The Emmett index. [volume] (Emmett, Idaho) 1893-1925, 1918-08-22
DEVOTED TO
RED CROSS
Impressive Address of Mrs.
Mains on History and Aims
of Organization

in a Red Cross service at the Baptist
church Sunday evening. Musical num-
bers were given by an orchestra and
the Community Choral Union, vio-
lin solo by Mrs. Ruth Hunt and vo-
cal solo by Miss Frances Rundstrom.
Appropriate readings were given by
Miss Anna Campbell and Miss Ellen
Waring.
The members of the Red Cross in
uniform marched to the church in a
body and occupied seats reserved for
them in the auditorium.
The address of the evening was
given by Mrs. G. B. Mains, president
of the chapter and was OF such COM
prehensive character as to make a
profound impression on the large
audience. Because of its complete
ness as to the history, aims and ac-
complishments of the Red Cross, es-
pecially in the present war, the ad-
dress is given in full below:
1t was beautiful day in early sum-
mer of 1859 when nature had done her
best in beautifying valley in north
ern Italy, but which man had certain
ly done his worst to mar, for the arm
les of Austria and Germany on one
side and France and Italy on the
other had surged back and forth over
this area the whole day long, till in
the afternoon a terrific thunder
storm, which drowned the roar of can
non, drenched the battlefield. At the
close of the storm it was found that
both armies had retreated, leaving
their dead unburied, their wounded
uncared for. 1t was on this scene
that young scholar and traveller
stumbled, young Swiss, Henri Dun
ant by name-a name which today
should be household word, but which
by trick of fate is unknown. l could
not find it in the encyclopedia when
looked for its correct pronunciation.
This young man spent week going
about over that battlefield doing what
he could to ease the suffering of the |
wounded and pressing water to the
lips of the dying, organizing the vii
layers into relief corps. Out of the
observations and experiences of this
crowded and sickening week, out of
the scenes of bitter, piteous, unavail-
ing distress, thought gradually crys-
tallized in the mind of Dunant which
was to be the germ of great work
of beneicence.
He saw that the medical service of
no army could ever be adequate to the
demands of great battle. He saw
that no sufficient service of relief
could be improvised on the spot at the
moment of emergency. He also saw
that volunteers thus enlisted were an
uncertain reliance at best; they easily
became tired or discouraged or were
easily frightened away.
AS there were no signs that wars
were soon to cease among men, he
saw that it was wise to prepare me-
in times of peace to meet
the problems which wars inevitably
bring So at the close of his vacation
he carried back to Switzerland such
an impression of the terrible tragedy
ne had witnessed that he wrote book
telling of his weeks experience. This {
little book stirred all Europe, and ;
inally reaching the attention of the
,rowned heads, resulted in the ap- ,
)ointment of delegates to conven-
ion in Geneva, Switzerland, in 1864, I
ust about the close of our Civil war.
At this time the plenipotentiaries {
representing Italy, Germany, Bel :
rum, Denmark, Spain, Portugal, t
france and Switzerland agreed upon !
en- articles of treaty ''for the pur-
'ose of mitigating the evils INSOFAR |
bile from war, of ameliorating the a
ondition of soldiers wounded on the d
and particularly providing a
hat persons employed in hospitals I,
nd in giving relief to the sick and f
and the supplies for this h
urpose shall be deemed neutral and t
ntitled to protection; that distinct 2
,e and uniform flag shall be adopted o
Or ambulances, hospitals and conveys ci
f sick and wounded and an arm b
adge for the individuals neutralized.' q
his treaty was ratified by the above h
lentioned nations and by others later
} the number Of 43. ii
Clara Barton, who had been a great ei
orker with the Sanitary Commission T.
lring the Civil war, had seen failure b,
the unorganized, inefficient sani- gl
.ry service that had done its best W
II the soldiers upon the battlefield. -,