The Harrison times., 1915-09-11

safeguard the American public against
fraud and abuse.
1t should be understood that the sur
geon generals of the United States
army and navy are appointed by the
president of the United States to rep
resent these departments in relief
work. They are members of the Amer
lean Red Cross executive committee,
and chairman and vice-chairman, re-
spectively, of the war relief board.
All accounts of the American Red
Cross are required by law to be audit
ed by the war department and an an
nual report, also required by law, de-
failing the activities of the organiza-
tion, Is made to congress by the chair
man of the central committee. 1t may
be seen from this that the American
Red Cross machinery would be set in
motion at once and that its activities
would be definitely co-0rdinated with
the legislative and executive work Of
the government in time Of war. Mere
ly as an example Of its preparedness
in one branch of its organization, there
are 5000 enrolled American Red Cross
graduate nurses who have been ac-
cepted by the war department as the
army nursing reserve corps.
The war department and the navy
long ago formulated reg
ulations governing completely the du-
ties and functions of the American Ma
tional Red Cross with reference to
aid to the land and naval
forces in time of actual or threatened
war. The sign Of the Red Cross is
protected by law and the fraudulent
use thereof is punishable by fine or
Imprisonment or both.
President Taft in 1911, by proclama-
ton to the army, stated briefly the re-
lations that must exist between the
military departments Of the govern
ment and volunteer relief in the event
of war. General Orders, No. 10, war
department, 1911, publishes the proc
lamation, stating in effect that the
American National Red Cross is the
only volunteer society authorized by
this government to render aid to its
land and naval forces in time of war;
and that any other society desiring to
render similar assistance can do so
only through the American National
Red Cross; that to comply with the
requirements of Article 10 of the In
ternational Red Cross Convention Of
1906 (revision Of the Treaty Of Ge-
neva) that part of the American Ma
tional Red Cross rendering aid to the
naval forces will continue a part of
the sanitary service therof
The law, approved January 5, 1905,
as amended, which chartered the
American National Red Cross, stipu-
lates as follows:
Sec. 8. That the purpose Of this
corporation are and shall be:
First. To furnish volunteer aid to
the sick and wounded of armies in
time of war in accordance with the
spirit and conditions of the conference
of Geneva of October, 1868, and also
of the treaty of the Red Cross or the
treaty of Geneva of August %, 1864,
to which the United States Of Amer.
lea gave its adhesion on March /, 1882,
Fourth. To act in matters of vol
untary relief and in accord with the
and naval authorities as a me-
dium of communication between the
people of the United States of Amer.
lea and their army and navy, and to
act in such matters between similar
national societies Of other govern
ments through the Comite lnterna-
tional de Secours, and the government
and the people and the army and navy
of the United States Of America.