Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1925-07-09
American Red Cross Is
Tremendous Organization
VAST SCOPE or WORK REACHES
INTO EVERY COMMUNITY
BY LOCAL CHAPTER


with the requirements of the Conven
tion of Geneva, which in 1864 combin-
ed many nations in agreement to care
for the wounded and sick in war time
From 1881 until 1905, however, the
development was sporadic and the as
ISOLATION operated along restricted
lines. In this twenty-first year of its
service in behalf of suffering human
ity the adult membership of the Amer
lean National Red Cross is close to,
100000 and on the rolls of the Amer
lean Junior Red Cross are nearly g.
000,0 900 school children.
Since 1905 the Red Cross has enter
ed many active fields of relief, nation.
al and international. During the World
War 3742 Chapters in as many commu
mites were rendering service through
out the United States and the adult
membership reached the unprecedent
ed figure of 22,000,000. Decentralization
of war forces, placed upon the Red
Cross an imperative obligation to rem
der assistance to the exservice men
and their families, which is most i'm
portant continuing peace time func-
tion under the Charter requirement
Ito act in matters of voluntary relief
and in accord with the military and
naval authorities as a medium of com
munication between the people of the
United States of America and their
Army and Navy" In this service the
National Organization and the Chap
tiers disburse millions of dollars each
year, while many thousands of mem
bers give voluntary aid to war veter
ans.
The Red Cross is required under its
Charter to be prepared to provide ade
quate relief for every emergency due
to pestilence, famine, fire, floods, or
other great national calamities, and to
take all possible preventive measures.
These obligations alone call for ex-
tensive peace time service. How we'll
the Red Cross maintains condition
of readiness for disaster relief is i'll
ustrated by the work of the fiscal
year ended June 80, 1924, which mark
ed new record. In 81 major disasters
and 1870 minor disasters the Red Cross
was engaged in relief operations and
$737,6O3 from Red Cross funds expend
ed.
An outstanding service of ever in
- "a
Red Cross Public Health Nurses to
rural communities lacking health fac
ilities. This work is predicated upon
demonstration which shall convince
authorities of it's character as a prop
er function of the local government
In this respect success has been unfal
tering and the Red Cross has thus
proved an important factor in foster
ing aid expanding popular interest in
public health throughout the United
States. In addition to this professional
service, the Red Cross maintains a
system of instruction to women ana
girls in Home Hygiene and Care of the
sick, qualifying students to cope with
disease prevention and to an intelli,
gent care OF convalescents. A Nutri-
ton Service, essentially educational,
is also furnished with the purpose of
spreading knowledge of health thru
balanced diet and proper food selec
ton.
The Red Cross Nursing Service by
law is a reserve of the Army Nurse
Corps and U. S. Public Health Ser
vice and the u. S. Veterans Bureau
During the World War this service
equipped, uniformed and assigned 49,
SIT nurses to active service with the
Army and Navy. AS a reserve it's
peace-time strength is almost constant
ly in excess of 10000.
Following it's traditional duty of car
ing for suffering humanity, the Red
Cross has from the first promoted in
structions in First Aid to the injured,
and for more than a decade has adj
vanced the teaching of water First Aid
through the Red Cross Live-Saving
Corps It's First Aid course has be
come the standard for large industrial
and public service corporations, police
and fire departments, and by use of
a demonstration railway car covering
the large trunk lines instruction has
been given to many thousand railroad
workers and shopmen. The Life-Sav
ing Corps in 1924 had an enrolment Of
$4,000 members on duty along the
oceans, lakes and rivers, and record
of 10000 persons who had passed
the regulation life saving tests.
The American Junior Red Cross,
posed of nearly 100000 children in
American schools, instructs boys and
girls in the beauty of unselfish SER
vice, sympathy and helpfulness. Or
ganized during the war. it was the
first Junior Red Cross movement to
attain international proportions and it
has been instrumental in the starting
of some % Junior Red Cross Societies
in Europe and South America. The
postwar accomplishments of the Amer
lean Juniors in ameliorating condi