The evening leader. (Tarpon Springs, Fla.) 191?-19??, 1919-03-28
aetualIy Increased since the ur1n..

Ief as lar as possible to provide for
their own. 1t has accordingly been de-
termined that the guiding principle, OF
Red Cross policy in France hencefOrth
snail be to have punctilious regard to
Its every responsibility, but to direct
Its efforts primarily to assisting
French relief societies. The liberated
ana devastated regions of France have
been divided by the government into
small districts, each officially assigned
to designated French relief organi-
cation.
1.-THE American Red Cross work In
France was initiated by commission
OF eighteen men who landed on French
shores June 10, 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 a dimin-
ishing scale period Active operations
are still in progress in ArchangeI 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 ltaly'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.
1.-THE occasion for such concentra-
ton of effort In Italy, England, Bel
GUM and even in France having natur-
ally ard normally diminished. 1t 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
IL.
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 conn
tries. In order to coordinate their ac-
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 lust reached Pc
land with doctors and nurses, medical
scppies, and food for sick children
and invaids. 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.
"An 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
Rec Cross Will Continue.
RED Cross effort is thus far flung
1t will continue to he so. But the
movement represented by this work
has likewise assumed an intimate place
in the daily life of our people a. home
The army Of workers which has been
recruited and trained during the war
must not be demobilized. All our ex-
pericnce 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 he
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 a 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 program Of extended ac-
tivitieS in the interest of humanity
The conception involves not alone eff
forts to relieve human suffering, but
to prevent it; not alone movement
by the people of an individual nation
but an attempt to arouse all people to
a 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 ID 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 it's mission III
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 man !
as Dr.. Livingston Farrand should have |
been selected as the permanent head |
of the organization. The unStinted |