Trench and camp. [volume] (Augusta, Ga.) 1917-1919, 1918-05-15
Red Cross Week

President Wilson has set aside the
week of May Goth to be known as Red
Cross Week, with view of inaugu-
rating campaign for at least on hun
dred million dollars, to be used by the
Red Cross in this and other lands.
For centuries women have been
known in isolated instances or in
small groups to care for the sick and
wounded in the hospitals back of the
battle lines. Some women have great
ly distinguished themselves in this
service. 1t remained for Florence
Nightingale during the Crimean War
to demonstrate on larger scale the
possibility Of using women on the bat
tie field and the scope of the activities
open for her tender ministrations in
war.
Interested men took cognizance of
this excellent work and in 1863, under
the leadership of M Dunant. organized
at Geneva, Switzerland the Red
Cross movement for caring for sick
and wounded during war times. The
movement gradually spread and was
accepted by different governments as
an adjunct of army organization. The
flag of Switzerland with it's white
cross, suggested similar red cross
as the insignia of the new movement
and COVE to it its popular name.
In the United States, Miss Clara
Barton, who, with Miss Dorethea Dix,
had had considerable experience in
caring for the wounded during the
civil war, was responsible for the or
ganization of Red Cross societies in
the United States, beginning in 1881.
In 1905 congress made the American
Red Cross the official branch of the
United States government rer relief
work in war
Outside of the ministrations of the
Red Cross in war times much has been
accomplished in times of peace. In
eaiamities like the Johnstown flood,
the San Francisco earthquake, the
Cherry mine disaster, the Ohio and
Mississippi floods, the Atlanta fire, the
Red Cross has rendered Invaluable
service in relieving the suffering and
feeding and clothing the distressed.
Great movements for safety in indus
try and transportation have been pro-
NOTED by the American Red Cross.
In the mining regions thousands of
lives have been saved by first aid in
struetion and training. School chill
dren and Boy and Girl Scouts have
been given elementary courses In first
aid and the care of the sick.
In these war times the activities of
the Red Cross have been greatly
broadened The knitting craze which
has spread over our land is due to
them. Many patriotic women have
given their services in unprecedented
ways, and through their activities sur
gical dressings and supplies, as well
as comfortable knitted clothing, COM
fort kits, and numerous other gifts
have been supplied to the soldiers The
Red Cross activities abroad include
ambulance corps hospitals, the fur
nishing Of medical and surgical sup
plies, the care of sick or wounded,
special attention to convalescents, the
handling of inquiries concerning the
soldiers, and other helpful activities.
There are also problems which must
be handled in this country pertaining
to convalescent soldiers, the families
of those who are incapacitated or who
nave SlNGIt ttiSiE AlNtS IUT IHGlE 1Q6alS,
The war activities of the Red Cross
have gradually increased the mem
bership of this organization to 22,000,-
000, have made the Red Cross Maza-
zine an important factor in the dis
tribution of news concerning the well
fare of the soldiers, have developed a
constituency which makes it compar-
atively easy to secure the immense
amount of money needed to carry on
an enterprise so vast. With Presi-
dent Wilson as president, and William
Howard Taft as honorary president,
and with q weli-l1nown group of re-
sponsible men and women on the exc
cutiye committee having all of it's ac-
counts audited by the war depart
ment, the Red Cross has the conf
denee of ALI
There is no question that the good
people OF America win supply not only
the one hundred million dollars need
ed at this time but any other sums
which those in control may find ne
eessary TO expend in this hunanita-
rian effort for the alienation of suf-
fa1,ixaor IN oil lands