The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-03-16
WAR COUNCIL AMERICANA RED CROSS
CLOSES MOST EVENTFUL CAREER

Washington, March S.-Henry r.
Dawson, chairman, today issued tho
following statement on behalf of the
war council Of the American Red
Cross. which was appointed by Pres
ident Wilson on May 10, 1917,
| Immediately the armistice was
signed the war council instituted
studies to determine when the strictly
war work of the organization would
have been sufficiently matured to en-
able the direction Of affairs to be re-
~ '-eh7~1 F,GsyfskaayT st*Q Many
| p Davidson. being n PARIS when the
armistice was signed, summoned a.
conference there of the heads OF all
| the Red Cross commissions In Europe
| to canvass the situation. After con-
eidering all the factors It was con-
cluded to make the transition on
March l. The very fortunate choice
of Dr. Livingston Farrand as the new
chairman of the central committee.
executive of the Red cross makes pos
sible the contamination of this plan
under the most favorable conditions.
Detailed reports to congress and
complete audit OF Its accounts by the
war department will constitute the
final record Of Red Cross activity dur
Ing the war.
During tho past nearly twenty-one
months the American people have
given Yin cash and supplies to the
American Red Cross more than $780,
100000. No value can be placed
upon the contributions of service,
which have been given without stint,
and oftentimes at great sacrifice, by
millions OF our people. In this out
pouring OF service the women OF
America have played signal part.
wonderful in both magnitude and
spirit Fully 100000 American wo-
men have exerted themselves In Red
Cross service. Into their work they
have put an amount Of love and devo-
ton that cannot be measured. In
speaking OF this effort Of our women
through the Red Cross. General Per-
shing recently said to Mr.. Dawson:
The women Of America deserve .
large share Of the credit for the sue
cesses Of the American forces.
when we entered the war the
American Red Cross had about $780,
900 members Today, as a result OF
the recent Christmas membership roll
call, there are upwards OF 100000
full paid members outside Of the
Junior Red Cross. numbering per-
hape 100000 school children.
The Red Cross endeavor In
France has naturally been upon an
exceptionally large scale, where ser
vice has been renderd to tn Amrican
army and to tn French army and the
French people as well. Hospital emer-
gency service for our army In France
has greatly diminished. but the Red
Cross is still being called upon for
service on large scale In the great
base hospitals, where thousands OF
American sick and wounded are still
A.
cupation in Germany was followed
with medical units prepared to render
the same emergency aid and supply
service which was the primary bus
mess OF the Red Cross during histili-
ties. The army canteen service along
the lines of travel has actually in
creased since the armist!ce.
las for the work among the French
people, now that hostilities have
ceased, the French themselves natur-
ally prefer. ms far az possible. to pro-
vide for their own. 1t has accordingly
been determined that hte guiding
principle OF Red Cross policy In
France henceforth shall be to have
sponsibility. but to direct its efforts
primarily to assisting Franch relief
societies. The liberated and devas-
tated regions Of France have been
divided by the government into small
districts. each officially assigned to
a designated French relief organiza-
ton. To these organizations the Red
Cross is contributing supplies and per-
sonnet. Where local organizations
cannot imm ediately assume their du-
ties the Red Cross Is seeking to pro-
vide relief for the sick and the help
less whose necessftis cannot wait.
The American Red Cross work in
France was initiated by a commission
OF eighteen men who landed on
French shores June 10. 1917. Since
then some 5000 persons have been
upon the rolls in France. of whom
1900 were actively engaged when the
armistfce was. signed The present
scale OF the work still requires the
services OF 5000 persons
Our forces having largely evacu-