The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1919-03-05
siberia.

"The work in Italy has been almost
entirely on behalf Of the civilian pop
ulation Of that country. In the critical
hours of Italy's struggle the American
people, through their Red Cross, sent
practical message of sympathy and
relief, for which the government and
people of Italy have never ceased to
express their gratitude
Supplies and Personnel to Near East.
1.-The occasion for such concentra-
ton Of effort in Italy, England, Bel
GUM and even in France having natur-
ally and normally diminished, it has
been possible to divert supplies and
personnel in large measure to the aid
of those people in the Near East who
have hitherto been inaccessible to out
side assistance, but whose sufferings
have been upon an appalling scale.
The needs Of these peoples are so vast
that government alone can meet them,
but the American Red Cross is making
an effort to relieve Immediately the
more acute distress.
"An extensive group Of American
workers has been dispatched to carry
vitality needed supplies, and to work
this winter in the various Balkan coun-
tries In order to coordinate their &C.
tivities, Balkan commission has been
established, with headquarters at
Rome, Italy, from which point alone
all the Balkan centers can be reached
promptly.
"A commission has just reached Po-
land with doctors and nurses, medical
supplies, and food for sick children
and invalids. An American Red Cross
Commission has also been appointed
to aid in relieving the suffering Of Rus
sian prisoners still confined in German
prison camps.
Gan important commission Is still
working in Palestine. Through the
war special cooperation has been
given to the Armenian and Syrian Re-
lief Commission, which was the only
agency able to carry relief in the in
terror of Turkish dominions.
Red Cross VIII Continue.
RED Cross effort is thus far flung.
It will continue to be so. But the
movement represented by this work
has likewise assumed an intimate place
in the daily life Of our people at home
The army Of workers which has been
recruited and trained during the war
must not be demobilized. ALI our ex-
perience in the war shows clearly that
there is an unlimited field for service
Of the kind which can be performed
with peculiar effectiveness by the Red
Cross. What its future tasks may be
it Is yet impossible to forecast. We
know that so long as there Is an Amer
lean army in the field the Red Cross
will have special function to perform.
Nothing could be Of greater impor-
lance to the American Red Cross than
the plans just set in motion by the five
great Red Cross societies of the world
to develop a program of extended &C.
ivities in the interest Of humanity.
The conception involves not alone eff.
forts to relieve human suffering, but
to prevent it; not alone a movement
by the people Of an individual nation.
but an attempt to arouse all people to
q sense Of their responsibility for the
welfare of their fellow beings through
out the world. 1t is program both
ideal and practical. Ideal in that its
supreme aim is nothing less than YER
liable "Peace on earth good will to
men," and practical in that it seeks to
take means and measures which are
actually available and make them eff,
fective in meeting without delay the
crisis which is daily recurrent In the
lives Of all peoples.
"For accomplishing its mission in
the years of peace which must lie
ahead of US the Red Cross will require
the ablest possible leadership, and
; must enjoy the continued support, SYM
pathy, and participation in its work
Of the whole American people. 1t Is
particularly fortunate that such a man
as DR.. Livingston Farrand should have
been selected as the permanent head
of the organization. The unstinted
of themselves throughout the war is
the best assurance that our Red Cross
will continue to receive that co-opera--
ton which will make its work source
of pride and inspiration to every Amer
ican."
Mr.. Dawson, as chairman of the In
ternational Commission Of the Ameri-
can Red Cross, has undertaken to rep
resent the American Red Cross in the
preparation of the program for extend
ed Red Cross activities, and will spend
the next several months in Europe in
consultation with other Red Cross soci-
cites for that purpose.
THE WAR COUNCIL OF THE AMER
ICAN RED CROSS.
Henry P. Dawson, Chairman.