The weekly Alaska citizen., 1918-03-04
THE STORY OF THE RED CROSS HOW THE RED GROSS BEGAN

that had housed their congress, and which was the native town of Henri Dunant, who had conceived the idea of an agency of international relief Swiss confederation, the symbol of Swis confederation, the symbol of these free states from the year 1889. was Q white Greek tor "Geneva~ cross on a field of scarlet. The new movement took as its sign a scarlet Geneva cross on a white background. simply reversing the col ors. The two words Humanity" and Neutrality" are added, on the official seal of the Red Cross, as these are its watch words, its pur- pose being to care for those who need care. regardless of race or creed.
 Beginnings In America
 The work of Florence Nightingale and the meetings of the Geneva con vention had all been in Europe. Here in America few knew of the Red Cross or of Florence Nightingale's work. In the year 1860 the great Civil War broke out. Care of the sick and wounded was under the charge of what was known as "The Sanitary Commission" But aside from this organized group of men and women working to take care of our soldiers. there were many indi- vidual women who devoted their lives to the same cause. Among these was Dorothea Dix.
 Before the war Dorothea Dix was well known in America and in Flu rope as a worker for prison reforms. After the war broke out she saw in the Baltimore station ill-treatment of government troops. The next train took Dorothea Dix to Washington and immediately upon volunteering her servlces she was made superin- tendent of women nurses. This was an enormous task, involving the se- lection of nurses, guiding their work. distribution of supplies. and care of soldiers
 Many of the surgeons and nurses disliked her because of her severity with careless or lazy workers. No one could have accused Dorothea Dix of laziness. During the four years of the war she never had a single holiday. Nor could any ac- cuse her of working in her own in terests. for when the secretary of war asked her what the nation could dc to thank her for her invaluable work. she answered: q would like a ftag!" The two beautiful flags given her by the country she later presented to Harvard College, and they now hang. in her memory. over the doors of Memorial Hall.
 Another woman known in the Civil War for her fearlessness and will was Mother Bickerdyke." It Is said that she once visited a hospital ward of wounded men at eleven o'clock in the morning and found that her patients had had no breakfast that morning because the surgeon in charge had been gloriously drunk the night before. She ordered him out of the hospital. Pull off your shoulder straps" she said, flor you will not be in the army week from today" The surgeon laughed at Mother Bickerdyke. but within three days he received his discharge from the army. He went to Majol General Sherman, in charge, and told him his tale of woe. Who or, dered your discharge?" asked the general q suppose it was that wo- man. Mrs. Bickerdyke," replied the offended and offending surgeon "Oh," answered Sherman, whose word was law, eff 1t was Mother Bickerdyke can do nothing for you. She ranks me-" Such was the respect inspired in the sternest of generals by the type of woman who devoted themselves to the work of humanity in the Civil War.
 A third worker for the soldiers was Clara Barton. woman clerk in the patent office. Standing one day in the station at Washington she saw. as had Dorothea Dix in Baltimore, a trainload of wounded soldiers. roll in. The men were in dreadful condition. in pain, hunger cold, and filth, with almost no doc tors or nurses to care for them Clara Barton had them carried to the hospital, where she saw to the washing and binding of their wounds, fed them clean. wholesome food, and wrote letters for them to their families.
 The boys mothers heard of Clara Barton through their letters home and wrote, sending supplies of food and clothing which she distributed Later she obtained a pass from tho government to go behind the lines There in the midst of the dirt and