Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1917-07-12

visited that battlefield after the FIRE.
armies had fought over 1t and had left 10000 won
umid agonieS that cannot be told. Neither sur
icons, nurses nor comrades paid any heed To those
10000 whose tortured bodies lay for DAYS on the
field. until death relieved those who could not
crawl away.
But Dunant saW-and heard-the horrors there,
aud he told so much of 1t that he was able to get
fhe leading nations to send delegates 10 the Gc-
ucva convention, and so started the movement
which has now developed into the Red Cross. 4
fine account of this achievement was In The Red
ross Magazine of May. 1917.
Though now acclaimed n leader In humnni-
tartan work. the United States was then 50 little
Interested in the Red Cross that the treaty was
not signed until 1852. But in 1905 the government
awoke, at least In part, to the opportunity. and
chartered the American Red Cross as it is today.
The president Of the United States is the active
head Of the Red Cross, and preSidcs at its meet
ings. But SO little influence has politics in this
work Of mercy that former President Taft is
chairman of the central committee, by appoint
npnt of President Wilson. And the present writer
wishes to say that, though he has been connected
more or less closely with headquarters Of the
central division for two and Il half years. he
actually does not know the politics of another
officer of either national or local organization.
Like snakes in Ireland, politics IN the Red Cross
Is not.
H' Sottii il-' VI Wv aNh'i Hh Ni AYR -
vested In n central committee Of eighteen mem
hers, six appointed by the president Of the United
States, the others elected by representatives of
the members And since the president himself
is chosen by the people, the policy Of the entire
Red Cross is united very closely alike TO the gov
rrnment and to the people. Since Il central com
mlttee of eighteen is too unwlcldly to transact
routine business with dispatch, power is further
concentrated In an executive committee OF seven
roaml,erS Of whom five constitute a quorum. Inc
chairman of the executive committee must, by
law, he the chairman Of the central committee
How closely the Red Cross is identified with the
government is shown by tracing, briefly, the posi-
lions held by its officers. As has been said, the
president of the United States Is president, and
he appoints the chairman of the central committee
and six Of It's members. The chairman Of the cen
fra, committee is also chairman of the executive
committee of seven. The treasurer of the lted
Gross is John skeleton Williams, comptroller OF the
currency Of the United States, and the counselor
Of the Red Cross IS John ". Davis, United States
solicitor general. ,
Under former President Taft on the central
committed are such men as Brig. Gen. Chhr''s
BIRD Of the United States Army: Rear Admiral
William G.. Hraisted, surgeon general Of the United
States navy: MnI. Gen. William G. Gorgas. sur
econ general of the United States army; loner'
Lansing. United States secretary or state frhuh'
lin X. Lane, secretary of the Interior, ana Ju"s'
W, W. Morrow.
The work of the national organization Is carried
ON under three great departments: one 1or nun
,,rv re,ief. one for civilian relief. and one foi
chapters. The compoSN'oh u NV W."
outlined. ,,
Tho denortmcpt Of military relief Is under No'
Jefferson Randolph Kean, United States ARM
medical corps. a grandson Of Thomas Jefferson
Under him are the medical bureau, IN cn"'se y
the medical personnel Of base hospitals .e hs'
mid instruction; the nursing bureau, III chnrse y
nurses and nurses aids for base hospitals, "'
womep's classes in training; the service u'''n v
care for soldiers and sallors-ambu'ahce COZ"
nou,.s b,sc hospitals, nurse detachments, SAM
tarv attachments and general hospitals; ana VI
Nod Cross supply service, for the buying storl"
and shipping of all kinds of supplies.
The department of civilian relief is nhder hlnes
p. Bicknell, director general, with II ons .e'o'
Of pcrsonal service in disaster reilef. HIS "rlm"
ment controls all relief work mt domeSuc ~" "
tivn disasters Of fire, food ana pesl'iehee' ~
relief Of ~noncombatants In war; poth mere q"
nhrood. the care Of the families OF soid'ers ~"
sailors. the town and country nursing service
ora tho sale Of Christmas seals for the stampii
out Of tuberculosis. 80, = &,
The department Of chapters Is nnder NJ ,
Wells director Of chapters. It deals, through I!
directors of the nine territorial divisions WIN u
organization OF new chapters, ana the h'e""e''"
comnnirns In those already formed.
The Red Cross Magazine, ut frst niue mo
,hon n monthly bulletin which told, briefly u
toinus Of the organization, has now grown III
n snlend,d publication (valued recently AZ Sivv
UNo. which tells by clear pictures anu WV
stories the history Of the Red Cross Tor Gu
month NIL over the worm. A., ~
Each member Of the Red Cross above tnf y.
dollor class gets the Red Cross Masa"'n me- II. ,
part Of the dues going to the publication. ISe :
cnint,on. which was only $4,000 three years ny,
now about 100000. and growing by leaps OF o". :.
nt n time. It has been predicted by men ~ .
nosI,,on 70 know hest that within o rev ysass
viii he making $20yOoo n year clear prom. ,ot !
nod Cross. instead Of costing $loVoW u "o""'
n d,d until n short time ago. ...
Under the national organization NJ Wasn"s !,
tho territory Of the United States = dlviara '
scyen great divisions, each under the s"p s..
81 a division director. responsible 70 was" .ms
md ..andinr between the national of'cers UT"
the statc and local organizations. .,,,
rho INIT Of the Red Cross system Is 'ne cnap'
rhls nlways covers some definite territory "'''