The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1919-03-06

the French themselves naturally prc.
fer a. far as possible 20 provide for
their own II has accordingly bcea de-
termincd thar The guiding principle OF
ned Cross policy w France hrncrforth
shall bc 10 have pUncIilouS regard :"
It's every responsibility, hut to direct
It's efforts primarily ta 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 organs
Eation
The American Red Cross work In
France was initiated by u commission
Of eighteen men who landed on French
shores June II, ialI, since then
some 1900 persons have been upon the
rolls IN France. OF whom 1000 were
actively engaged when the armisiice
was signed An indication OF the pres
cnt scale OF the work viii be obtnined
from the fact that the services of COCO
persons are stlll required
"Our American Expcdliionary Force
having largely evacuated England. the
activities OF the Red Cross Commits
sion there ARE naturally upon n 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 Itnly'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-
ton OF effort In Italy, England, Bel
GUM and even In France having natur-
ally and normally diminished. II has
been possible 70 divert supplies and
personnel In large measure TO the aid
Of those people In the Near East who
have hitherto been inaccessible 10 out
side assistance, but whose sufferlngs
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 10 relieve Immediately the
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 c0un-
tries. In order to coordinate their ac-
tiyities, 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 Pc
land with doctors and nurses, medical
supplies. and food for sick children
and invalds. 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 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 dominions.
Red Cross viii Continue.
"Red Cross effort is thus far flung.
II 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 demoblIzed. 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 lied
Cross What Its future tasks may be
II is yet impossible to forecast We
know that 80 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 fve
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 Of
forts to relieve human suffering. but
to prevent II; not alone q movement
by the people OF an individual nation.
but an attempt TO arouse all people to
q sense OF their responsibility for the
welfare OF their fellow beings through
out the world. II 10 a program both
ideal and practical. Ideal in that it,
supreme aim Ia nothing less than YER
liable peace on earth good will -
men," and practical In that II seeks to
take means and measures which arc
actually available and make them Of
fective In meeting without delay the
crisis which In daily recurrent In tho
lives Of all peoples.
For accomplishing its mission IL
the years Of peace which must iis
ahead Of us the Red Cross will require
the ablest possible leadership, and
must enjoy the continued support, sym
patty, and parhcipa ton 10 Its work
OF the whole American people. II u
particularly fortunate that such rnan