Charlevoix county herald., 1919-03-07
setually increased since the armistice

tne rrehcH themselves naturally pre-
fer as far as possible 10 provide for
their own. II has accordingly been de-
termlned that the guiding principle Of
Red Cross policy III France henceforth
shall be to have punctili0us 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 designated French relief organi-
zation.
1.-THE American Red Cross work in
France was initiated by q commission
OF eighteen men who landed on French
shores June ID, 1917. Since then
some 5000 persons have been upon the
rolls in France, of whom 1000 were
actively engaged when the armistice
was signed. Az 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.
ishng scale period. Active operations
are still ia 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 Italys 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
THE occasion for such cOncentra-
ton OF effort in Italy, England, Bel
! GUM and even in France having natur-
ally and normally diminished, il 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 10 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 ac-
tivities, Balkan commission has been
established, with headquarters al
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.
"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.
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 assumed an intimate place
In the daily life of our people at home
The army OF workers which has beer
recruited and trained during the wal
must not be demObilized. All our ex
perience in the war shows clearly thai
there is an unlimited field for service
of the kind which can be performed
with peculiar effectiveness by the Rec
| Cross. What its future tasks may bI
IL is yet impossible TO forecast. W.
know that so long as there is an Amer
lean army in the field the Red Cros:
will have special function to perform
Nothing could be of greater impor
lance to the American Red Cross thar
the plans just set in motion by the five
great Red Cross societies of the wOrlt
TO develop program of extended &C
tivities in the interest of humanity
The conception involves not alone eff
forts to relieve human suffering, bu
to prevent 1t; not alone a movemen
by the people of an individual nation
but an attempt to arouse all people t
a sense of their responsibility for tn
welfare Of their fellow beings through
out the world. 1t is a program bot
ideal and practical. Ideal in that II
supreme aim is nothing less than yer
table peace on earth good will t
men," and practical in that ii seeks L
take means and measures which ar
actually available and make them ef
fective in meeting without delay tn
crisis which is daily recurrent In tn
lives of all peoples.
"For accomplishing Its mission Il
the years Of peace which must H.
ahead OF us the Red Cross will requir
the ablest possible leadership, an
must enjoy the continued support, sym
pathy, and participation in its worl
OF the whole American people. Ii /
particularly fortunate that such n mai
as Dr. Livingston Farrand should hav
been selected as the permanent hea,
of the organization. The unstinte,