Evening star., 1926-06-04
RED CROSS PLANS
|. CHILD WELFARE AID
Adopts Report That Health
Work Is Proper Field.
Avoids Union Stand.

Of the second Pan.American Red
Cross Conference. which convened in
plenary session at the Pan.AmericaH u
Union tins morning. The session
gave It's unlimited time to hearine
and considering the reports OF five
commissions. which were appoint ed
early In The conference 10 study the
various subjects on the aseDda.
The possibility Of disse nsi0n In the
today when the commission hs wing In
charge that section Of the agenda
dealing with relief activities and pre-
paredness avoided committing the
conference TO any definite stand re-
sarding the International Relief
Union. sponsored by Senator Cira olo
OF Italy and having the backing Of
the League OF Nations and q number
OF other interna tiona1 bodies.
The conference took cosniza nee Of
the union by conEratulating Senator
CjraOlO FOR his persevera nee and de.
voted Efforts hut recognized that
the question Of formally adhering to
the proposed Interns tionaI Relief
Union 10 q matter to be decided by
each Of the governments which have
been invited to participate "f the
union comes into being" the report
Red Cross societies here represented ed
ma nner practica BILE for each society"
Asks Definite Relief Plan.
The same commission recomme Dded
that each Red Cross society repre-
sented should regsrd diss ster relief as
a primary obligat tion and develop dis.
aeter relief activities in sccords nee
with the needs Of each country, and
should consider establishing a definite
department OF disaster relief. The
Internati tional Relief Union. as sue-
gested by It's founder, would make II
obligatory. rather than voluntary. for
nations near another nation that has
been stricken by disaster to hasten Ia
its aid. A resolution Of more sweep
ing character had been proposed by
he delegation from Argentina.
The commission on disaster relief
recomme endsd, besides the appoint
nent of director Of disaster relief.
the development of systemat tic inter
change of ideas bet ween the American
nations and the esta blishment of
means of financing disaster relief op-
erstions by public subscriptions.
Mutual Aid Stressed.
Finally. it recognized the necessity
Of cooperation and mutual aid be-
tween Red Cross societies in this con
nectiOn, and suggested that the M.
tional societies Of America include In
their plans provision for such assist.
ance to other societies and the col.
laboration of the national societies. of
the Western Hemisphere with the
secretariat Of the League Of Red Cross
Societies in the formula tIon OF pla ms
for international relief activities
The commission for the study Of
public health work declared child vel.
fare. az scientincail lily esta blished to.
dsy. TO be a proper field Of activity
for the ReA Cross. and recomme nded
that every Red Cross Society should
include in its general progra m a broad
section for child welfare work. II
particularly stressed the teaching Of
health In the public schools and urged
that in every nation popular health
education should he offered to people
under the sponsorship Of the Red
Cross. The commission on orga MIA =.
tion urged the establishment in the
secretsrist of the League Of Red
Cross Societies of pan.American n
ONCE. which would have In charge ac-
! tivities relating to the Western Hemi.
sphere. All OF these recommends.
tfons were adopted una ninously.
Ritchie Praises Work.
The American Red Cross embodies
a living. vital. enduring tie between
North and South America. Gov.
Ritchie Of Maryland declared yester.
day in addressing the Pan America n
Red Cross Conference In session here.
THE political philosophy of the
mi EA tk4A
not look to the Federal Government
to decide questions which concern
their local communities alOne. he sa i'd.
'the community unit IL the State. and
II Ia for the people OF each State
to work out their own problems for
themselves.
But civilization everywhere IL not
bound by political philosophy or gov
ernmental principles in face of sum-
mons from the afflicted and the dis
tressed. Even the sanctions Of sov.
ereignty among nations Yield then.
80, II has come about in these
United States the Red Cross has
grown into a great agency Of relief.
knowing not state lines. but expert
enced and equipped to extend it's help
ing hand wherever disaster comes. an
agency 10 which the States instantly
their peoples emergency q nd distress" Z"
The governor said the America n
Red Cross had more than once show
ed the fundamental sympathy of the
people of North America for their
neighbors Of South America.
Earthquakes i'm Valparaiso, Chile:
Costa Hica. Colombia and Ecuador;
floods in Salvador and Peru. volcano
and fire in Manizalis." he said. have
all been the objects of American Red
Cross relief and bear eloquent witness
to the spirit Of brotherhood between
the Americas.
r. ahties like these. not geograph-
icai bountia rieS or radical distinctions,
reflect the true and lasting feeling OF
the people Of North America for our
neis hbors Ia the south. -
The governor was warm In his
praise tor the Maryland Red Cross
| chapters.
II am proud of the loyal and de-
voted service Of the Red Cross work
ers of the Baltimore chi, pter and OF
all other hapters in Maryla nd" ne
said. And so l feel II a deserved
recognition that during every annual
roll call period Maryland flies the Red
Cross flag from the ststehouse. Mary
! la nd Is the only State that does this. =
Ep'demics Most Costly.
Epide mice, with a toll of 40 900 .O00.
have claimed more lives throughout
| the world since 1914 than all the wars
| and civil strife since that year. the
Red Cross Conference was told yes.
| terday by Y B. kitteridge. assista mt
director general of the League Of Red
Cross Societies.
OF the 81 600 800 lives lost in world
| disa sters since 1914, Mr.. kitteridge
said, 5000 600 were lost in war and
5000. 200 in civil strife. Injuries dur