The daily commonwealth. (Greenwood, Leflore Co., Miss.) 1916-1919, 1917-06-23
WHAT Is THE RED CROSS GOING
TO DO?

~ IN!
Given the greatest war the world
has known, now entering the last
month of its third year on the one
hand, The American Red Cross on the
other. What is the Red Cross going
to do?
The first thing it is going to do is
to effect the most efficient organization
possible. The President has appoint
ed a War Council, which Council has
assumed the responsibility of ~effecting
this organization. 1t is developing
plans which involve the selection of
the best ia ant in the United States
medicine, ir 5%antiation, in transporta-
ton, in con. ..ruction, in welfare work,
in purchasir %, in commercial business,
in accountir :, and in such other ines
as may be I3luired in an undertaking
o fthis mag tude. Ordinarily it would
be difficult 10 employ trained talent
of the char. Ter required. Men would
not be ava able, but it has already
been demon rated beyond any concern
on the par. of the Council that the
best talent is available and most of
it volunteer so that in whatever di.
rection it may be necessary to move,
the work may be carried on intelli-
gently, efficiently and economically"
Next we shall continue organizing
base hospitals with personnel and full
equipment in order that they may be
turned over to the Army upon a days
notice for transport to France. At the
same time we will proceed to organize
such units to be stationed at the mob
ilization camps of our soldiers and our
sailors in this country as may be de-.
sired by the Surgeon-Generals of the
Army and Navy. Also we shall pro-
coed with the purchasing, collection,
shipment and storing Of such supplies
as may be necessary or even rrecau-
tionary, to be Immediately available.
If we secure the subscription we
shall purchase, equip and man hospi-
tai ships; we shall organize ard main
tain a sanitary engineering corps, to
be subject to the call of the Army or
Navy. In fact, we should be prepared
to meet any and every emergency in
connection with the needs of our SOL
diers and sailors in this country when
called upon by the Army and Navy,
it being understood that our work in
this particular is supplemental to that
Of those departments of u Govern.
ment.
This same service we propose to rem
der through the Red Cross to Ameri-
can soldiers and sailors abroad, not
merely to protect them in health and
to maintain them as effective fighting
men but to look after their comfort
and happiness while they are on leave.
The Red Cross must act as foster
parents to these young soldiers of
America three thousand miles from
their homes.
Beyond the military and civilian
needs Of our own people we must I'M
dertake a larger humanitarian work
to aid u allies. This work the Red
Cross has already started by sending
a commission to Europe. This COM
mission,headed by Major Grayson M
P. Murphy, is composed of sociological
and medical experts and will work in
conjunction with agencies appointed
by the French Government.
tuberculosis and the many new and
terrible diseases that have developed
from trench warfare, and which are
incident to army life, must be COM
batted. They may be conquered both
to preserve our own troops serving
abroad and to aid our allies. To the
degree in which we are successful in
conserving man.power we shall help
to win the war.
From all sides the Red Cross War
Council is being overwhelmed by the
response to call for cities to raise