The Alaska daily empire., 1922-07-10
RED C R Q s $ HAS. WITHDRAWN FROM
 WORK IN EUROPE.
Present Relief Situation there Discussed Tn Article by
 Dr. Albert Ross Hill. 2

Dr. Albert Ross Hill. g The following article regarding work of the American Red Cross in Europe has been received from head quarters at Washington, D. C., by Miss Ebba Djupe, field representative of the American Red Cross. who is in Juneau to assist in the organization of the Peace Time Program of the chapters of the Red Cross in Alaska: After eight years of relief opera tions in behalf of the victims of the World War the American Red Cross withdrew from Europe June 30, last, except for Junior Red Cross projects for children, medical and clothing re lief in Russia and Russian refugee relief work at Constantinople. In connection with the general closing of the vast work of the Red Cross overseas, Dr. Albert Rose Hill, vice chairman in charge of Foreign Oper- ations, who has just returned from Europe, has prepared the following article on the present relief situa- tton there:
 By ALBERT ROSS HILL
 The casual observer of conditions in Europe is inclined to believe that they have become normal and that there is practically no more suffer ing than in America. This judgment is superficial and incorrect, but not more so than the opposite judgment formed by Americans at home from reading the news dispatches about fluctuations in foreign exchange.
 Outside Russia there is now abund- ance of food and reasonable supply of clothing available for those who can pay tho price, and the exchange situation has little bearing on the ability to pay on the part of the great majority. Those most seriously af fected by the low exchange value of local paper money are the classes living on fixed salaries, pensions, in crest on loans, rent of property. etc, and these classes will not seek he aid of foreign relief organizations. Only local charitable organizations can solve the remaining relief prob 'ems of Eastern and Southeastern Europe, and they will not be in posi- ton to function effectively till the responsibility is clearly transferred to them.
 Programs and Undertakings
 In order to understand the posi- tion of the American Red Cross in Europe, one must review it's several programs. and undertakings as fol lows:
 1. Child Health PrcSram.-Follow ing the drive of 1920 under the auspices of the European Relief Council. in which the American Red Cross, American Relief Administra- tion and several other American re- lief agencies co-operated. the Ameri- can Red Cross took up the medical and nursing care of children in East crn and Southeastern Europe, includ- ing medical fecding of young chil- dren, while the American Relief Ad- ministration fed the undernOurished children of school age. For the firss six months of 1921, our work was
 N'cflv directed toward relief of chil- dren in hospitals and orphanages and toward the improvement of condi- tions in these institutions. But since July 1, 1921, the Child Health Pro- gram has aimed at constructive effort for child welfare and preventive mea- sures have been adopted wherever practical, using child health centers as the agency for this purpose. American doctors, nurses and social workers have supervised the work of native personnel employed by the
 ;nan Red Cross and where ne workers in these lines. American per sonnel have conducted the centers also.
 Transfer of Responsibility
 Since March. 1922 we have been gradually transferring the responsi- bility for directing tho child health centcrs to local agencies-Red Cross societies, local Child Welfare com, mhtces. State Deuartments of Health, etc, and by June 30 all. of our cen tcrs will have been taken over by these local agencies. We shall leave some medical specialists in child health and some of our best Public Health Nurses in the field for few months longer, to act in an advisory capacity. but the responsibility for continuing the operations we have conducted will rest with native agen- cies and native personnel.
 Since February, 1922. I have vis- tied all the fields in which the Amer ican Red Gross has conducted child health program, with the exception of the Baltic Republics. and I am much pleased with the work done by American Red Cross personnel, with the cooperation that has been se- cured from native organizations, and with the results accomplished; and am vary confident that in general