Williston graphic., 1919-03-27

members. luuay, US rne result or the
recent Christmas membership Roll
Call, there are upwards Of 1900, 900
full paid members outside Of the mem.
bers of the junior Red Cross, number.
Ing perhaps 100000 school children
additional. ..r.t......
1.-THE chief effort Of the Red Cross
during the war has been to care for
our men in service and to aid our
army and navy wherever the Red
Cross may be called on to assist. As
to this phase Of the work Surgeon Gen.
eral Ireland of the U. s. Army recent.
ly said: The Red Cross has been an
enterprise as vast as the war itself.
From the beginning 1t has done those
things which the Army Medical Corps
wanted done, but could not do ITSELF
1.-THE Red Cross endeavor in France
has naturally been upon an exception,
ally large scale where service has
been rendered to the American Army
and to the French Army and the
French people as we'll, the latter par.
ticularly during the trying period
when the Allied World was waiting
for the American Army to arise In
force and power. Hospital emergency
service for our army in France has
greatly diminished, but the Red Cross
Is still being called upon for service
upon a large scale in the great base
hospitals, where thousands of Ameri-
can sick and wounded are still receiv-
ing attention. At these hospitals the
Red Cross supplies huts and facilities
for the amusement and recreation Of
the men as they become convalescent.
Our Army Of Occupation in Germany
was followed with Medical units pre-
pared to render the same emergency
aid and supply service which was the
primary business of the Red Cross
during hostilities. The Army Canteen
service along the lines Of travel has
actually increased since the armistice.
"As for work among the French peo
pie, now that hOstilites 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 designated French relief Organi
zation.
1.-THE American Red Cross work in
France was initiated by a commission
of eighteen men who landed on French
shores June Is, 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 6,GOO
persons are Sill required.
"Our American Expeditionary Force
having largely evacuated England, the
activities of the Red Cross Commits
sion there are naturally upon dimn
ishing 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 Italy'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
gium 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.
IAN extensive group Of American
workers has been dispatched to carry
vitally needed supplies, and to work
this winter in the various Balkan cOun'
tries. In order to coordinate their &C.
tivities, Balkan commission has been