The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-11-03
MEN, WOMEN
 AND THINGS

1 l wrote aDout the needs or the Red
 Cross in Europe. I now wish to talk
 concerning it's requirements in America.
 And now. America, too" Yes, the
 time has come when the Red Cross has Ia peace programme for America.
 The keynote is health. and it makes
 a mighty appeal to me. for it shows that out of the war experiments the
 trained workers have learned the value
 of sanitation and the worth of con serving the physical well being of the
 race. Public health nursing Is to be
 developed in every community.
 The Red Cross has plans formed and a-forming which are as concrete as social activity can be made, scientifi-
 cally conceived and conducted on sound business methods. Home service sec- 1 tions will have the watch care over 1 thousands of men discharged from the
 army and navy who are physically 1 into health
 1 II was the organizing genius of Henry | what all thoughtful Red Cross people
 saw, that the enormous energy devel- 1 oped by Red Cross throughout the world during the war should be conserved and applied to the problems of peace, but that action should be concerted and pro- cedure based on definite recommenda- tlons by medical and welfare experts. 
 In this conception and vision. Mir
 Davison as enabled congress of lead
 ing medical and welfare experts who
 agreed upon and recommended for ac-
 ton a programme of wold-extensive
 attack on major problems of health and well-being including tuberculosis.
 malaria, venerial diseases, and child
 welfare problems. The league was organized on May 5, and 29 of the Red cross societies of the world, represent ing the five continents, were invited
 to join.
 Acceptances have been prompt and
 enthusiastic, and there can be no question that the league of Red Cross societies, with headquarters now es- abolished in Geneva, is determined to be one of the most important practical health agencies in the world, and at the same time a tremendous influence in promoting international understand ing and good will. have set out these Iacts to show that even in the case of health it is noy necessary to take a world view if we wish to stamp out the dread scourges which have swept around the globe.
 our national and state governments are alive to the need of making Ameri- ca not merely safe for democracy" but safe place in which to live It's high time that there shall be a demo- cracy In health as we'll as in politics. It was good sign when our legisla- ture got in behind comprehensive plan to root out some of the prevent able diseases and wage war on what Is commonly termed the social dis | ease" Good work has been done re- gently throughout Alabama by Dr. A. ! J. Dickinson and others in awakening l the people to the need of co-operatiop ! In ridding communities of such evils
 The Red Cross does not aspire to | monopolize the task and privilege of | combating single handed and alone l the crying need for the better protec- ton of health. Its aim is to assist l rather than to displace any existing | agencies. Government health officials l have said repeatedly that they could | carry out any public health programme | With the organized Red Cross person. mel to aid as agents of inspection and ! instruction. No one believes that the work of organizing our land for the | promotion of public health and public welfare has advanced so far that the interpenetrative Red Cross, reaching into every hamlet cannot be utilized with constantly growing advantage. The first step therefore which the 'ee postwar programme was to issue plan to continue and expand the nursing service especially in two di- -ections, home nursing and the educa- Lion of the family in Fundamental health problems, and. secondly, public health nursing. particularly in those communities where public health &C., lvity is undeveloped. Both of these plans are to be operated through thej chapters. Our most vital problems are n the last analysis, neighborhood ones, md the local Red Cross, non- sectarian tnd non- political, can, with it's recent experience to aid, do the work better han any other agency
 The Red Cross medical and nursing 'ervice expanded from army activities 0 civilian activities in every country If our allies, and doctors and nurses lot only pitted their own science. { raining, patience and courage against ifsease and pestilence, but in many 'laces, assumed the added dufy of in I tructing native doctors and nurses in , Red Cross methods Temporary re- ief measures necessarily led to fun ( iamental health and welfare opera 1 lons,- such as care and prevention of z tuberculosis and child welfare work
 This home service has done it's vast a york on a Sound economic basis. the i lumber of families 1t has reached and . elped being out of all proportion ! o the cost of the service, for one of S ts governing principles has been to g elp others to help themselves. As in o much Red Cross activity. the sum j, otal of results is double blessing to he hundreds of thousands of families a ided being added. the ten of thou c ands of individuals Instructed in the l [ re and science of effective assistance