Evening star., 1941-04-24
|Red Cross IsCredited
by Army and Navy for
.itaI Role in Morale
/ Chief Of Stoff Marshall
! And Admiral Nimitz
! Address Session

Gen. George c. Marshall, Army
ehief of staff, told the convention OF
the American Red Cross in ConSti-
tuition Hall last night that the
morale of the more than 100000
men who had gone from civil life
into Army camps in few months
was, by and large, the highest he
had ever seen in a military force.
And a good morale, he added, is
a FAR more important than all the
equipment put together,
| Gen. Marshall and Rear Admiral
G. w. NimitZ, chief of the Navy Bu-
reau of Navigation. pointed out to
the delegates how the Red Cross is
helping 70 maintain the morale of
the armed forces and how it can
aid still further.
Mai. Julia C. StimSon. R. N, U.
g. A, retired, president of the Amer
ican Nurses Association, declared
the organized nurses of the country
were ready to step into any emer-
gency that might lie ahead, pre-
pared TO furnish all the trained
nurses the services and the civilian
communities might need, in war or
peace.
Service Depended Upon.
The speakers appeared In response
TO the theme: Red Cross Service to
the Armed Forces"
No organization in the country
has received the unanimous and
energetic support of the people that
the Red Cross has won, Gen. Mar
shall pointed out, adding: I'VE are
depending on the Red Cross nursing
corps and on its other services
In year, he recalled, the Army
has grown from about 100000 to
1,250000, and is increasing at the
rate of 100000 a month.
In the work vital to the content
ment of soldiers, such as recreational
activities and liaiSon with families
and home communities, the Red
Cross is filling an essential role, Gen.
Marshall pointed out.
We have done everything we can
TO maintain health in the camps"
he said. and I am glad to say that,
on the average, it is better than in
the adjacent communities, in many
instances far better.
Can Aid Morale.
Food, too, is as good as the Army
can provide. Gen. Marshall added,
but. no matter what the physical
equipment. there is another element,
morale. which the Red Cross can
help to maintain by Strengthening
out home difficulties which may wor-
ry a soldier and by helping him in
many other ways.
The Navy" said Admiral NimitZ,
els proud Of the opportunity to work
side by side with the Red Gross, and
remembers with pride and gratitude
the occasions on which We have been
able to unite in our services, such as
at Long Beach in 1882. We are
happy in the knowledge that we
have contributed, in the person OF
the late Admiral Cary T. Grayson,
one of your chairmen."
The officer added: I'VE know
that we cannot maintain the morale
of our personnel without your con-
tnued support, free from all that
does not spell compassion and in
tegrity, and, most of all, we know
that you, whatever may come, will
not fail us"
Service Nursing Reviewed.
Maj. Stimson traced the history
of Army and Navy nursing from its
earliest days and described the part
the Red Cross had played in estab-
fishing a great reserve of nurses for
emergency duties, whether in peace
or war.
"A closer cooperation than that
which is carried on between the
Army and Navy and Red Cross
nursing services can't be imagined"
she said
Rear Admiral Wat Tyler Cluverius,
United States Navy, retired, chair
man of the convention, presided,
and the program was preceded by
concert by the Marine Band Or
ehestra, led by Capt. William F. San
teimann.
At a symposium on disaster relief
yesterday afternoon, De Witt Smith,
director of domestic operations,
urged that the Red Cross perfect
its disaster preparations organiza-
tion to meet the demands of the de-
tense program and the needs Of
"actual war if that should come"
Emphasizes Preparedness.
While the Red Cross has no Off
eial opinion as to the likelihood of
military contingencies, he pointed
out, it must be prepared for any
eventuality, either in the form of
some catastrophe of nature or the
man-made disaster of war.
In peacetime, Mr.. Smith said, dis
asters in this country of sufficient
magnitude to require the interven-
tion of the Red Cross have occurred
on the average of 10 month. He
added that this rate could be ex-
pected to increase with the stepping
up of industrial production for de-
fense
Under the heading of problems
for which plans may have to be
made" he listed potential sporadic
air or sea attacks" on America.
which "are conceivable hazards in
some coastal and boundary areas"
and sustained air or sea attacks,
which, while not likely, are consid-
cred possibility in some sections of
the country" Finally, he mentioned
"sn actual theater of operations in
continental United States, which
seems SO remote as to be virtually
A@1x>nesihlo -