Evening star., 1926-05-25

President Coolidge's speech before
the Second Pan-American Red Cross
Conference. in Continental Memorial
Hall this afternoon, follows in full:
Few Of my duties afford me the
pleasure / feel today in having the
privilege as President of the Ameri-
can National Red Cross. Of welcoming
to Washington the delegates to this
conference | wish to take this oppor-
tun:ty of expressing appreciation for
the action taken at Buenos Aires
nearly three years ago in deciding to
hold this Second Pan-American Red
Cross Conference in the capital OF the
United States. We fully realize the
compliment, and will spare no effort
ITO make your visit in this country
pleasant, and, I hope, successful.
This Is no ordinary occasion.
You have come from all the countries
of the Western Hemisphere. No less
than 18 American nations are repre-
sented. l have also the pleasure OF
welcoming guests from overseas. the
representatives of important interna'
tional organizations. and of more than
a dozen of the Red Cross Societies of
Europe and of Asia, who have accept
ed the invitation of the American
Red Cross and of the League of Red
Cross Societies to be our guests at
this conference.
Benefits from Movement.
I'VE meet together today to take
counsel, to exchange ideas and ex-
perience, to make plans for future
collaboration i'm the furtherance of
common purpose. 1t is the realiZa-
ton in the Western Hemisphere of
that ideal of service to humanity of
which the Red Cross is the symbol.
Since the organization of the League
of Societies in 1919. the movement
has entered on a new and more active
program in time of peace. The world
has already greatly benefited from
this action, and it has come to play
a new and greater role in our lives.
More than so years ago in Geneva,
a small group set themselves the task
of awakening the worlds conscience
to a realization of the necessity of
agreeing upon measures to alleviate
the suffering of sick and wounded in
time of war. The initiative has pro-
duced results. which even the most
optimistic of the pioneers of 1858
could hardly have anticipated. The
Red Cross movement has become uni.
versal. All civilized nations have sub.
scribed to the solemn obligations of
and protecting the wounded in time
of war. In 58 nations duly authorized
voluntar rily national societies exist.
These societies have undertaken
through their federation, the League
of Societies. a program no longer
limited to war time. Peace like war,
has it's emergencies, it's heavy toll of
unnecessary victims. These emerg
epcies cannot be met by govern
mental action alone. They demand
effective Intervention of the volunteer
strength of each country. The Red
Cross has undertaken the mobilization
of this volunteer force and its utili
zation in accord with the needs of
each country for the prevention OF
unnecessary suffering.
Changes Among Nations.
I'm recent years there has been
much discussion Of international re-
lations. And, indeed, the need for
such discussion is apparent. The ap.
plication Of scientific discovery to
communications, to transportation, to
industry, has bound the countries OF
the world together to a degree our
| forefathers could never have antici
pated. The interchange of the prod
ucts of agriculture and of industry
the universal dissention and inter
action of ideas. the progress Of scien
tific research, has profoundly revolu
| tioniZed. not only the routine of life
| in every country, but also the char
acter of international intercourse.
Social organization seldom keeps
pace with human activity in science.
| industry and commerce. The very