Seward daily gateway., 1924-09-13
THE AMERICAN RED CkOSS
 AND ITS DUTIES IN WAR

AND lIS DUIIES IN WAN
 ''To furnish volunteer aid to the sick and wounded of armies in time of war in accordance with the spirit and conditions of the Treaty of Ge- neva"-Thus does the Congressional Charter define the initial duty of the American Red Cross.
 The first necessity, that of com fortable bed, in an environment con- ducive to recovery, is given the wounded man in a base hospital. From the base hospital, the smaller mobile units are usually organized. These care for him in the zone of ad- vance where he is first injured.
 The organization of base hospitals is entrusted by the U. $. Govern ment to the A. k. c. because it pos sesses funds independent of Congress sional appropriation. In the organi- zation and equipment of 54 base hos :oitals for the army and for the Ma wy, the society accomplished the greatest singlepiece of medical prep aration in the history of medicine or war. The personnel consisted of 265 persons for each unit, and the equip ment ranged from thermometers to refrigerating plants This equipment cost an average of $75,000 for each unit. When the last bed had been stored away and the last surgeon and the last nurse had agreed to respond to call, the muster-in-roll was sent to the U. s. Surgeon-General and there filed as reserve personnel of the military establishment.
 At the end of the World war, the A. E. F. were maintaining 45 base hospitals in France and England, 39 of which had been organized and equipped by the A. R. c.
 The American Red Cross
 Nursing Service.
 The A. R. c. Nursing Service is the official reserve of the U. s. Ar my and Navy. In time of peace, the A. R. c. nurses are enrolled for fu- ture patriotic service. When the U. s. took up arms against Germany, A. R. c. nurses to the number of 18,- 900 went into the Army and Navy Nurse Corps. Two out of every three Navy nurses and four out of every five Army nurses were A. R. c. nurses.
 Women and Children Worked
 At Home.
 During the great war, 8,000,000 American women and children in Red Cross work rooms, made 371 100000 relief articles such as surgical dress ings refugee garments, comfort bags, front line packets, and other articles too numerous to mention.
 Canteen Service.
 The soldier en route to camp-the sick and the wounded need refresh ment and friendly greeting to cheer him on his way. These are the A. R. c. furnished at railroad stations and recreation huts at home and overseas through it's canteen service.
 The Motor Corps.
 Here at home the motor corps numbered 12,000 women who donated their time and the use of their cars for the soldiers and sailors for am- bulance duty overseas, 4,760 men, 5G4 ambulances and Al trucks were furnished by the A. R. c.
 The Evacuation Hospital.
 The evacuation hospital is located as near the first aid station as safe ty permits. To each division of com lat troops during the European war there were attached two such hospi- tals. From the ambulances the bad ly wounded were taken to shock tents surrounded with hot blankets and given transfusions and hot nourish- ment. Only those who know the true conditions on the western front, know how stupendous was the task car ried on by the Canteen and the Med lcal service of the A. R. c.
 As soon as possible the wounded men were evacuated to the rear in a hospital train of the U. s Medical Corps. These trains were often held on sidings to give way to trains car rying combat troops. Here again the A. R. C. canteen women with lem onade, ice cream, soup, coffee, cigar cites, magazines and smiles cheered the men on their way.
 The Base Hospital.
 A most appreciated phase of Red Cross service in the base hospitals were the recreational facilities for the nurses and the men. The huts were comfortably furnished with