New-York tribune., 1918-12-23
Manv Sickness and Accident
Cases, Besides Wounded,
Mai. Pierce Tells Tribune
New Red Cross Plans
Will Furnish Many Things
for Refugees, but Won't
Try to Rebuild Villages
Neto York T,|b,.ns
.Specidl Cable .Scr,,ice


Special Cable Scrrioe
Copyright, 1918. New Yat T-tb0nc Inc)
PARIS, Dec. 21.-Mary departm cnts
of the American Red Cross are closing
down automatically, said Major Pierce,
at American Red Cross headquarters
to-day.
"In some cf our departments" he
said, "our disqualification work was al
ways relatively small, and we are with
drawing from this very rapidly, as we
were generally strategically located
and there is no longer any need for this
department.. There still are between
thirty and forty thousand American
soldiers in the hospitals in France
alone. These, in addition to the
wounded, include many cases of sick
ness, pneumonia and influenza, as we'll
as large number of accident cases.
When these hospitals close down in
due course, that will be the last of the
spectacular part Of our work.
Won't Rebuild Villages
CAS- to reconstruction work, Of which
so much has been said, there never was
any intention that the American Red
Cross should undertake to rebuild the
wrecked villages and similar work, and
we have never done any of this. Be
fore the March offensive we supplied
large quantities of tarred paper to
cover holes in broken roofs, and gave
IRON kitchen pots and perhaps half a
dozen chickens to ruined peasants. and
IN extreme cases COW.
w nat we have proposed to the
French government now is to establish
SIX big warehouses in devastated dis
trlcts between Sedan and Lille, stocked
with clothes. food and such household
utensils as we can get, such as stoves
and materials for temporary repairs of
roofing glass, or oiled paper. if we
are difficult to get here, but they are
making plenty of stoves, for instance,
IN England, and we hope to get a little
British support in this work
he value OF these stocks will be
anywhere from S9,0OOOOo to SIS 900 900.
We are not only going to distribute
these ourselves, but they will be dis
trlbuted by approved French societies,
which have been authorized by the
French government to go into devas-
tated regions and aid the people COM
ing back to their homes. These soci-
etles will requisition on US, and we
will issue stocks to them, retaining
only such supervision as to insure that
everybody gets q square deal
Approved by Tardieu
This scheme has been taken in hand
after discussion with the ministry for
liberated districts. Andre Tardieu has
given it enthusiastic approval With
this plan in view we are withdrawing
on January 1 all delegates we have had
IN seventy-two of the eighty~nine
oh darOa a,~t,, ]
them to hold on to all the supplies not
vitally needed by refugees in their
parts OF France in order to transfer
them for the benefit of sufferers in
devastated regions.
"Red Cross workers arc still coming
10 France from America, but only in
numbers sufficient to replace those 60
ing nome after six months of service
here.
Our wor', for the benefit of chill
dren, 50 lar as it is educational, will
continue for some time. The effects
CT American help in this direction are
gong to be permanent, because we
have trained good many French peo-
pie in our methods. Tuberculosis is
work will be continued by the Rookie
feller Foundation, ana We very likely
shall retire from that.
Red Cross work before the war was
one kind cf work only. Our war coun-
ell will now disappear and the central
administration viii go back into the
hands OF Mr.. Wadsworth and those who
handled 1t al Washington before tie
war. The permanent organization in
France in the future viii be merely a
distinct chapter.
Cantine Work Continues
so far the troops are concerned
we shall continue our cantine work on
The lines Of communication. At the
ports of Brest, ST. Nabbaire and Bor-
dcau we already have organized big
canteens, where tl4s men going home
can get socks, sweaters, razor blades,
tooth brushes and other things they
need for ocean trips.
IN Paris VIC are opening seven large
hotels for American soldiers and sail
ors, These wall be located beside or
close to the principal Paris railroad
stations Each will have at least fifty
beds and mess room for casuals
goiag through Paris. These include
the Hotel du Louvre, in the centre o.
tho city. which previously was . hotel
for officers.
"l> 0. Boone, manager of the Nc
Alp.o and tho Waldorf Astoria, IS Civ
ing the American Red Cross the benefit
ot Ills wide experience In firing rp and
running these hotels, which wa are
f1nCiror irvai,1ahtc -