The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1921-04-13
WHAT RED CROSS
WORK MEANS TO
LOCAL WELFARE

The aims and objects OF the Red
Cross, particularly with regard to
The program here in Lakeland. were
set forth by Mrs. Ruth Atkinson, field
representative of the Southern di-
vision of the Red Cross, a. the Rotary
cub luncheon in the Franklin Hotel
on Tuesday. Mrs. Atkinson's eloquent
address was deemed OF such impor-
tance that request has been made for
publication in full as Il matter OF gem
eral information. She said:
While the peace program of the
American National Red Cross of TO
day has been gradually developing
since the World War. the beautifn
shirt of unSelllsh service lived a hun
dred years ago in the bosom of Il
gently nurtured woman who left u
sheltered home. entered Il ''hell-hOle
~ misery in Crimea and with her lit
. tic band Of nurses made decent
place for the sick soldiers. BY intel
ligent. skillful nursing the death rate
was educed from almost 80 per cent
to 2 per cent. No wonder the soldiers
in the wards kissed the SHADOW of
Florence Eightengalc as She passed!
For nearly fOrty years the Ameri-
can Red Cross has served cur nation,
in peace as well as in war. And yet
the Red Cross of today does not stand
ON its past record, glorious in wa'
and meeting every national calamity
2utomatically and efficiently, but the
Red Cross Of today stands on its peace
program, with no thought of over
tapping the work of other organiza-
tiGnS but in answer to the Macedonian
cal Come ever and help us from
hundreds of communities, wakened by
world war to individual RESPONSE
Ei'ity. anxious to perpetual the spirit
Cf sci vice Is an adequate program 81
public welfare.
Thus the Red Cross of today is NJ
longer. an autocratic organization
calling by allotment and 'npor
reQuiSition," iut with it's wonderful
resources and trained personnel 1t C.
fers to help you solve your cOmmun
ity problems and deve op your re
sources according to your plans ant
opportunities.
1--WE have certain obligations as ;
national organization we cannot If
! ford to neglect. We are the only au
: thorized government agency which
furnished a medium of communica
ton between the American people
and the army and navy and when on
boys" went out to do battle for IL:
we promised TO stand by them to thu
last ditch Have we forgotten ouI
promise?
There are $4,000 of these men Still
: in the hospitals in the United States
and many more who should be there
: 1t will be five years before the peal
: of the work for ex-service men vii
, have been reached. Many mistakes
> have been made. The boys We prom
ised to stard by have suffered, som,
have even died while we have beer
: sleeping or criticising the govern
mem You,and | am the government
and we need to get behind the move
ment TO improve conditions and shov
these bows that we mean business
Recommendation have been made t.
centraliZe governmental authority, t
s decen:ralize administration of service
= ard to appropriate adequate amount
i for the hospitals 1t will not be il
$ vain that 800 Rotary Clubs iTr tn
: United States have determined to in
!, vestigatc reports in order to find on
: il they are true or if the American
Legion is merely hvSteriCal-
, 20 sleep in peace where poppies grow
: The torch your falling hands let q
S Was caught by us; again he'd high,
!. A beacon light in Flanders sky,