The Washington times., 1912-05-07
RED CROSS CORPS
OF MANY NATIONS
REPRESENTEDHER
international Conference
Opens in Washington With
/ Address by Elihu Root.

with representatives from score of
nations attending the ninth Inter-
national Red Cross Conference was
formally opened at 2:3o o'clock this
afternoon in the Pan-American Union
building. 1t is the first international
gathering in five years. During that
time but there have been instances of
great desolation resulting from fire and
food, and from these the Red Cross ex-
perts have drawn information that will
be discussed during this conference.
There have been great advances In the
manufacture of field apparatus for first
aid work and practically all OF these in
Nentions and appliances are on exhibit
an the Red Cross building erected on
the Monument grounds especially for
this conference.
French Is the official language of the
conference, and part of the addresses
VIII be delivered in that language The
ofncfal report of the conference will an.
pear in French.
Root Gives Welcome.
Senator Elihu Root made the address
or welcome in place of President Taft,
VINO Is out of the city. Much disap-
pointment was indicated at the absence
pr the President as he had promised to
attend the conference nearly six months
ago. y.
Inc program for the formal opening Of
the confidence included an address of
welcome by Ambassador da Cana, OF
Brazil on behalf of the South American
countries and response by Gustav
Ador, chairman of the International
Red Cross Committee.
After the conference. the delegates ex-
pected to visit the Red Cross exhibition
ball. A reception in the Pan-American
Union building at o'clock tonight will
be held.
The exhibition building provides a
thorough education in appliances for
doing first aid work for the injured and
1or cures Of certain chronic diseases A
complete model Of an operating room on
an American battleship fills one booth.
opposite stands a display showing the
work accomplished in different parts of
the world by the Red Cross. A model
outnt OF bandages, gauze, splints, and
antiseptics, bound together for mule
transportation, Is shown.
Germany offers examples OF a score of
different railroad hospital cars and of
neld hospitals, while the French exhibits
deal chiefly with electrical appliances.
valuable cash prizes and silver and
gold medals will be awarded for the
best exhibits. The Marie Feodorovna
fund of 10000 -roubles, which produces
nearly $1,000 a year. Is available for
awards nd will provide 5000 for cash
prizes.
Girls Take Part.
Four booths showing the different
branches of first aid work and of Red
Cross nursing have been installed. On
the field east of the exhibition build
ing provision has been made, for field
drills in first aid work. y A grandstand
Will accommodate delegates and visitors.
Next Saturday four teams captained by
young women will put on an exhibition
of first aid work. The heads of the
teams are Miss Marion Oliver, daugh-
ter of Assistant Secretary of War Oil
yer; Miss Alice Meyer, daughter of
Secretary of the Navy Meyer: Miss
Dora Glover. daughter Of Rear Admiral
Clover, u. S. N, and Mrs. Langhorne
Teams of Boy Scouts, of miners.
trainmen, policemen, firemen, and rf the
Army Hospital Corps will also give ex-
ihibitions on this same plot of ground.
The conference will continue until
May IT. The sessions will begin at 1890
in the morning, There will he two srs-
'sions each day. Competitive exhibitions
on the drill ground and every night will
be made gay with a reception or ,?in-
iner party.
Cards are required for the formal
NEE etings today. for the reception to-
night, and the first aid demonstration
saturday afternoon at o'clock. All
other meetings are open to the public.
Cards for the reception tonight have
been largely confined to delegates and
TO members Of the Diplomatic Corps.
Coming Program
Papers dealing with the scope, func-
tions and problems OF Red Cross work
in war and during natural calamities
will be delivered by Brig. Gen. George
H. Torney, DIR. Johann Steiner, of the
IAusto-Hungarian army; Surgeon Gen.
eral Charles F. Stokes, U. s. N;
Joshua r. Clark, jr., NJ. Armand du
IPeyrat, retired officer of the French
army; Sir John Furley, senior knight
order, grand priory. OF the order Of
the Hospital of st. John of Jerusulam,
of England; Major Charles Lynch. NJ.
G., U. s.; A; Miss Jane A. ,Delano,
man Red Cross; DR.. NJ. V. Silbemark,
of Vienna; Miss Mabel T. Boardman,
DR.. Edward T. Devine, Of New York;
ernest P. Bicknell, national director Of
DE Forest, vice president of the Ameri-
can society; General Grotzman, Sur
geon Major Pannwitz. and Surgeon
Major Kinmie, of the German society;
Miss Alice Savre, OF the Swiss Ladies'
Auxiliary; Dr. Frederic Carriere, of
Berne, and Philip P. Jacobs. assistant
secretary of the National Association
for the Study and Prevention of Tuber-
culosis.
A number of members of the Dip
lomatic Corps will attend in place of
delegates named who could not come.
Mime. Bakmetieff, wife of the Russian
ambassador, received word yesterday
that she had been appointed by the
Czarina of Russia to represent that
country. Nine. Bakmetieff will also
represent Bulgaria at the conference.