Abbeville progress. (Abbeville, Vermilion Parish, La.) 1913-1944, 1919-05-03

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termned that the guiding principle OF
Red Cross policy I'm France henceforth
shall be 10 have puHctiiIoUs regard to
IFS every responsibility, but to direct
Us Efforts primarily 10 assisting
French relief societies. The liberated
and devastated regions Of France have
been divided by the government into
small districts, each officially assigned
to a designated French relief organi-
Zation.
THE American Red Cross work In
France was initiated by commission
Of eighteen men who landed on French
shores June 49, 1917. Since then
some 1000 persons have been upon the
rolls in France. OF whom 1900 were
actively engaged when the armlstice
was signed An indication Of the pres
ent scale OF the work Will be obtained
from the fact that the services Of 5000
persons are still required.
"Our American ENpedltIonary Force
having largely evacuated England, the
activities Of the Red Cross Commits
sion there are naturally upon a dImin-
ishing scale period Active operations
are still IN progress IN Archangel and
Siberia.
THE work in Italy has been almOs,
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
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
/ glum and even In France having nHtur-
/ ally and normally diminished, II has
( been possible to divert supplies and
/ personnel In large measure 10 the aid
/ or those people In the Near East who
have hitherto been inaccessible 10 out
side assistance, but whose sufferings
hnve 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
IN effort TO relieve Immediately the
more acute distress
An 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.
dvities, Balkan commission has been
established. with headquarters at
Rome, Italy, from which point aione
all the Balkan centers can be- reached
sA.s.~.>.t.
a commission has just reached 20
land with doctors and nurses. medical
supplies. and food for sick children
and invaIds. An American Red Cross
Commission has also been appointed
10 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 hns 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
ba jntnnhf1iyal All our
perlenCe IN the war shows clearly that
there is an unlimited feld for service
OF the kind which can be performed
with peculiar effectiveness by the Red
Cross. What its future tasks may be
II is yet impossible TO forecast. We
know that so long az there is an Amer
lean army In the field the Red Cross
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 FIVE
great Red Cross societies OF the world
to develop a program Of extended &C.
tivlties In the interest OF humanity.
The conception Involves not alone et-
forts TO relieve human suffering, but
10 prevent II; not alone a movement
by the people Of an individual nation,
but an attempt to arouse all people to
a sense of their responsibility for the
welfare OF their fellow beings through
out the world. 1t ia program both
ideal and practical Ideal In that It's
supreme aim Is nothing less than yer.
table Peace on earth good will to
men," and practical in that II seeks TO
take means and measures which are
actually available and make them ef.
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 pence which must lie
ahead of Us the Red Cross will require
the ahlest possible leadership, and
must enjoy the continued support, SYM
pBthy, and participation in It's work
OF the whole American people II 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 IL
the best assurance that our Red Cros.
will continue 70 receive that co-opera-
ton which will make its work a source
OF pride and inspiration to every Amer
lean"
Mr.. Dawson. as chairman Of the In
ternHtionai Commission OF the Amer.
can Red Cross, has undertaken 10 rep