Perth Amboy evening news., 1922-04-18
PUBLIC OPINION
RICHMOND MEMORIAL
HOSPITAL
T%ottenville. N. Y.

IINLluOND uHINhOINA<hh
HOSPITAL
-Tottenville, N. Y.
Monday, April II, 1922.
EDITOR EVENING NEWS:
1t the late issue of our Tottenville
publication The Staten Island
Transcript" there appears an article
setting fourth the plans for a three
months drive for the benefit of
Richmond Memorial Hospital which
institution again finds itself rather
low in finances.
This article has been given space
of nearly two columns on the front
page, and while it might appear to
some as an editorial effort, there is
still something in the write-up which
gives rise to certain doubts and sus-
picions.
Starting out with a description of
the building operations, then touch
ing upon the increase in the volume
of business in relation to the de-
mands upon Richmond Memorial
Hospital, we are next brought up
against the main idea; the founding
of a nurses's training school and
thome to perpetuate the memory of
the execution of Edith Caven as a
spy, so a%djudged by the German war
| office, for activities in behalf of the
| British war office during the German
| occupation of Belgium and Northern
| France.
The article closes with a recon-
| mendation to the general pubic OF
a book entitled with Edith Cavell
in Belgium"
Now we all well remember the
shock we felt as the first news
| reached us a few years ago, of the
| execution of a nurse, Edith Cavell;
| and we shuddered at the accounts
of the cold-blooded butchery of a
| woman who might or might not
| have been guilty of the charge OF
espionage.
Sufficient it was for us to know
| that she was a woman n her life
| work the care of the sick and help
less and at that time her efforts in
caring for the sufferers without dis
tinction as to race or creed.
However. the British war ofice al
ways alert and losing no opporsuni-
ty seized upon the Cavell affair as
q stimulant to their campaign of
hatred and fairly stopped over in
melting and preying upon the hys-
terra of that time to an extent that
the Cavell affair has figured largely
in the reaction which has set IN
since the time came when we could
! look back upon events during the
war. and watch events following the
war. with a cool reckoning and rea-
soning minus any hysteria or hatred
we may have been possessed OF IN
earlier years.
of the sincerity or purity of the mo-
tives of the young lady, Miss a
Till: and the devotion to her u
in the perpetuating of the memory
of her former associate is above any
criticism. The mistake is in the pre-
sentation to the entire mixed popu-
lation of Staten Island of such a plan
70 turn owe a public institution
which has been in existence for a
couple of years, to a purpose entirely
within foreign interests as far as a
majority of Staten Island residents
are concerned.
No doubt if such a nurses train
ing school and home were esta biish-
ed in connection with some hospital
in Belgium or England or France.
the proposition would ind much
support in America.
The fact is that we have many
heroes, many who went and came
hack and many who went ana save
mn their lives and never came back.
Some of these from Staten Island.
Perhaps some day a brother or SIS
ter of one of these may ind hiinse'I
or herself in a foreign land striving
to enlist sympathy and support ior
a memorial to a hero. Perhaps VAIN
success; perhaps not. -
But whatever the memories or the
past may bring back, or h future
bring us, the present Is no time Iof
ANYTHING which savors or foreign
propaganda. We are trying TO stamp
it out in a hundred forms
Let us first build to perpetuate
the memories of our own heroes
hat the effect of their efforts ana
sacrifices may v be forgotten,
then If the scope OF our worship
reaches out beyond that point let US
entertain the proposition or heipin2
ont our friends across the seas in
their reverence to their particular
heroes.
AS for the Richmond Memorial
Hospital Touched upon" in the ar
ticle referred to-. this hospital was
established about two years ago, a
response to a desperate ~s.tdation as
regards the need of immediate
medical or surgical attention.
Accidents were frequent n the
injured were simply picked up ana
hustled from place to place ana
lucky was he who found the doctor
at home. The nearest hospital was
at the other end of the lsiand with
the opening of the Richmond Me-
mortal Hospital immediate and of
zen timely attention was given to all
cases in need up to and above the
capacity of the buildings. Some lit
ne complaint was heard as to the
eouipment available and also of the
inclination of one or two of the WIS.,
ting surgeons. These matters were
soon Strengthened out. however, and
the FIRST years work showed marked
success in all lines but one; a def