The Bad River news. [volume] (Philip, Stanley County, S.D.) 19??-1912, 1912-01-18
THE REQ CROSS EXCLUDED.
Has no Rights in Civil War. Pa
thetic Illegal Use in China

W ot'tF"t N'iiSl plok lucS loI Itlc
protection of agents of the Red
Cross IN war, had completed their
task they had omitted all mention
OF one important question which
has recently been a cause of un-
certainty and some embarrass-
ment. This question relates to the
function of the Red Cross in civil
war.
The treaty, in fact, does not
provide any method by which the
Red Cross may help ameIiorate the
horrors Of civil war When two
governments are at war with each
other, if both are signatOries to
the treaty, both are bound to pro-
tect the agents of the Red Cross
and respect the Red Cross flag.
If only one of the warning gov
ernments has signed the treaty,
neither is required to respect the
Red Cross flag or agents. In such
case, the two countries by spec
ial agreement may bind themselves
to observe the rules of the treaty
and thus avail themselves of the
Red Cross.
In the case of civil war or rev.
olutionary movements, however,
the revolutionaries are not only
not signors of the treaty of Genev.
a, but as they have no recognized
governmental status, they are held
to be incapable of entering into
responsible agreement concerning
the Red Cross with the govern.
ment which they are trying to
overthrow. Thus no way is left
open by which the Red Cross may
legally and safely give it's kindly
services in time of civil war.
During the progress of the re-
cent revolution in Mexico, the
American Red Cross offered it's
services to the Mexican govern
ment, but its offer could not be
accepted. AS result, the
American Red Cross confined it's
activities to the boundary line be-
tween United States and Mexico,
caring for snd wounded soldiers
and destitute refugees who were
brought across the border or tax
ing the risk of venturing over the
line, without official protection,
when the demands of humanity
were imperative, as was the case
at Juarez, Nogales, Tia Juana and
elsewhere.
The Importance of rigid COVER
mental control of the use of the
Red Cross is well illustrated by
the present condition in China
where no official supervision of
such use exists. Many different
unauthorized organizations are
using the emblem in hope of pro-
tecting the lives and property of
their members. Since no restrict
ion on this use are enforced, the
result is that the emblem has lost
its sacred character in farcial
and pathetic scramble for a pro-
lection which it canot give. The
following extract from a private
letter from Wuchang China, bears
directly upon this point:
..All sorts of people are using
the flag and the badge who have
no right to do SO and many seem
to think that subscription entitled
them to full immunity and protect
ion. The Red Cross is so badly
abused by misuse through people
bringing their vluables to be stOr-
ed under it's aegis that presently
it is feared the whole population
will hoist the sign at the last ex-
tremity as last resort.
At the Ninth International Red
Cross Conference, to be held in
w ashington next May, this omis-
sion of the Treaty of Geneva to
provide for the Red Cross oper-
ations in civil war will probably
be one of the important topics for
discussion. Representatives of
forty or more countries will par
ticipate in this conference.