Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1917-07-20

gave up hope of peace. When. finally the natio
declared war, the 80 base hospitals complete
iy organized. equipped and supplied, and back o
them was great body of men and women tralue
to the work of keeping them supplied.
That Is how the Red Cross works In all its Iian
fold activities. The heads of the organization
and that means the heads of the nation-ieter
mine what Is needed. and through the division
directors to the chapters goes the word of wha
Washington wants-and instantly the people, Oh
whom rests the Red Cross, begin to supply 1t.
Belgium was violated, and ten millions of help
less civilians left starving and freezing The Rec
Cross TO the rescue and at President Wilson's
call money and supplies raised and sem
over, to be there distributed by Red Cross agents
Serbia was crushed, and stricken with typhus
fever. There went the American Red Cross with
strong and capable surgeons and skilled nurses
backed by money and medicines and supplies fur
nished by the Red Cross. It cost the lives OF
OF the finest of the Red Crosn workers, but
typhus stamped out and thousands upon
thousands saved.
There was an earthquake at Messna Italy
The American Red Cross there with surgeons
and nurses food and clothing-yes, even with
portable frame houses "made In America to
house the victims until they could rebuild their
homes.
There was a great famine In China There too,
the American Red Cross, not only helping
feed the starving, but with commission of some
OF the most famous engineers or the war depart
ment 10 whom China intrusted the task of spend
ing S50000,000 on q system of works to prevent
the overflow of the great river which yearly de-
stroycd crops and caused famine.
That is how the Red Cross works.
Why the work Is done by the Red Cross is
easiest Of all to explain though perhaps least
derstood by the public. 1t is because the work of
preparing beforehand to meet unforeseen emer-
gencIes. and of alleviatng human suffering, has
never been undertaken by any other agency. In
the words OF the old saw, "everybodys business is
nobody's business"
1t almost incredible, but after all the CEN
turtles of war and agony nation In history
went to war with organization capable of
ing for the men wounded the battlefield to say
nothing of the victims of rapine. disease, famine
and pestilence that staked across the land after
the armies.
Never until this present year of grace, has
there ever been base hospital organized In time
of peace. to for the wounded after q battle.
There is small medical corps with the army, yes
but II merely pass the wounded back to field
and evacuation hospitals, giving only temporary
dressing-often not even that. There are always
home hospitals. too. But the gap between them
filed by base hospital organizations. has
never heretofore been filled until thousands lay
on the field dying of thirst and fever and loss of
blood for lack of that very thing.
After the battle OF the Marine, In the present
war the Red Cross facilities were so limited that
men lay In the scorching the battlefield for
two, three, four and five. days with not
even drop of water, bandage their
wounds. 1t cost thousands Of and legs that
could have been saved cost many life needlessly
spent and the anguish endured can never be
voiced.
That is why the Red Cross is here 1t may be
said that the governments of the various coun-
tries should have met the need. True-but they |
never did. All governments are more or less |
bound down by precedent, constitutional and leg |
islative limitations politics and hortsightedness
And II has been found that the Red Cross,
protected and encouraged by the government, can
do quickly and well many things which the gov
eminent could not do for itself
Speaking locally and selfshly there strong
personal reasons why every American should help
the Red Cross. In this war. 1t may be you or me-
your brother mine. whose life is saved by the
bandages the Red Cross is making. Here at
home. 1t may be your house or mine blown up or
mine left destitute by any one of score of dsas-
ters And In that case we ourselves would benefit
by the illustrations of the Red Cross.
From the standpoint of the business man.
strong and active Red Cross is an insurance
policy When disaster comes. IT Is always the
business man who Is called from his office or store
10 take up the unfamiliar task of raising funds,
Investigating cases OF restitution overseeing the
purchase Of supplies and their distribution. and
getting the survivors back TO where they can earn
heir living again. But with trained Red Cross
he disturbance of normal life Is at minimum.
Almost before citizens committee could he
,alod together, capable and experienced men, d.
rected by the head of division. himself under
,rders from Washington, lays firm and steady
land on affairs and relief is given surety, swiftly
Justly, and the business does not have to
spend valuable days ard weeks at work for which
he has training.
Nationally and locally. the Red Cross is the
'est accident insurance any people can have