Newark post., 1919-03-05

Ter 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 punctilous regard to
its every responsibility, but to direct
It's 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.
"The American Red Cross work in
France was initiated by a commission .
of eighteen men who landed on French !
shores June 13, 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,OO0
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-
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-
tion 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 rs making
| I'LL effort 10 relieve llulueuldlely TIC
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, a Balkan commission has been
established, with headquarters at
Rome, Italy, from which point alone
all the Balkan centers can be reached
promptly.
i "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 dHninions
Red Cross VIII Continue.
: "Red Cross effort is thus far flung.
It 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
3 The army of workers which has been
] recruited and trained during the wal
g must not be demobilized. All our ex
D perience in the war shows clearly that
9 there is an unlimited field for service
Of the kind which can be performed
4 with peculiar effectiveness by the Rec
!. Cross. What its future tasks may bt
0 1t Is yet impossible to forecast. VIZ
D know that so long as there in an Amer
= lean army in the field the Red Cros:
l. will have a special function to perform
e Nothing could be of greater impor
= tance to the American Red Cross thar
the plans just set in motion by the fiv,
great Red Cross societies of the worlt
o to develop a program of extended ac
n tivities in the interest of humanity
- The conception involves not alone e1
= forts to relieve human suffering, bu
n to prevent it; not alone movemen
by the people of an individual nation
but an attempt to arouse all people t
;, sense of their responsibility for th
welfare of their fellow beings through
- out the world. 1t is a program bot
:. ideal and practical. Ideal in that it
- supreme aim is nothing less than vel
, =, liable "Peace on earth good will t
= men," and practical in that it seeks t
take means and measures which ar
: actually available and make them e
= fective in meeting without delay tn
- = crisis which is daily recurrent in tn
:. lives of all peoples.
y "For accomplishing its mission !
% the years of peace which must Ii
ahead of us the Red Cross will requir
g the ablest possible leadership, an
y must enjoy the continued support, syn
80 pathy, and participation in its wor
y of the whole American people. 1t
&c particularly fortunate that such ma
= rs DR.. Livingston Farrand should hay