The daily banner., 1918-12-06
Red Cross Report

General Petuin Commander in
Chief Of the French armies. in eX-
pressing his appreciation of the
-Anmerican Red Cross. said: When
the story of this war is written there
will be no NOR" brilliant chapter
than that of the American Red Cross
in France Nothing has contributed
more TO the morale OF my soldiers
and to the people OF Franco than the
work of that organization. Some day
| shall go TO America fOI the express
purpose of acknowledge to their
members and to the American people
the debt of grax4dde We owe"
The Prefets .2 officials of France.
corresponding to the Governors of
towns, have given direct evidence in
letters 10 Red Cross officials OF the
value of the work of American Red
Cross in their several communities.
Obviously these letters. 46 in num-
Der cannot here be quoted, but all OF
them say in effect what one of these
say verbatim, that timely American
Red Cross aid has been the means
of saving for the future of France
thousands of women and children"
Just before | left Paris there was
in the palatial Capital Of the City of
Paris a remarl able demonstration
from the Prefets and sub-Prefets as
people of France to the members of
the American Red Cross. l have
never known men more eloquent than
were the officers of the City of Paris
in their glowing tribute to what
American Red Cross has meant 10
their city and their country.
\. month previous, the Sorbonne,
which represents TO America the in
tellect of France, was the scene of a
unique demonstration in honor of the
American Red Cross. The noble au-
ditorium known as the Grand Amphi-
theatre was crowded with vast au-
dience which was almmoSt exclusively
French. NJ. Louis Barthou, former
Prime Minister and member of the
French Academy, presided, introduc
ing the other distinguished speakers
and concluding the meeting with
feryent address.
NJ Mourier. Under-Secretary of
State, struck the keynote of the meet
ing in his affirmation that through
its Red Cross, America had not only
aided, but also cOmprehended France.
Admiral Touchard. General Malta
terre and Madame Jules Siegfried
spoke with deep feeling of the prac
tical aid which American Red Cross
had rendered to the army and people
of France, and NJ. Firmin Roz, the
eminent author, reviewed in detail
the work of the American Red Cross
from the day of their arrival to the
present hour, commanding the char
acter and work of the American Red
Cross personnel in France and thank
ing the American people for sending
them at a moment of critical need.
In listening to such tributes which
have been multiplied all over France
and Italy, l have always wished that
the millions of members of workers
of American Red Cross were with me
to hear what the officials were saying
and hear. the spontaneous applause
with which their utterances were
greeted by the people whom they
represented. These tributes were
meant for the entire Red Cross
membership.
When President Poincaire deco
rated me with the Commander
Cross of the National Order of the
Legion of Homo, and King Victor
Emmanuel with the Order of Grand
Officer of the Crown of Italy, and
King Albert of Belgium with the
Cross of Commander of the Order OF
Leopold each the highest distinction