Middletown transcript., 1919-03-08

actually increased since the armistice.
"As for work among the French peo-
pie, now that hostilitfes have ceased.
the French themselves naturally pre-
fer as far as possible to provide for
their own. 1t has accordingly been de-
termined that the guiding principle OF
Red Cross policy in France henceforth
shall be to have punctiliOus regard to
its every responsibility, but to direct
its efforts primarily to assisting
French relief societies. The liberated
and devastated regions Of France have
been divided by the government into
small districts, each officially assigned
to a designated French relief organi-
cation.
1.-THE American Red Cross work in
France vas initiated by commission
Of eighteen men who landed on French
shores June Ii, 1917. Since then
some 5000 persons have been upon the
rolls in France, Of whom 1000 were
actively engaged when the armistice
was signed. An indication of the pres
ent scale Of the work will be obtained
from the fact that the services Of 5000
persons are still required.
Our American Expeditionary Force
having largely evacuated England, the
activities Of the Red Cross Commits
sion there are naturally upon dimin-
ishins scale period. Active operations
are still in progress in Archangel and
| Siberia.
'"The work in Italy has been almost
entirely on behalf of the civilian pop
ulation of that country. In the critical
hours Of Itafy's struggle the American
people, through their Red Cross, sent
a 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
| 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.
can important commission Ia still
working in Palestine. Through the
war special cooperation has been
given to the Armenian and Syrian Re.
lief Commission, which was the only
I,ency able to carry relief in the in
terror of Turkish domini0ns.
| Red Cross Will Continue.
"Red Cross effort is thus far flung
1t will continue to be so. But the
movement represented by this work
has likewise assulped an intimate place
in the daily life Of our people at home
The army of workers which has been
recruited and trained during the wal
must not be demobilized. All our e1.
perence 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 it's 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
. tduCc " ZIG AAuOAlN0A ASNO OAOSC SAAeAA
the plans just set in motion by the five
great Red Cross societies Of the world
to develop a program Of extended &C
tivities in the interest of humanity
The conception involves not alone ef
forts to relieve human suffering, bu
to prevent it; not alone a movement
by the people Of an individual nation
but an attempt to arouse all people Il
a sense of their responsibility for thu
welfare Of their fellow beings through
out the world 1t is a program boil
ideal and practical. Ideal In that 1T
supreme aim is nothing less than yer
table peace on earth good will t.
men," and practical in that it seeks t.
take means and measures which arr
actually available and make them eft
feetive in meeting without delay thu
crisis which is daily recurrent In thu
lives of all peoples.
"For accomplishing, its mission II
the years Of peace which must lii
ahead of us the Red Cross will require
the ablest possible leadership, ant
must enjoy the continued support, sym
pathy, and participation in its worl
of the whole American people. 1t II
. particularly fortunate that such a mai