The sun., 1918-09-09
RED CROSS MAKES j..
HEADWAY IN JAPAN
President Of the Organization
Tells of Difficulties That
Had to Be Overcome.
IT NOW HAS $12,5O0,OO0
Baron Ishiguro Thinks Mercy
Institution Greatest Factor
for Humanity.

The stag correspondent Of THE SUN
In TOXIC has obtoined an intcrpietp
Nth Baron Ishtouro. president Of the
japanese Red Cross. IN tphich he out
hnos the genesis OF the society, its
groDth TO ITS present large proportions
and the york the organization has done
IN the present Dorh tcdr. The tnterpte,o,
in the form Of a signed statement, fol-
lotcs:
ny BARON TADANORI IsHIGURO.
TOXIC. Aug. 1o.-Japan was once
called "a heather country She was.
as she did not know what Christianity
meant nor did she understand what tho
Red Cross signifies. She got sadly
tangled at the very beginning OF the Red
Cross movement in her confines and
when she began TO use the world familiar
cross as the emblem Of the most humani-
tartan organization In the world.
We therefore had much difficulty when
we started out to lay the foundation of
our society. which now has nearly 2.00O.-
900 members in the small space OF our
island empire. and which has accumu-
lated more than 100000 yen (sl2.-
500.0 00) as its fixed funds.
1t has taken many years and a great
deal OF labor to bring the society to Its
present stage of perfection and large
growth, but of course no comparison can
be made with the gigantic American Red
Cross any more than the size Of Japan
may be compared to that of the United
States. 1t is an astounding thing that
the latter nation was able to raise more
than 200.000.000 ven s100. .000) in
one week. an amount of money that once
filled Japan with great delight when we
received II as our indemnity from China
after the late war with her.
And Furthermore the American Red
Cross has enrolled within an incredibly
short time the vast aggregate OF $4,000
900 members!
These things seem TO wv like dreams!
Tells of His Lecture Tour.
As have mentioned above. It was q
difficult task to bring home to the
Japanese people the difference between
Christianity and the Red Cross. With
my wife started on a lecture tour TAX
Ing with me magic lantern. and trav-
elled all over Japan from place to place
for two years. showing my slides and
telling the people about the Red Cross.
its mission and Its principles In this
way the society slowly got to be known.
and 1t has passed through 4 long history,
its inception having taken place in 1885.
The society has since been recognized
and sanctioned by the Geneva conven-
ton and It has become one OF the great
societies OF the civilized world. It has
given relief to the victims Of war dur
ing our troubles with China. during our
war with Russia. that was as defensively
fought by US as Belgium has valiantly
struggled against Germany: during the
Boxer uprising. and OF late at Tsingtao,
where we fought the foe of the world IN
common with our allies.
But recently the Japanese Red Cross
Society has sent relief unit consisting
Of l06 members, doctors. nurses, &c. 10
Russia.
am more than happy To- have this
unit cooperate with the members OF the
American Red Cross that have also gone
there. as ] am OF the firm opinion that
real friendship between the two ma
tons can far better be made by indi-
viduals than it can by Governments and
the diplomats OF each country.
1t is no eXaRgeration TO say that the
two organizations are the most efficient
OF any in the world. also that they are
the greateset where humane work Is con-
Cerned,
In state OF Preparedness.
II may be o: interest to briefly men
ton rhe state Of preparedness that our
society Is always in. ready for any and
all reliefs There are l26 relief detaCh-
ments consisting OF trained nurses
twenty-nlue detaChments consisting OF
trained male nurses and two hospital
ships whose personnel consists Of 1877
physicians. 1861 nurses and l.O33 at
tendants.
During tire present warm Isl4-l5-
our society has given relief service TO the
sick and wounded OF both sides our
hospital ships were put in commission
and thoroughly equipped, then were used
for the TRANSPORTING OF patients between
Tsingtao and Japanese ports In addi-
ton TO this service we sent four relief
detachments 10 the naval hospitals al
Sasebo. Japan. and TO the military hos
pital at Tsngtao.
When the present terrible war broke
out In Europe our society desired TO rem
der such service as it could to the allied
forces. and we despatched three relief
units, each one 10 a different destination
viz. England. Russia and France All
OF these units had the honor OF being OF
assistance to the sick and wounded that
had fought for the great cause OF clvlllza-
ton and humanity.
Our society has besides been contrib
uting hospital supplies to the Red Cross
organizations Of the Allies, such as
bandages medicines. medical instrrl-
ments, tea. SC. Furthermore, as a result
OF the war we have instituted a com
..'ittee Of relief and information for the
benefit of the German prisoners Of war
now In Japan IN order 10 facilitate the
transmission OF letters. parcels and
money coming from relatives and friends
directly or Indirectly through the inter-
national Red Cross committee at Geneva.
We are proud to say that al! of the
prisoners in our country have been well
fed and properly treated by the authori-
ties. much better than our own men have
been. I Should Judge.
Hard to Understand Enemy.
We find IL indeed difficult 70 under
stand the cruel and inhuman treatment
OF allied prisoners in the enemy country.
That we may show our respect and
extend our deepest sympathies TO the
allied Red Cross in Europe now engaged
I'm relief service at the front as we'll as
at home. and that have 81 nobly endured
all manner of hardships for so long n
time, and whose help has been on 80
marvellous a scale, the Japanese Red
Cross Society has just sent a special
mission. directed by Prince Tokugawa.
to the United states. England. France.
Italy And Belgium. The commission
took with It a lot OF hospital supplies
to he given abroad
All the world Is now suffering the
III effects OF the war. and in no light
fashion. But in my opinion the war