The Era-leader., 1919-03-13
hctuallv increased since the armistice

ple, now that hOstilties have ceased,
the French themselves naturally pre-
fer as far as possible to provide FOR
their own. 1t Las accordingly been de'
termincd that the guiding principle OF
Red Cross policy in France henceforth
shall be to have punctilious regard TO
its every responsibility, but to dlrec'
its efforts primarily to assisting
French relief societies. The liberated
and devastated regions Of France nave
been divided by tie government into
small districts, each officially assigned
to a designated French relief organ'
zati0n.
THE American Red Cross work III
France was initiated by 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 7,OO0 were
actively engaged when the armlstlce
was signed. An indication OF the pres
ent scale of the work will be obtained
from the fact that the services OF 6'OoO
persons are still required.
"Our American EXpeditionary Force
having largely evacuated England, the
activities of the Red Cross Comms-
sion there are naturally upon dimln
ishing scale period. Active operations
are still in progress in Archangel ana
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 ana
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, it has
been possible to divert supplies and
personnel in large measure to the AID
, of those people in the Near East who
o have hitherto been inaccessible to out
i, 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.
T. Gan extensive group of American
q workers has been dispatched to carry
le vitally needed supplies, and to work
le this winter in the various Balkan coun
r tries. In order to coordinate their &C
n tivities, Balkan commission has beer
L. established, with headquarters a
e. Rome, Italy, from which point alone
X all the Balkan centers can be reached
u promptly.
r. "A commission has just reached Po
We land with doctors and nurses, medica
ne supplies, and food for sick children
to and invalids. An American Red Cros
Sc Commission has also been appointe
IS to aid in relieving the suffering of Rus
sian prisoners still confined in Germa
ne prison camps.
ve "An important commission is sti
he working in Palestine. Through tn
o. war special cooperation has bee
on given to the Armenian and Syrian RI
ch lief Commission, which was the onl
of. agency able to carry relief in the II
ns terror of Turkish dominions.
Red Cross VIII Continue.
ed "Red Cross effort is thus fas fun
by It will continue to De so. But tt
OF movement represented by this wor
IN. has likewise assumed an intimate plat
lu- in the daily life of our people at hom
oss The army Of workers which has bee
ole recruited and trained during the WI
ed must not be demobiIized. All our e
The perience in the war shows clearly TIL
lso there is an unlimited field for servi
mo of the kind which can be perfOrm'
with peculiar effectiveness by the RI
In Cross. What it's future tasks may
en- it is yet impossible to forecast. v
No know that so long as there is an Anne
In lean army in the field the Red Gro
'ry will have special function to perfor
zen. Nothing could be of greater impt
ave tance to the American Red Cross TIL
,rv' the plans just set in motion by the Fl
great Red Gross societies of the wol
ers. to develop a program of extended
thu tivities in the interest of humani
mn The conception involves not alone
tho forts to relieve human suffering, /
Doll to prevent it; not alone movemt
mn by the people of an individual matte
ON. but an attempt to arouse all people
hon a sense of their responsibility for
,ron welfare of their fellow beings throu
out the world 1t is program bt
ross ideal and practical. Ideal in that
for supreme aim is nothing less than '
orr liable "Peace on earth good will
Pod men," and practical in that 1t seeks
Ae take means and measures which
ren. actually available and make them
.ont. fective in meeting without delay
, an crisis which is daily recurrent in
self lives of all peoples.
hose "For accomplishing it's mission
o,,v,, the wears of peace which must