The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1917-08-04

armies had fought over 1t and had left 10000 W.
amid agOnies that cannot be told. Neither
geonS nurses 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,
and he told 50 much of it that he able to get
the leading nations to send delegates to the Ge-
neva convention, and so started the movement
which mas now developed into the Red Cross.
fine account Of this achievement was In the Red
Cross Magazine of May, 1917.
Though acclaimed leader In human
tartan work. the United States was then little
Interested in the Red Cross that the treaty
not signed until 1850. 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 prcsides at its meet
fngS. But 50 little influence has politics in this
work of mercy that former President Taft is
chairman of the central committee by appoint
ment 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 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
The government of the American Red Cross is
vested In n central committee Of eighteen men,
berS. 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
Ied Cross is united very closely alike to the gov
eminent and to the people Since central COM
mittee of eighteen is too unwcldly to transact
routine business with dispatch. power is further
concentrated in an executive committee of seven
members, Of whom five constitute quorum. The
chairman of the executive committee must. by
law. be 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 its members. The chairman Of the cen
trail committee is also chairman of the executive
committee of seven. The treasurer of the Red
Cross Is John Shelton Williams comptroller of the
currency of the United States. and the counselor
Of the Red Cross IS John W. Davis, United States
solicitor general.
Under former President Taft on the central
committee are such Brig. Gen. Charles
Bird of the United States Army; Rear Admiral
William C. Braisted surgeon general Of the United
States navy; Maj. Gen. William c. GOrgas. sur
eeon general Of the United States army; Robert
lansing United States secretary of state; Frank
lin X. Lane, secretary Of the interior, and Judge
w. W. Morrow.
The work Of the national organization is carried
on under three great departments One for mill
tary relief: for civilian relief, and one for
chapters The composition of each will be briefly
outlined
The department Of military relief is under Col.
Jefferson Randolph Kean. United States army
medical corps grandson of Thomas Jefferson.
Under him are the medical bureau, In charge or
the medical personnel of base hospitals, the first
aid instruction; the nursing bureau, in charge OF
nurses and nurses aids for base hospitals ana
women's classes in training the service units TO
care for soldiers and Sailors-ambuance COM
panies base hospitals, nurse detachments, sani-
tary detachments and general hospitals; and the
Red Cross supply service, for the buying, storing
and shipping Of all kinds of supplies.
{ The department of civilian relief is under Ernest
p Bcknell. director general. with long record
of personal service In disaster relief His depart
ment controls all relief work at domestic ana Tor
eign disasters of fire, flood and pestllence; the
relief Of noncombatants in war. both here ana
abroad: the care of the families of soldiers ana
sailors; the town and country nursing service;
and the sale Of Christmas seals Tor the STAMPING
out of tuberculosis.
The department Of chapters IS under f. H.
Wells, director Of chapters. 1t deals, through the
directors of the nine territorial divisions. with the
organization of new chapters, and the membership
campaigns In those already formed.
The Red Cross Magazine, Mt first little more
than monthly bulletin which told. briefly the
doings of the organization. has now grown into
a splendid publication (valued recently ut slooO,-
Ovu), which tells by clear pictures and vivid
stories the history Of the Red Cross for eacn
month all over the world
Each member of the Red Cross above the one
dollar class gets the Red Cross Magazine free.
mart Of the dues going to the publication. The cir
culation. which was only $4,000 three years ago Is
now about 100000. and growing by leaps OF 10000
nj time 1t has been predicted by men In the
posttion to know best that within few years IL
will be making S250,000 year clear proht Tor the
Ma Cross instead Of costing $4,000 month. as
II did until short time ago.
Under the national organization at washington
the territory OF the United States Is divided into
seven great divisions. each under the supervision
of n division director. responsible TO washington
and standing between the national otncers ana the
the state and local organizations.
r,a unit Of the Red Cross system IS the chapter
rb,c always covers some definite territory, usually