The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1919-03-06

the French themselves naturally nre-
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
ana devastated regions of France have
Deen divided by the government into
small districts, each officially assigned
to a designated French relief organi-
cation
Inc American Red Cross work in
france was initiated by a 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 arnfstfce
was signed. An indication of the pres
ent scale of the work will be obtained
from the fact that the services of 6O0O
persons are still required.
Our American Expeditfonarv Force
having largely evacuated England, the
acIVltles OF the Red Cross Commits
SION there are naturally upon a dimin-
ishlng 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-
ulatlon 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.
1.-The occasion for such concentra-
ton of effort in Italy, England, Bel
| GUM 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
nave Deen upon an appalling scale
The needs of these peoples are so vast
| that government alone can meet them,
| put 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
v1tally needed supplies, and to work
this winter in the various Balkan coun-
tries. In order to coordinate their ac-
tIVlt1es, 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 just reached Po-
land with doctors and nurses, medical
supplies, and food for sick children
and inyalids. 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.
can 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 domfnions
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 been |
recruited and trained during the war
must not be demobilized. All our ex-
perfence 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 be |
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 a program OF extended ac- /
dvities 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 ali people to
a sense of their responsibility for the |
welfare Of their fellow beings through
out the world 1t is a program both
ideal and practical. Ideal in that it's
supreme aim is nothing less than YER
liable peace on earth good will 20
men," and practical in that it seeks to
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 its mission in
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. It is
particularly fortunate that such a man
as DR.. Livingston Farrand should have
been selected as the permanent head
of the organization. The unstinted
fashion in which all our people gave
of themselves throughout the war is
the best assurance that our Red Cross
will continue to receive that co-opera-
ton which will make its work a source
of pride and inspiration to every Amer
ican"