Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1918-03-12
RED CROSS WORK

Abroad Is Graphically
Told by Maj. Murphy
Thrilling Relation of German Brutal.
ity. War Conditions Overseas and
What Great Organization Is Doing to
Relieve War Suffering
In January, Major Grayson Mp.
Murphy, Red Cross commissioner to
Europe. addressed a meeting at the
Waldorf Astoria, New York. He was
introduced by Henry +. Dawson, chair
man Of the Red Cross War Council H..
said:
address by Major Grayson Mp.
Murphy.
1t would be an absurd thing for me TO
ay that am not glad to hear Mr.. Davi-
son say what he just said, but have to be
honest-the credit that he gives me is not
NY credit. The wor. that We have car
ried on on the other side has not been
that of an organization run by one man.
Ii has been big partnership and every
one of the partners is entitled to his
share of the credit. and out of the sum
'"tal. l am perfectly HONEST am not
saying this for effect-but out of the sum
total my share, if 1t was fairly appor
toned. would be very small one
There have been only two men in our
organization in the last seven months
who looked on our work other than as a
y t,pr - hiu ThpU in,
ana they are both gone uaushter.)
Now, l remember one perfectly dread
ful occasion when l tried to make
speech. had it all thought out, and
knew what l was going to say. 1t was
one of the most miserable times In my
whole life. The only other thing that l
remember which compared with it was
something that happened to me when
was a plebe at West Point ] was acting
in play. and was taking the part of
lady in Il long dress. ! was supposed to
sit IN stump of tree and then to rse
and No move about, and to have cutie
little action. On the night when | was
very anxious to make a good effect rose.
but I found that In some dreadful and
mysterious manner-which perhaps the
fttNJ'i ~ VI tiItS duuiSICe VIII uIuGI-
stand :he train of my dress had con-
nected with the bottom OF the stump and
! couldn't move without taking the stump
With me- Gaushter) So / performed
the whole scene fastened to the stump.
and | assure you that suffered like any
thing. It was the same wa" In my
speech and so today. when Mr. Dawson
told me that was to come here and talk
TO more people than l. thought there were
il the world Qaughter) ] made up my
mind that's wouldn't make any speech,
Int | would just talk perfectly straight to
Nou as l would TO our own orga ntzakiop
y France. because we are really alt IN
he same family, the same organ!zatiyp
and playing the same game. = =
Now. the first thing that. we naTeS got
to understand .abou+ our Red Cross work
or about any other kind Of work that We
ever go into, is the fundamental thing on
which the work is based: and the funda-
mental thing on which, the work is based
is just one thing and that is, the absolute
necessity of winning this war (Applause)
Why it is Necessary to Win TIE: WST.
Now l don't know whether you HieY
why ii is necessary to win the war; - l.
didn't when | left the Uuited states l
had an idea that we were going and that
our army was going and that our country
was emharking on one of the most
magnificent, unselfsh crusades in the
world. | could see nothing that was really
practical for us in winning the war l
mean by that. that there was no pract.-
cal material advantage. l knew we had
to go in the war to save our souls l
knew we had to go In the war to keep our
standing before the world but l didn't
realize that there was a practical neces-
sity for our being in the war. l tell you
my feelings have changed SO much that
] cannot imagine what led me to bold the
state of mind that held that day when
we sailed from New York. When you
are over Ahere. sd when you see what
this war means. and when you see what
il. fact peace or half victory will mean,
YOU shudder to thin OF the fact that our
people at home, on lom the winning
OF this war is now depending may not
realize the absolute necessity for VIC
tory.
l want to ask YOU TO consider for a mo-
ment the fact that up to this day Ger
many is entirely victorious in this war:
that any peace that is made today on
the basis of todays conditions or on
the basis of the status quo ante would
be practically a complete victory for Ger
many and for the German idea. Ger
many has lost nothing In this war except
blood. She has fought her war on the
territory Of others. She has drawn from
the territory of others vast supplies OF
materials and vast sums of money She
has had between 100000 and 50oO0G0j
people working for her for practicable no
wages-real!y as slaves. She has estab-
lished her cursed hold on Austria. on
Turkey and on Bulgaria. and she has at
her feet murdered Serbia and unfortunate
Roumauia.
If the war ended today with France
rNiEcJ rs she is in the North hell
such a way that YOU can hardi" dare -
tnili. it--of her manpower, with Be-
gjun wrecked, with Great Britain fta"-
fully Gamag ed. not alone in man power
but In the loss OF her great merchant sea
feet and III the money that she spent o.
-,,l,s tot I,t, hnr i,s