Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1919-03-13

9 As for work among the French psos
pie, now that hostilities have ceased
the French themselves naturally pre-
fer as far as possible to provide -
their own. It has accordingly hssA ~
tsrmined that the guiding principle q
Red Cross policy in France hencsfosth
shall be to have punctilious regard %
ito every responsibility. but e direct
its efforts primarily o assisting
French relief societies. The liberated
and devastated regions Of France have
been divided BY the government int
small districts, each efncially assigned
to a designated French relief organi-
cation.
1.-The American Red Gross work II
France was initiated By q 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
snt scale Of the work will BE- obtained
from the fact that the services Of 1000
persons are still required
Our American Expsditionary 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 Archaneel and
Siberia.
1.-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 T.
express their gratitude.
Supplies and Psrsonnsl 70 Near Rase.
THE occasion for such concentra-
ton Of effort In Italy, England, Bel.
GUM and even in France having natur-
ally and normally diminished. 1t 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 sufferipgs
have been upon an appalling scale.
The needs of these peoples are 80 vast
that government alone can meet them,
but the American Red Cross Is making
an effort to relieve Immediately tho
more acute distress.
IAN 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 &C
tivities, Balkan commission has been
established. with headquarters ut
Rome, Italy, from which point alone
all the Balkan centers can be reached
promptly.
"A commission has Just reached 20.
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.
IAN important commission 10 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 dominions.
Red Cross VIII CONTINUE.
"Red Cross effort IL thus far flung.
It will continue to bs 80 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-
perlence 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
1t is yet impossible to forecast. We
know that SO long as there is an Amer.
lean army in the field the Red Crosse
will have 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 1--we
great Red Cross societies OF the world
to develop a program Of extended &C.
tivities in the interest Of humanity.
The conception involves not alone ef-
forts to relieve human suffering, but
to prevent It; not alone movement
by the people Of an individual nation,
but an attempt to arouse all people to
sense of their responsibility for the
welfare of their fellow beings through
out the world. 1t 10 program both
ideal and practical. Ideal In that ito
supreme aim 10 nothing less than ver-
table peace on earth good will ia
men," and practical in that 1t seeks 10
take means land measures which are
actually available and make them eft.
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 wOrh
of the whole American people. 1t Il
particularly fortunate that such mar
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 Il
the best assurance that our Red Crosl
win continue to receive that co-opera
ton which will make its work source
OF pride and inspiration to every Amer
lean"
Mr.. Dawson, as chairman Of the In
ternationaI Commission OF the Ameri