent and OF
lessening Importance" said Surg. Gen.
Stokes.
Paints Battle Picture.
TT is quite conceivable the next great
naval battle will involve from 50 TO 100
capital ships, and the difficulties pre-
seuted In the immediate care OF the
wounded during battle and their prompt
evacuation and subsequent treatment are
stupendous It seems probable an actual
engagement between battleships viii last
less than thirty minutes. as by that time
either one or the other Of the combatants
viii probably be annihilated or the sup
ply Of ammunition become exhausted. The
casualty list might equal Is per cent OF
the total complement, an appalling num-
Der when we consider the rapidity with
which they would accumulate"
The Surgeon General suggested that
medical transport with accommodations
for 1000 wounded. with a corps Of fifty
I'VE medical officers and 200 Hospital
Corps men be assigned to each division
OF 1--WE battle ships.
The address was the sole feature Of the
afternoon session. which broke up into
small groups and discussions largely
dominated by the foreign delegates. Last
evening a reception wzs held at the home
OF Miss Mabel Boardman. chairman OF
the executive committee Of the Ameri-
can Red Cross. in honor Of the visitors
Surg. Gen. George H. Torney. u. s. A.,
Surg Gen. Johann Steiner. OF Austria
Hungary. and Maj. c. de Marvel, NJ u
D., director OF the Swiss Society Of the
Red Cross, read papers at the morning
session.
Medical Department Inadequate.
Gen. Torney said in part:
Even In times Of peace the personnel
Of the medical department Of the United
States Army has never been adequate
for the needs OF the service; therefore, It
viii become imperatively necessary for
the War Department 10 accept the ,volun-
tary assistance offered by patriotic So
4fn N6, - - ~,
wounded OF the military establishment in
time Of war.
Our own Spanish-American war r.
full Of experience TO teach US that IL is
futile to attempt the employment of a
number Of individual relief associations
in the hope that good results win ensue
TO those who are suffering from the dis
eases and disablements incident to war
Surgeon General Torney pointed out
the necessity for the organisation OF a
corps Of physicians and trained nurses
sufficiently versed In the science OF hrst
aid to the injured to be able to instruct
the men in the ranks when necessary.
He advocated military control over this
branch OF the service, stating that the
government could not always insure
faithful service, II otherwise conducted,
and would have no recourse In case Of
desertions
Foreign Delegates Report.
Surgeon General Steiner. who is at
tending the conference as the representa-
tive Of the Austro- Hungarian Minister of
War. told the delegates how the Red
Cross movement is conducted there.
Military precision and careful training
seems to be the keynote Of first aid IN |
that country.
number Of reports OF foreign dele
Eates were read which showed what !
steps European governments are taking |
TO prevent the abuse Of the insignia and |
name Of the Red Cross. These reports |
were read by representatives OF the gov
ernments Of Switzerland. Austria Hun |
gary, Norway and Greece. Reports from |
Cuba and Argentins were also read. The |
report OF the American Red Cross was
presented by Maj. Gen. George W. Da- |
Wis. U. S. A., retired
Gen. Davis touched upon the fight |
made by the society to prevent its in