The St. Johns herald., 1919-03-13

enterprise as vast as the war itself From the beginning it has done those things wbich the Army Medical Corps 1 wanted done, but could not do itself
 "The Red Cross endeavor in France has naturally been upon an exception 1 ally large scale where service has been rendered to the American Army ] and to the French Army and the French people as well, 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 hostiIities. 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 hOstilities have ceased, the French themselves naturally pre- fer as far as possible to provide for their own. It 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. T
 ''The American Red Cross work ill 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 5000 persons are still required.
 Our American EXpeditiOnary Force having largely evacuated England, the activities of the Red Cross COmmis. sion there are naturally upon a dimin- 1shing 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 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 l 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 vitally needed supplies, and to work this winter in the various Balkan cOun- tries. In order to coordinate their ac- tivities, Balkan commission has been l established, with headquarters at | Rome, Italy, from which point alone all the Balkan centers can be reached ! promptly.
 "A commission has just reached Pc i land with doctors and nurses, medical i supplies, and food for sick children and invalids. An American Red Cross 1 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 l given to the Armenian and Syrian Re | lief Commission, which was the only | agency able to carry relief in the in- terior of Turkish dOminiOns.
 Red Cross Will Continue.
 "Red Cross effort is thus far flung. l It will continue to be SO Rut tho