The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1917-08-02
Red Cross Soul
Is Explained in
Official Organ

The soul of the Red Cross, the
motive which actuates the noble
women OF the allies, is explained in
an article under that title in the Red
Cross magazine, the official organ OF
the organization, the current number
of which has just been received In
Keokuk, The well written explana-
ticn is enc which should cause every
one to contribute as he Is able to
Red Cross work.
The article is as follows:
ITO bind up the nations wounds;
to care for him who shall have
borne the battle, and for his widow,
and lis orphan-to do all which may
achieve and cherish just and last
ing peace among ourselves, and with
all nations"
This is the task of the Red Cross.
The physical part of this task is i'm
mediate, tangible and urgent-to
care for the. wounded, the hungry and
the homeless.
But when this task Of alleviating
the physical sunerings of mankind Is
finished a greater task remains. For
there remains the great work Of heal
ing the spirit of the nations, of purg-
ing mems hearts of hate and sus-
picion and revenge, and of freeing
their minds from the bondage OF mar
row nationalism and selfish material
ism.
For a nation is more than It's land
and its people. 1t is great or small
as it has a vision, purpose and
will to serve. There are nations
which accomplish much in material
things and gain neither satisfaction
at home nor friends abroad for their
accomplishment is selfish and for
nations as well as for men it profteth
little to gain kingdom or world
if II loseth it's soul And there are
nations in which the springs OF
human sympathy flow free-and run
to waste into the ground again-for
they are not controlled or directed.
But again there are nations where
these springs of human sympathy
we'll up from the ground and where
they can be turned to make the world
a better place to live in. We are
such a nation and the Red Cross is
the agent that stands at the food
gates and turns the stream Of human
kindness, undiminished, onto the
waste places.
A nation whose soul is tried grows
a greater soul, for humanity like
many other things in nature in
creases its strength with US. And
this, is the purpose Of the Red Cross.
IL is a congregation Of service. a
fellowship Of humanity in which
every person can enlarge his or her
satisfaction in life by doing the
things most worth while and doing
them in company with so many mil
lions that the whole nation will take
on a new aspect. The Red Cross is
the soul Of the nation. In 80 far
the nation takes on a new and
greater aspect. 1t is a vision to fill
mems minds and stir their souls and,
out of war that destroys, kindle
fire to remake our nation on plane
cred, for these days of emotion have
loosened the generous energies of the
people to great endeayors.
The Red Cross must help them lift
up their eyes from the horrors and
the hell of this war and fix them upon
the possible achievements of a feder-
alton Of the nations. 1t must make
these achievements as real and tan
SlDle as tne ooJeStiVes VI "iii'aiS
campaign. 1t must attack and pur-
sue them with the vigor and disci-
pine of military organization. If
the Red Cross can do this, can pro-
vide such moral equivalent for war,
it will not only heal the nations
wounds but achieve a just and last
ing peace.
The Red Cross will plead for SER
vice, record humanity at Its best, out
line the wilson of a greater nation in
the non-material fields, cheer the de-
spondent, and direct the wandering
good intention. 1t is the tie that
binds the far separated acts Of ser
vice together, until the little trickles
OF humanity shall all come together
in vast stream of human sympathy
so pure and powerful as to accom-
plish new thing on earth.