New-York tribune., 1918-05-17
Tells How Red Cross Is
Combating German At
tack on Morale
Situation Serious,
But Sees Victory
Army of Mercy at Work at
the Front and Behind
Battle Lines

The military situation is very seri-
Gus, but the Allies are going 70 win
the war"
Henry P. Dawson. chairman of the
war council of the Red Cross, so de-
clared yesterday on his return to New
York from two months tour of Eng
land, France, Belgium, Italy and Switz-
erland. He met, among others, King
George, King victor of Italy and Car
dinsl Gasparri, Papal Secretary of
State. During the tour he was under
gun fire at the front. was in Paris
during the long range bombardment
and in Chalon, when German bombs
killed many within few yards of his
hotel.
The long range aombardment of
Paris and the killing of women and
children in the bombing Of cities, Mr..
Dawson explained. are designed to
break down the morale of the civilian
population and accelerate the demand
for peace. 1t is, he said, the outstand-
ing feature of the German operations
against which the work of the Red
Cross among civilians is a powerful
factor, as it is against German propa-
ganda of the type which led to the
Italian disaster.
There is." said he, "no need of wor-
rying about German peace propaganda
wherever the Red Cross is working"
Situation Gill Car;ou.
Il arrived in Europe early in March "
said Mr.. Dawson in a prepared state
ment, going over primarily for the
purpose of inspecting arrangements
made by the American Red Cross to
take care of American boys abroad, ard
aso to inquire in what way the work
of the Red Cross commissions in diff
ferent parts of Europe might be
strengthened in caring for our own
soldiers and those of our allies. and
also in taking a message of practical
sympathy and help to the civilian pop
ulations, especially of France and
Italy.
''This war is still in very serious
stage, and the demands upon our peo-
pie for sacrifice and support of it are
greater than ever before. There is no
occasion for anything but confidence,
but that confidence must be based upon
determined effort and willingness on
the part OF every man and woman to
do his part.
Cur boys, as they arrive in France.
are showing the most wonderful spirit
They 60 into action with a dash and
bravery which is the talk of all Europe
But the price which will have to be paid
for victory will be very heavy, and it
will be some time before our boys can
hecome as effective as they must be to
gium win the victory which must be
won.
Devilish Attack on Women
1.-THE outstanding feature of German
method at the present time is the ef-
fort to terrorize the women, children
and old men at home. While the Ger
man troops are making their drive on
the front, airplanes are bombing, nearly
every night, towns behind the lines,
with the deliberate and declared pur-
pose of terrorizing civilians.
"The purpose of the fight behind the
the civilian population to such point
that they will importune their govern
ments for peace. 1t is the most
dastardly, unrighteous. cruel, devilish
plan which could be conceived. 1t is
based upon the theory that the killing
Of four children out of five will induce
the. mother to implore her government
to have the war stopped that her fifth
child may live. 1t is carried on from
the English Channel to the Swiss hor-