Evening star., 1926-05-25
Text of Presidents Speech
Before Red Cross Session
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| complexity of modern governmental
| problems is appalling to those who
share the responsibility. In the face
| Of these increasing problems Of inter
national intercourse, cooperation OF
the peoples of the world must rest on
a broad and fundamental basis
Mutual understan anding. sympathy and
tolerance must grow up among the
peoples themselves and cannot be
| imposed upon them
! I'm the past the history Of inter
| national relations has tended to be
merely a summary of the differences
| between nations. Diplomatic inter-
course has had as its chief purpose
| the settling, Of such differences. In
| the ay-to.dav routine Of life problems
| naturally arise in which national
| interests and opinions may seem to
differ. Such differences should not
| lead us, however, TO lose signt of the
fundamental unity Of the human
| problem.
Problem Of Adaptation.
1.-The ills Of humanity are common
| to all nations and aff1ict US all alike
The chief factors conditioning human
| life and happiness are still natural
rather than social in their character.
49,
| dilemma Of the rase, is that Of per-
| fecting our adaptation to our natural
environment; Of controlling the blind
| forces of nature to make them serve
as instruments of human happiness;
of circumventing the operation OF
natural causes destructive of our
| health. our vitality, or our lives. AS
mankind learns to devote its efforts
to these tasks, rather than to futile
and internecine strife, international
relationships will become increasingly
cooperative and less controversial
1.-THE development of the Red Cross
movement and the nature of It's activ1-
| ties is a demonstration, Of the possi-
bility and of the utility of free inter-
course and Of voluntary collaboration.
| In bringing about such discussions as
are provided for in your program of
work, in making plans for joint action
and for cooperation in a common
cause, you are taking a definite part
| in the building of new international
order. You are bringing home to your
| respective peoples the possibility OF
effective action in the prevention of
| suffering. You are holding before
| them new ideals which cannot but
have a. wider and wider reaction. You
are developing and strengthening the
/ civic conscience Of all peoples. At the
same time you are giving practical
expression to their often unformulated
desire to add their volunteer effort to
the constructive forces at work for
the betterment of the community.
Achievements Are Praised.
THE quick response to the appeals
for the victims of disa sters in the past
decade is an Illustration of this de
velopment. The increasing willing
ness Of all classes in many countries
to aid in meeting local problems is
equally significant. The Red Cross is
in the truest sense popular organ
ization. 1t springs from the people
derives its whole force from their
support and is their agency, locally
nationally and internationally, for the
effective meeting of emergency situa
tions affecting the happiness, health
and lives of populations.
I'm the seven years that have
elapsed since the National Societies
organized the league notable results
have been achieved in the relief OF
! disaster victims, in the combating OF
epidemics in the development of nurs
ing, in the improvement of health
conditions in many countries, and
finally. in the enrolment Of nine mil
lion children in forty countries in the
Junior Red Cross to promote health
civic improvement, peace and friend
liness. *s =
I'VE. the people Of this country
have endeavored in the past to dt
our part in helping other nations II
their hour of distress. The American
Red Cross has been one of our most