Evening star., 1938-01-23
Red Cross Activities
in War and Peace.
BY FREDERIC J. HASKIN.

co over INTERNATIONAL ana1rS, ana playing
steadying hand in an effort to avoid
another world holocaust, the greatest
neutral agency In peace or war time, the
American Red Cross, dedicated to the
service OF humanity in times of disaster
and distress, Is carrying on with 1ts
humanitarian work in war-torn China.
Japan having refused assistance. Aid is
also being given In the needs occasioned
by the civil war In Spain.
When the conflict began in China last
August, two very definite problems con-
fronted the American Red Cross, evacu-
alton of American citizens from places in
the war zone and their maintenance
pending repatriation, and the question of
participation in the efforts to relieve dis
tress caused by hostilities.
When it became imperative that Amer
ican citizens should leave the danger
zones in China, the Department of State
asked the American Red Cross for flnan-
cial aid to assist those without funds.
For this and general relief purposes
grant of $4,000 was placed at the dis
posal of the United States Ambassador to
China. Part of this grant was used for
the benefit of American citizens, but
many other nationals also received help.
Over 1000 American citizens, mostly
women and children, were evacuated.
Not all were without funds, but many
needed temporary assistance. Funds to
finance these emergency needs were pro-
vided by an additional grant of $4,000.
Later, the Congress of the United States
appropriated s50O,O00 to help meet the
needs of American nationals growing out
of the Chinese conflict.
The situation OF general relief in China
by the American Red Cross was met by
authorization to all chapters to receive
funds for Chinese aid and by allotment
and appropriation Of national funds. The
question of sending aid in this situation
in line with the organizations policy OF
impartiality was early determined by the
acceptance of an offer Of assistance from
the International Red Cross Committee
by the Chinese Red Cross and the refusal
by the japanese.
To help supply medical and surgical
supplies and services, the Central Com
mittee of the American Red Cross voted
100000 to be expended under the direc-
ton of the chairman. A total OF s175,000
has to date been available for relief in
China through Red Cross channels
This amount has been subdivided into
dozen uses, the largest amount, S43.300,
being placed at the disposal of the United
States Ambassador at Nanking to cover
cost of manufacturing flrSt-aid supplies,
to provide clothing, shelter, hospital IA
cilities and hospital supplies. Great
Britain is the only country other than
the United States making substantial
contributions for relief in China.
The fund of the international Red
Cross for relief in Spain has reached
approximately s275,000, contributed by 81
national societies and 10 governments.
OF this amount the American Red Cross
has contributed more than s9800 Both
sides have benefited almost equally in
the distribution of supplies purchased
with funds contributed From the
amount contributed by the American Red
Cross a total of more than SAL 900 has
been placed at the disposal of the De-
partment of State for helping and repa-
triating Americans caught in the war
zone.
Disaster relief was the first humani-
tartan work of the infant Association of
organized in 1881 in Washington, D. c.,
following the action of the United States
Government in approving the treaty Of
Geneva. In the ensuing Sc years the
flag of the Red Cross has flown upon
every scene of major disaster in the
United States. This organization has
carried relief-food. shelter, clothing
medical aid, rehabilitation of homes and
families-to more than 1000 scenes of
disaster, large and small. at home and
abroad, and has expended to date sl33.-
100000 in this work of mercy. Thou
sands of families, left homeless and hope
less by the forces of nature. might other
wise have sunk into destitution were it
not for the helping hand of this society
and the people who support it. work for it
and inspire it to new effort.
But there is beginning of the Ameri-
can Red Cross that pre-dates 1881. Hal
dora the Dane, in the year 1000. assem-
bled the women of her household on the
eve of a battle and sent them out to
bind the wounds of fallen soldiers while
she attended the wounded enemy chief
tain. This incident is the first recorded
manifestation of mercy and compassion
in war. The work of Florence Nightin-
gale and her nurses during the Crimean
War. too. stands out as memorable
chapter of kindness and mercy in time of
war. 1t remained. however, for Jean
Henri Dunant. citizen of Switzerland,
who lived the life of an unasSuming gen.
tleman and died in obscurity, to give to
the world the epoch making idea which
grew into the greatest humanitarian Or
ganiZatiOn of the ages
X
The Red Cross policies of relief have
been worked out over the years through
actual experience of its workers in the
field. In simple terms, relief is given on
the basis of need of the sufferers-not of
losses. Loans are never made-relief is
gift from the Red Cross in the name
of its members and the people of the
United States. The organization Is en-
abled to handle vast relief projects
through the volunteer work of thousands
OF men and women, and through its
ability to borrow trained workers from
other agencies for the period OF the emer-
gency. Every dollar contributed for dis
aster relief is accounted for to the Con-
gress of the United States through a
War Department audit as are all other.
Red Cross finances
The American Red Cross was called
upon in 1887 to meet the relief needs in
the greatest disaster which had ever
visited the Nation-the unprecedented
floods in the Ohio and Mississippi VAL
leys.
Never before had flood waters reached
such stages in populous cities along the
9OO-mile stretch of the Ohio River, and
only in rare years of unusual weather