Baraboo weekly news. [volume] (Baraboo, Wis.) 1912-197?, 1918-04-25
CATHOLIC WOMANS.
CLUB MEETS

| The Catholic Woman's club met at
the Parochial school Wednesday and
owing to the inclement weather only
twenty two members were present. The
musical program which was very nicely
given consisted Of piano solos by
: Virginia Wright, MacMahon, Audrey
+ Murphy and Gordon Hilliard.
The club after brief patriotic talk
by Father O'Rielly, decided to buy a
$4,000 liberty bond in the name of the
Catholic Woman's club
After the business meeting Mrs.
billiards. paper, "The origin and
history of the Red Cross" was read.
She said in part: ''The American Red
| Cross is a voluntary association of
American people, sanctioned by the
United States government, and or
ganized for the purpose of giving relief
to suffers from disasters of any kind
the world over In time Of war to
supply comfort. and aid to the armed
forces of the United States army.
Especially by assisting the medical
service Of the army and navy. There
are many reasons why the government
in ITSELF could not handle this eituat-
ion A government could not supply
relief to the sick and wounded, of the
armed forces, Of a foreign nation
without facing possible entanglements
The Red Cross can do this as it is
universally known to be neutral. In
time Of war the government mus give
it's well soldiers first consideration,
and the wounded or sick soldiers
second consideration. Here again the
Red Cross can work to better advant-
age A direct tax for the maintance
Of an organization like the Red Cross
could not be carried out satisfactory,
as the tax would have to continue in
times of peace as we'll as times Of war
and would naturally meet with much
opposition. SO it is apparent that the
Red Cross society can perform those
services more efficiently than the
government A voluntary relief organ
ization, of the nature Of the red cross
is desirable and necessary. They are
trained and prepared at a moments
notice to go to the scene Of disaster
from fire. flood, tornado, earthquake
etc. and take change of the situation.
Through the agency of education the
Red Cross is doing marvellous work
in its anti-tubercul0sis fight, also the
town and country nursing services are
very important in preventing the
spread of disease. The basis Of the
Red Cross is the sympathy that exists
in the human heart. The instincts Of
the good samaritan plus modern Scien-
tific efficiency, are the elements that
render this mighty organization posi-
BILE. The famous military nursing
orders, Knights Hospitallers, Knights
CT st. John of Jerusalem, Knights of
Rhodes and Knights of Malta sprang
into existance during the CrusaGes. A
WOmen's branch founded the hospital
of st. Mary Magdalene in Jerusalem
during this period. A little later
Queen Isabella of Spain established
the first field hospitals known. They
were conducted by the Catholic sis
ters. These men and women always
wore the cross in some form, upon
their armor or the shoulders Of their
mantles During the wars that follow
ed this period, patriotic men and wom-
en-, and especially the sisters of charity
nursed each of the wounded as best
they could. Their facilities were poor
but they no doubt contributed their
best services. At the time of the Grim
can war in 1854, and under the direct
ion of Florence Nightingale relief
services for the sick and wounded
began to be improved upon. Heur1
Dunant the Swiss humanitarian, was
much taken by Miss Nightengale's
work and in 1859 after the battle of
Solferius he began work along those
lines. He invited representatives of
different nations to meet. in Geneva,
Switzerland. This meeting led to the
Treaty of Geneva in 1864 sometimes