The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-05-23

the services were never 40 well mar
shalled as at the present moment be-
cause of the necessities due to the war.
| vast as is the scope OF the progress
OF the League Of Red Cross Societies,
ana although II Is world wide in its ac-
uvities, II Is simple. practical and scien-
unc II received the unanimous en-
oorsements of the medical experts who
met at Cannes, France, in April. That
conference. which was presided over by
Prot Roux, the successor of Pasteur.
and which included On William II.
Weich OF Johns Hopkins, Is regarded
As one OF the most remarkable gather
ings OF health experts ever held. II in
Guided many OF tho foremost men OF
america, France. England, Italy and
Japan.
Those experts adopted at the con-
ference a minute announcing that a
| great part OF the world wide prevalence
OF disease and suffering is due to wide
spread Ignorance and TO lack Of apnii.
cation Of we'll established facts and
methods capable either Of restricting
aisease or of preventing 1t altogether.
| me minute goes on to assert: We
nave carefully, considered the general
purpose OF the Committee Of Red Cross
societies to spread the light Of science
ana the warmth of human sympathy
| INTO every corner of the world and we
are confident that this movement as
sured as II is at the outset of the moral
| support of civilization, has In II great
possibilities OF adding imme asurabiy
| to the happiness and welfare O. man.
| kind
This statement represents the judg-
ment OF men who are qualified to speak
with the highest authority on the great
scourges of humanity, such as tubercu-
.osis, malaria, venereal diseases and ep-
] idemics; men who are authorities on
preventive medicine and who represent
the knowledge Of the world In the great
held OF child welfare. 1t is their be-
lief based upon certain scientific knowl-
edge acquired by practical experience
that a number of these great scourges
can be controlled or even eliminated by
organized coordinated effort and COOP
Grafton. and they say regarding the plans
that they should at the earliest DOS
sible moment be put into effect and
placed at the disposal OF the world.
and In no way can this be done SO eff
fectively as through the agency of the
Red Cross
Ready to Act as Peace Aids.
| "The League of the Red Cross plans
L
stimulate the peace time activities of
all national Red Cross societies, to help
them to grow and to help them to carry
/ out the programme made at the Cannes
conference in a worldwide public health
| campaign. Il Is not to be understood
that the national Red Cross societies
| themselves should have the responsible
ity Of the actual work OF safeguarding
and improving public health. but that
i fhnx- ClRA lnNA
| natural agencies for such work within
their respective countries. including the
departments of health Of the Govern.
| ments. or in cases where such depart.
| ments do not exist endeavor to create a
public sentiment for the creation of such
departments. The league supplements
the work of the international commit.
tee of the Red Cross at Geneva, acting
in entire harmony with II. The league
In no way supersedes or conflicts with
the activities OF national societies. Or
the contrary. II puts at their dispose
the latest knowledge and approved prac
tees Of the experts In public health ant
I preventive medicine throughout thu
world. One of the important and prob.
ably immediate functions will be to CO
ordinate relief in fighting peetilence
such as typhus, which is now raging ir
Il central Europe.
Actual experience has demonstrated
how quick and eager are the people Of
all nations to seize and act upon the
knowledge which means for them in
Icreased happiness. The far reaching ef
fects Of the programme Of the league o.
the Red Cross can be measured only
by the suffering existing to-day ant
| which 1t purposes to relieve. Hand II
hand with the worldwide campaign fol
improvement IN public health goes i'm
provement in living conditions, in tn
social and economic conditions o.
humanity and a union OF peoples of tn
world working together in spirit o
cooperation. for the common protection
and common better ment OF all. Upoi
this spirit of the Red Cross League,
spirit of service in the common interes
OF all peoples carried out with kindl.
consideration and honorable obligation
must rest the permanent peace Of tn
world. Therefore, 1 say that no peac
J treaty is worth the paper It Is writtei
on should such service as the Red Cros
League is now essaying fail TO be sup
J ported.
The Director-General of the Re-
!. Cross League will be Lieut.-Gen. 81
David Henderson, who from 1919 I
1918 was the Director-General Of Mil
! tary Aeronautics Of the British army"
/ The fact was not easily extracte
! from Mr. Dawson that he himself origi
, mated the world league idea for Re
!. Cross work. He developed the ide
while laboring In Europe as head OF tn
American Red Cross.
| He believes that the Germans, neces
earily, will be admitted TO the Red eros.
He does not believe that the German
are starving, but he knows that Their
is terrible restitution in many parts O
Russia. He avoided answering all ques
tons Of a political or international polit
ical tinge. saying simply that such mat
tiers were out of the province of hi
thought.