The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1935-09-27

late Henry P. Dawson, wartime head
of the American Red Cross, that eff
fected the agreement between heads OF
the Red Cross in France, Great Brit
ain, Italy, Japan and the United
States, launching the league a few
months after the signing of the arm
istice Dawson was the first chairman
of the league.
John Barton Payne, another chair
man of the American Red Cross, be-
came chairman Of the league to sue
coed Dawson in 1921; when Judge
Payne died early this year another
American, Admiral Cary T. Graysen
was unanimously chosen to succeed
him. And since 1881 another Ameri-
can, Ernest ]. Swift, has been tne
leagues secretary-general.
The league has brought about the
creation of 20 new Red Cross societies
since it was formed, but its influence
has gone much farther than that. Al
most every one of the 81 member So
cieties is today engaged not only In
keeping ready for the emergency OF
war, but in a regular day-to-day pro-
gram of health and welfare work, dis
aster relief and other important peace
time activities.
Plan Air AmbuIances.
The highway service planned, and
already started in a small way In
America, is being worked out along in
ter1ational lines. AS aviation develops,
the possibility of air ambulance serv-
ices are interesting the league. Through
the league secretariat, health propa-
ganda material is made regularly avail
able to all of the societies.
The league has widely publicized the
disaster relief organization perfectei
by the American Red Cross and has
helped other societies emulate 1t. When
a disaster occurs on scale so large
that the society in the nation affected
is not able to cope with 1t alone. CO.
operation of other member societies is
a recognized duty. AS a recent IL
lustration, may be cited the earth
quake which wiped out the city OF
Baluchistan, India, in May of this
year. Fifteen national societies, in
response to an international Red Cross
appeal, Immediately forwarded contri-
buttons to increase the resources of the
Indian Red Cross.
The league believes in interesting
youth and, with the help of the Amer
lean Red Cross commission in Europe
during the postwar years, it extended
to European countries the Junior Red
Cross, which originated in Canada and
Australia and has been a popular fea-
ture of the work In the United States
since 1917 Today there Is organized
junior membership in 80 different ma
tional societies-15,O 100000 juniors, all
pledged to a program embracing the
practice Of elementary health rules.
the development of a spirit of public
service and the cultivation of interna-
tional frien1liness
The Red Cross is one of the few hu-
manitarian organizations which have
been born in a war. Its origin Is
traced to the battle of Solferino. In the
Italian war of 1850. Henri Dunant, of
Geneva, saw that bloody battle, and in
I'm Souvenir de Solferino described the
tragic suffering of the wounded SOL
diers so wildly and powerfully that his
words were read throughout the world.
These sufferings, he pointed out. were
largely the result of improper care.
He suggested the possibility of organ
izing In all civilized countries per
manent societies of volunteers which
In time of war would render succor to
the wounded without distinction of
nationality"
Dunant's idea caught on with Gus
tave Moynier, Genevese lawyer and
social worker. He appointed com.
mittee of five Genevese to meet and
construct plan of carrying out the
Dunant suggestion. At the invitation Of
the committee delegates from IA ma
tons met at Geneva on October 20,
1862. They adopted resolutions laying
the seed for the formation of the Red
Cross as we know 1t today, although
most of the duties with which they
charged members were associated with