The Lancaster news. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1905-current, 1914-11-27
TO BE CONTINUED
American Red Cross Shin


On the outbreak of the European
war the American Red Cross offered
10 the several countries involved sur
Seons, trained nurses, surgical equip
ment. including psychological and
sterilizing outfits and hospital sup
plies. This offer was gratefully ac-
cepted. At that time the sailing of
all ocean steamers was so uncertain
that at the suggestion of the Hon
Robert Lansing, Counselor OF the
State Department and chairman of
our Red Cross International Relief
Board, the War Department was ask
ed for the loan of an army transport
TO carry the personnel and supplies
The pressure on the Government
to provide transportation for Ameri-
can refugees was so great that the
Department was itself negotiating
for ships and reserving the trans
ports for such use, so that this re.
quest could not be granted. Con-
gress, therefore, passed a special act,
permitting the Red Cross to charter
ship fly tn Red Cross and Ameri
can flags. and to receive temporary
American registry. BY this means
and under protection of the Treaty
OF The Hague, the Red Cross ship
could proceed promptly and safely
on her mission.
Through the press the American
Red Cross appealed for suitable YES
sci. Only two were offered on b,
the Hamberg-American Line, the 9TH
er by the Austrian-American Line.
The former was accepted. and char
tered for sixty days at the cost of
One Dollar. The war insurance on
snip and cargo cost 100000. The
vessel was ufficered by retired Amer
lean naval officers, and carried l56
surgeons and nurses, surgical equip
ment and very large quantities of
hospital supplies for thir own use
and for the ue Of the American Am
bulance Association in Paris. (The
Servian unit OF Is went by a Greek
steamer.
As they were about to sail an m
expected objection was made on the
part OF the British and French gov.
ernments to the personnel OF the
crew. change of crews became
nececcary, involving delay and ey-
pense
To send III Red Cross surgeons
and nurses abroad; to buy for them
proper equipment, with uniforms and
other necessities: to pay their tray-
cling expenses by land and sea, both
in tn United States and in Europe
TO pay their salaries for six months,
and to briIg them home to the Uni.
ted States, viii. cost about 1920
per capita, including the cost of ibc
in the United States and in Europe
equipped to send.
There 10 no doubt that had the
Red Cross aited two weeks it could
have sent its surgeons and nurses
and its hosri,al supplies to Eu.ovc
iy regular steamers. Every or.
must. however, recall the confusion
and danger which pre-
vailed at the outbreak of the var
NO one knew or Crtld predict when
regular transatlantic service woul,l
ce resumed. The United States GOV.
ernment itself. Wishing to send \
party OF Fifty men Wrh the ten mil
lion dollar gold <und to Europa 10
help American citizens, sent two war
ships instead Of waiting for n,r-
chart steamers.
Up tn this date the American n,d
Cro!s has purchased 2SS,SOO po1,1u
o. absorbent cotton. S7,4OO yarGs 2
tctton. 485,4OO yard,
OF absorbent cause. 10000 yardA of
starched gauze, 46,4OO pounds of
bandagcs. &c surgical equipmen q o,
U. S. Army standards, including bac-
THEOLOGICAL and sierilizing QUIZ,
$500 pounds of chloroform and
ether. 10 cases of drugs and chemi-
Gals. 40 gallons tincture iodine. 5000
typhoid vaccine treatments, and