Evening star., 1914-08-06
RED CROSS BEGINS
GREAT WAR TASKS
Is Chartering a Ship to Take
Surgeons and Nurses to
European Ports.
SOME WASHlNGTONIANS
WILL JOIN THE FORCES
Miss Boardman Actively at Work at
National Headquarters in
This City.

Following and in line with the action
taken yesterday at the joint meeting of
the international and war relief boards
of the American Red Cross. the head
quarters of that organization has be-
gun the working out of plans for help
lug along the care of the sick and
wounded in the present European war
crisis.
From the Hague has come the first
acceptance of the offer of aid made the
various European governments yester-
day by the Red Cross organization of
This country. and 1t is expected that
other nations will quickly avail them
selves of its preferred assistance.
1t was decided at the joint meeting
to charter a vessel, which will carry
the Red Cross flag and send therein hos
pital units in charge of men of army
and navy medical experience to aug
ment the Red Cross organizations of
the various nations involved. The
chairman of the committee having this
work in charge is Bernard n. Baker of
Baltimore. Other members are Surgeon
General William Braisted, U. S. n. and
Chief Constructor r. NJ. Watt. U. S. n.
May Be Offered a Ship.
We have a suitable ship offered us
gratis said Miss Mabel T. Boardman,
:.ctive member of the central committee.
which will, of course, simplify matters.
'Fh. vessel. however, must come up to
certain specifications to be suitable for
the purpose For instance, she must be
capable of carrying enough coal for the
entire round trip, as ii will be practically
impossible to obtain a supply abroad. 1t
> not to be q hospital ship, as some seem
10 suppose. for no wounded Will be cared
FOR 1t will transport from $50 to 200
nurses and surgeons, who will be offered
70 governments needing them in units.
say. OF three surgeons and twelve nurses
each.
although some Washington women
aud girls may be designated to take
ht. trip. the number will probably not
tie large. for the Red Cross has 5000
regularly enrolled nurses throughout
the country, and they will be picked
according to availability. those having
undergone typhoid and smallpox pro-
phylaxsis being in greatest demand.
Only Enrolled Nurses to Go.
According to Red Cross officials. too
much emphasis cannot be placed on the
fact that only these regularly enrolled
nurses are desired, or. in fact. would
be permitted to labor abroad. Such
nurses as are sent must be thoroughly
trained. for they will operate in actual
war conditions. They must be pos
sessed of the confidence of foreign gov
ernments and must be prepared to take
the oath of secrecy laid on them by the
nations within whose boundaries their
work is to be done. i
Letters are now going out TO the 10
local committees of the organization
throughout the United States to ascer
tain which of the enrolled nurses are
most easily available. The headquar-
ters of the society is already in re-
cefpt of numerous offers from volun-
teers anxious to serve, but whose lack
of training and status precludes their
being of anv use. one generous wom-
an has written. offering TO equip
hospital ship of fifty beds, but such
vessel would not even be permitted to
operate in foreign waters, nor could
il be properly protected.
Committees at Work.
The committee on personnel and hos
ital units consists of surgeon Gen.
Eraisted and Maj. Robert L. Patterson,
r. $. A. Medical Corps. and tie desig-
lrion of nurses is in charge of Miss
e \. Delano, chairman Of the Amer
.au cd Cross general nursing serv-
t-,s.n n 500 and 700 uniforms for the
.s". N .yG are being ordered. They
.H- 4 a gray-bluc dress. apron.
.tr ~lW and dark blue cape. lined
HH#.4 and bearing the symbol of the
'a-t oss on the left side. The vessel
v.l " painted white with a red band
ing the hull; a red cross will be
r-.auad on the tunnels aud vt will fly
#4e Cross flags. At the time partic-
.;tr country Is being assisted in its re-
.tlf work the flag Of that country will
!so he flown.
Contributions Are Needed.
Although the organization is. unfortu-
uatSty, unable to accept its many prof-