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Title: The American National Red Cross Bulletin (Vol. I, No. 3, July 1906)

Author: American National Red Cross

Release date: June 12, 2022 [eBook #68299]

Most recently updated: October 18, 2024

Language: English

Original publication: United States: The American National Red Cross, 1906

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*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE AMERICAN NATIONAL RED CROSS BULLETIN (VOL. I, NO. 3, JULY 1906) ***

The American National Red Cross Bulletin (Vol. 1, No. 3)

The American

National Red Cross

Chartered by Congress January 5, 1905

Bulletin No. 3

Issued by the Central Committee, July, 1906

Office of the Corporation

ROOM 431 WAR DEPARTMENT

Washington, D.C.

CONTENTS

Preface

2

Japanese Famine Fund

3

Condition of Famine Districts, by Baron T. Ozawa, Vice-President of the Japanese Red Cross

7

Vesuvian Disaster Relief Fund

12

California Relief

14

Invitation to Red Cross Congress

26

Abuse of the Red Cross Insignia

29

Notes

31

Addresses of Branch Secretaries

40

Applications for Membership

41

THE AMERICAN NATIONAL RED CROSS

OFFICERS

President,

HON. WILLIAM H. TAFT.

Treasurer,

HON. CHARLES HALLAM KEEP.

Counselor,

HON. JAMES C. McREYNOLDS.

Secretary,

CHARLES L. MAGEE.

Chairman of Central Committee,

BRIGADIER-GENERAL ROBERT M. O’REILLY,

Surgeon-General, U. S. Army.

BOARD OF CONSULTATION

BRIGADIER-GENERAL ROBERT M. O’REILLY,

Surgeon-General, U. S. Army.

SURGEON-GENERAL PRESLEY M. RIXEY,

U. S. Navy.

SURGEON-GENERAL WALTER WYMAN,

U. S. Public Health and Marine Hospital Service.

CENTRAL COMMITTEE, 1905-1906

Brigadier-General ROBERT M. O’REILLY, Surgeon-General U. S. Army, War Department, Washington, D. C.

Hon. ROBERT BACON, Assistant Secretary of State, Department of State, Washington, D. C.

Major JEFFERSON R. KEAN, Assistant Surgeon-General, U. S. Army, Washington, D. C.

Medical Director JOHN C. BOYD, U. S. Navy, U. S. Naval Museum of Hygiene and Medical School, Washington, D. C.

Hon. JAMES C. MCREYNOLDS, Assistant Attorney-General, Department of Justice, Washington, D. C.

Hon. CHARLES HALLAM KEEP, Assistant Secretary of the Treasury, Treasury Department, Washington, D. C.

Judge W. W. MORROW, San Francisco, Cal.

Mr. SAMUEL MATHER, Western Reserve Building, Cleveland, Ohio.

Miss MABEL T. BOARDMAN, Room 341 War Dept., Washington, D. C.

Hon. JAMES R. GARFIELD, Commissioner of Corporations, Department of Commerce and Labor, Washington, D. C.

Hon. A. C. KAUFMAN, Charleston, S. C.

Mr. CHARLES G. WASHBURN, Worcester, Mass.

JOHN C. PEGRAM, Providence, R. I.

General CHARLES BIRD, Wilmington, Del.

Col. WILLIAM CARY SANGER, Sangerfield, N. Y.

Judge LAMBERT TREE, 70 La Salle St., Chicago, Ill.

JAMES TANNER, Commander-in-Chief, Grand Army of the Republic, Washington, D. C.

Surgeon-General WALTER WYMAN, U. S. Public Health and Marine Hospital Service, Treasury Department, Washington, D. C.

PREFACE

A little more than a year ago the American National Red Cross, just reorganized, consisted only of its sixty-five incorporators. Since then it has not only organized Branches in twenty-six States and Territories, but it has justified the claim that there is need for such an organization in times of peace as well as war “to continue and carry on a system of national and international relief in time of peace and apply the same in mitigating the sufferings caused by pestilence, famine, fire, floods and other great national calamities,” as stated in its charter, by the assistance it has rendered after the typhoon of September 26, 1905, in the Philippines, in the relief of the famine sufferers in Japan, to a limited extent by the contributions sent for the victims of the Vesuvius eruption, and lastly by its relief work after the great calamity that has befallen San Francisco and its vicinity. Reports in regard to some of this relief work are contained in this third Bulletin.

The Central Committee proposes later to issue to the officers of Branches a circular letter recommending the appointment in all cities and towns of Emergency Relief Committees consisting of representative citizens, and of which the Mayor should be ex-officio chairman, which will be called into active service only at times of great national calamities.

A translation is given in this Bulletin of the invitation extended through the International Committee of Geneva by the British Red Cross to all other Red Cross Societies to attend a Red Cross Congress to be held in London, June, 1907.

The European Red Cross Societies have tens and hundreds of thousands of members, and the Japanese has a membership of 1,035,000. The United States, so long delayed in the creating of a great national Red Cross, must make up for lost time by its activity and energy. To increase the membership of the American Red Cross and thereby its efficiency and strength the individual personal efforts of its members must be depended upon. A national pride should be felt in the American Red Cross, and all Americans, men, women and even children, who are able to pay the dollar a year dues or twenty-five dollars for life-membership, should become members of our National Red Cross. Application blanks will be found in each Bulletin with the addresses of the Branch Secretaries to whom such applications can be sent.

JAPANESE FAMINE FUND

The American National Red Cross has forwarded to the Japanese Red Cross for the famine stricken provinces in northern Japan a total of $265,855.67, of which $200,000.00 was received from the Christian Herald; being contributions made to that paper. A list of the contributions received from the Christian Herald from the Red Cross Branch Treasurers and those made directly to the National Treasurer from the different States is contained in this Bulletin.

On March 31st when $100,000 had been received by the Japanese Red Cross the following letter was sent to the American National Red Cross:

TOKYO, March 31, 1906.

MISS MABEL T. BOARDMAN, The American National Red Cross Society, Washington, D.C.

DEAR MADAM:

We have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your esteemed favor under date of the 22d, February.

A generous appeal for our famine sufferers in northeastern provinces in Japan done by your President Roosevelt, whose sympathy with Japan and her people we have highly appreciated has echoed to our shore, when our own people have been throwing their effort in relieving the distressed, whose conditions are beyond imagination terrible. From the date when you mailed the letter up to this day the monies you sent to us in cable remittances amount to $100,000.00 in gold, which we lost no time, in compliance with your desire and under the direction of our Government, in distributing to relieve the immediate necessities of the most needy sufferers by forwarding a certain amount of money to each President of our Red Cross Branches in those provinces, who are Governors and, at the same time, we have had them conveyed to the sufferers all the kindness, good-will and sympathy that have ever been extended to us by the American people.

For the time being, we take pleasure in sending you an account of the monies thus distributed to this date and will submit you a more accurate account of the relief work later on.

We shall be greatly obliged to you if you kindly send us a list of those donors’ names and addresses, who have contributed over $5.00.

Thanking you for your effort in collecting donations and for the practical sympathy extended by your President, we are,

Yours obediently,

S. HIRAYAMA,

The Red Cross Society of Japan.

The above letter enclosed the following financial statement:

ACCOUNT OF FAMINE FUND RECEIVED AND DISTRIBUTED TO DATE

Date Received

Name of Sender

American Money

Japanese Money

Jap. Money Distributed

Name Provinces

Feb. 22,

A. N. Red Cross

$10,000.00

$20,050.13

Feb. 27,

“       “       “

Collected by Christian Herald

10,000.00

20,050.13

Prefecture.

$20,050.13

Miyagi.

12,030.08

Fukushima.

8,020.05

Iwate.

Mar. 5,

A. N. Red Cross

5,000.00

10,050.25

Mar. 15,

“       “       “

5,000.00

10,050.25

Mar. 15,

“       “       “

Collected by Christian Herald

10,000.00

21,100.50

20,100.49

Miyagi.

12,060.31

Fukushima.

8,040.20

Iwate.

Mar. 16,

A. N. Red Cross

5,000.00

10,075.57

5,037.78

Miyagi.

3,022.67

Fukushima.

2,015.12

Iwate.

Mar. 22,

A. N. Red Cross

5,000.00

10,050.25

Now being distributed.

Mar. 22,

“       “       “

50,000.00

100,502.51

Collected by Christian Herald

Total

$100,000.00

$200,929.59

$ 90,376.83

Balance

110,552.76

$100,000.00

$200,929.59

$200,929.59

March 31, 1906.

The Red Cross Society of Japan.

In concluding a report made to the State Department in April on the famine conditions Mr. Huntington Wilson, Charge d’Affaires, says:

“Americans may well feel pride in the splendid work done by the foreign committee at Sendai of which the great majority, Dr. DeForest, Mr. W. E. Lampe, the Rev. C. S. Davidson, Mr. M. B. Madden, and Mr. William Axling, are citizens of the United States. The work of these men, and the donations from the United States collected by the Christian Herald and through the Red Cross Society, are like the President’s humanitarian appeal, highly appreciated in Japan.

“While the prompt assistance rendered has doubtless been of great value in alleviating suffering, and as a fine example of humanitarianism there is no doubt that the Japanese Government and people can now themselves readily cope with the needs of the final months of the famine.”

As the American people were ready and glad to aid Japan in the day of her trouble so promptly has she turned to our help when calamity came to us in the disaster in California and as will be noted in the report of the work done there the Japanese Red Cross has sent to the American National Red Cross one hundred and ten thousand dollars ($110,000.00) for the California sufferers, and for this generous contribution the American people and especially those of California are most grateful and appreciative.

On May 25th the following letter was received from the Japanese Ambassador:

DEAR MISS BOARDMAN:

I take pleasure in informing you that I have been advised from my home Government to the effect that the condition of the famine stricken people in the Northern Provinces of Japan, towards the relief of whom generous contributions from foreign sympathizers have been received, has now improved to such a favorable extent as to allow them to announce that, with the harvest of the coming summer crop, there will be no more need of receiving outside contributions.

Yours sincerely,

VISCOUNT S. AOKI.

Baron Ozawa’s report on the famine conditions in northern Japan sent to the American National Red Cross is given in full in this Bulletin.

TABULATED STATEMENT OF THE JAPANESE FAMINE FUND

Up to and inclusive of the date of the last remittance to the Japanese Red Cross, June 5, 1906.

Name of State

Amount rec’d through Red Cross Branch

Amount rec’d direct by National Treasurer

Total Amount received from each State

Alabama

.50

.50

Arkansas

10.00

10.00

*California

228.00

238.61

466.61

Colorado

31.00

31.00

*Connecticut

3,542.67

154.76

3,697.43

*Delaware

598.26

5.00

603.26

*District of Columbia

392.25

1,937.50

2,329.75

Florida

10.50

10.50

Idaho

3.00

3.00

*Illinois

1,710.15

939.19

2,649.34

*Indiana

80.50

1,011.31

1,091.81

Indian Territory

5.00

5.00

Iowa

183.54

183.54

Kansas

124.41

124.41

Kentucky

2.00

2.00

Louisiana

256.35

256.35

*Maine

173.50

19.05

192.55

*Maryland

1,600.00

180.50

1,780.50

*Massachusetts

12,440.22

1,771.91

14,212.13

*Michigan

80.30

80.30

Minnesota

354.00

354.00

Mississippi

125.09

125.09

Missouri

46.64

46.64

Montana

2.50

2.50

Nebraska

1,147.29

1,147.29

New Hampshire

22.50

22.50

New Jersey

225.75

225.75

*New York

19,356.56

2,489.89

21,846.45

North Carolina

248.20

248.20

North Dakota

8.00

8.00

*Ohio

1,427.11

224.75

1,651.86

Oregon

5.46

5.46

Pennsylvania

8,741.42

8,741.42

*Rhode Island

1,393.98

1,393.98

*South Carolina

750.00

32.00

782.00

South Dakota

48.50

48.50

Tennessee

24.00

24.00

Texas

169.80

169.80

Utah

5.00

5.00

*Vermont

24.00

12.00

36.00

Virginia

702.07

702.07

Washington

29.25

29.25

West Virginia

52.00

52.00

Wisconsin

190.50

190.50

Unclassified

267.43

267.43

Totals

$43,717.20

$22,138.47

$65,855.67

Received from the Christian Herald, N. Y.

$200,000.00

Grand Total

$265,855.67

Total amount transmitted to Japan

$265,855.67

Balance on hand June 5, 1906

0.

* These were the only States having organized Red Cross Branches at the time the appeal was issued.

NOTE.—Since the above table was compiled the Treasurer has received from the South Carolina Branch, a remittance of $59.24, and from the Connecticut Branch a remittance of $27.50; also a few small miscellaneous contributions, amounting in all to less than $100.00.

NOTE.—Of the amount contributed by the State of Pennsylvania, $5000.00 was given by the Citizens’ Permanent Relief Committee of Philadelphia.

NOTE.—The amount contributed by the Connecticut Branch includes $1755.03 collected by the Hartford Courant.

THE PRESENT CONDITION OF THE FAMINE-STRICKEN DISTRICTS IN THE NORTHERN PART OF JAPAN

BARON T. OZAWA, Vice-President

The Red Cross Society of Japan

To the American National Red Cross:

Having been fully occupied in looking after all the affairs relative to the relief work of the late war-victims, some of whom are still left behind in our hospitals, I could spare no time otherwise up to this very day, when, nevertheless, I found a few days to be squeezed out in order to have realized my earnest desire of inspecting the present conditions of the famine stricken districts in the Northern Provinces in Japan and, besides, it was a proper time to be had for that purpose. Leaving Tokyo on the 13th instant by a night train, in company with our Mr. Masatake Togo, Honorary Secretary, and Mr. Kow Isobe, one of our clerks, and arriving at Fukushima at 4 o’clock in the next morning, I started for another journey escorted by Gov. Arita, President of the Fukushima Red Cross Branch, and several other officers, and visited as many counties, towns, and villages as possible meeting, at the same time, their head men and officials, and dropping, once in a while, into the huts of suffering peasants and telling them, upon every opportunity, how generous and sympathetic President Roosevelt, members of the American National Red Cross Society, proprietor of Christian Herald and its readers had been in practically rescuing the famine stricken people from the verge of starvation.

Before distributing the money, which you sent to us, however, we had very carefully investigated the best methods, by which no peasant there should laze away his time simply relying upon such helps. With this in view, we instructed each Branch of our Society at those districts to provide the poorest with foodstuffs.

An official instruction, No. 146, given by the Governor of Fukushima Ken (Prefecture) on the 10th of March, 1906, to the head men of counties, towns, and villages may be of interest to you. It runs as follows:

“The President of the United States has extended his sympathy to Japan so deeply that he appealed to Americans in behalf of our famine stricken provinces to raise a Relief Fund. As a result, we have now received a certain amount of money as a part of contributions from America which reached here through the channels of the Red Cross Society of Japan, the Department of Home Affairs and the American National Red Cross Society. I wish you would convey to your sufferers the kindness and sympathy so practically shown to them by Americans. This money should only be used to provide the sufferers with food....”

The amount of money we sent to Fukushima Prefecture was up to the 13th of April distributed among counties as follows:

THE AMOUNT OF MONEY DISTRIBUTED AMONG COUNTIES OUT OF AMERICAN CONTRIBUTIONS.

NAME OF COUNTY.

AMOUNT.

Shinobu

Yen 4,943.00

Date

5,244.00

Adachi

5,364.00

Asaka

4,642.00

Iwase

3,315.00

Minamiaidu

1,508.00

Kitaaidu

1,084.00

Yama

2,070.00

Kawanuma

1,265.00

Onuma

1,265.00

Higashishirakawa

2,267.00

Nishishirakawa

4,521.00

Ishikawa

2,268.00

Nakamura

5,847.00

Ishijiro

4,452.00

Futaba

3,375.00

Soma

5,847.00

Wakamatsu

1,000.89

Total Yen

60,277.89

The methods of helping that have been adopted by proper authorities in co-operation with local officers of the Red Cross Society of Japan are in general similar with those in other two Prefectures, and are applied quite scientifically, if I could use such an expression. In classifying the sufferers, for instance, the authorities have carefully inspected every family in order to find to what extent and how its members should be helped. The following is an example given to me by the President of Iwate Red Cross Branch:

NAME of the head of the family, Wutaro Rai.

Address, No. 334 Nakamura, Ishikawa Co.

Business, Tenant farming, Age 46.

Health, Suffering at present, Rheumatism.

NAME.

AGE.

HEALTH.

Grandfather,

Nil

Grandmother,

“

Father, Taro

75

Unable to work.

Mother, Hana

72

“       “       “

Wife, Chika

40

Able to work in the house.

Two daughters,

Kuni,

age 25,

married.

Yasa,

18,

serving as maid in a remote; sends a little money to help.

Amount of taxes, Yen, 1.20.

Property, mortgaged.

Beddings, quite insufficient.

House, bad.

Condition of living in the past, lived pretty well comparatively.

Remarks: Entire help is at present needed.

Thus, persons, men or women, who are quite unable to work, are fed and clothed with contributions that have been made at home and abroad towards the sufferers, whilst those who are able to work outside of the house, are furnished by the local Governments, for measures of relief, with wage-earning works such as those in rearranging public roads, paddy fields, in opening new fields for mulberry trees, and those in the house with materials for straw-works, bamboo-works, fishing-net-works, etc., which are bought up afterward by the authorities dearer than ordinary prices. Besides, to those sufferers, who own themselves even a little bit of land or who are tenants, are furnished with seeds of various kinds of vegetables without charges whatever. The wages they earn in these ways run from 12 sen (6 cents) to 30 sen (15 cents) per day in accordance with the degree of their laboring power.

Foodstuffs, which we purchased with the money you sent to us, consist mostly of imported rice, wheat and flour.

The number of sufferers or paupers in Fukushima Prefecture is altogether 174,573, out of which 86,196 persons are helped in such a manner as to be furnished with manual labor and 88,377 directly with foods, which had been partly purchased by the authorities with the money contributed from individuals to the amount of Yen 235,322.00 up to the end of March and partly sent by them in the form of provisions in a good quantity.

In Iwate Prefecture, there are 78,588 sufferers, out of whom 35,211 are altogether helped being totally unable to work. The total amount of money, which we sent to this district out of your contributions, is up to the 22d instant, Yen 58,276.37. Foodstuffs, worth Yen 24,619.08, had already been distributed among the sufferers and at present some more foods are being purchased. The total amount of money that has been contributed by the natives and expended is to the same date Yen 147,933.60.

In Miyagi Prefecture, there are 475,135 persons, who have needed help either directly or indirectly. Those who have been furnished with foodstuffs number 51,058 and those with the manual labor number 424,077. The total amount of money, which we sent to this district out of your contributions is up to the 15th instant Yen 100,464.78 and that consisting of donations made at home is Yen 448,892.70.

It may well be to state that, in consequence of the famine, there have been established several societies in aid of the sufferers in these three districts. The Ladies’ Relief Society in Fukushima, for instance, has ever been collecting new and old clothes and distributed them among the sufferers. The Society for the Protection of School Children, which was established under the auspices of the authorities in each Prefecture of those districts since the number of pupils had been found to be daily decreasing, has done a great deal of work in helping and brightening them. At present, as a result, the number of pupils who every day go to school is figured out, on the average to be 95 per 100, whereas before the famine, its percentage was about 85. All the text books, pencils, pens and other necessities have now been pouring into their hands from such children as are under different circumstances entirely. Such articles, being in general second-handed, are disinfected thoroughly before distributing them.

Thus the authorities have been taking much precaution against epidemic that may likely spring up in the coming Summer as often should be the case with famine. As the sufferers’ huts are apt to become more filthy and unhealthy than used to be, policemen are frequently sent to such houses for inspection. Moreover, on those who keep their own houses clean are at present conferred prizes in the shape of money.

School-children, in addition, get free luncheons at the school, which are served by the Society for the Protection of School-children. “I am very hungry. Oh no! I am not hungry” is a spirit of Bushidoism or Samurai. It may be of interest to state here that there had been at first some children, who refused free luncheons notwithstanding they ate nothing for more than two days and some fathers and mothers who refused gifts from others.

In order to encourage the education of children in these districts, the Central Government made allowance of Yen 300,000 for them, Yen 120,000 for Miyagi Ken (Prefecture), Yen 110,000 for Fukushima and Yen 70,000 for Iwate Ken being respectively assigned.

The following, however, is the other side of society indispensably resulted from the famine:

CRIMINALS.

Comparative Time

No. of Robbers

No. of Thieves

No. of Swindlers

Total

Sept.-Nov.,

1905

5

833

99

937

“       “

1904

5

123

36

163

Dec.

1905

1

363

70

434

“

1904

1

69

36

106

Jan.

1906

1

266

27

294

Jan.

1905

0

80

0

80

Feb.

1906

1

211

51

263

“

1905

1

46

22

69

In Sendai City, at the beginning of the famine, all rice dealers constituted a trust in order to enhance the market price of rice. Mayor Hayakawa determinedly imported rice from Tokyo at his own risk to the amount of about 102,600 bushels to check the trust, which was, in consequence, almost panic-stricken and had to bring down the price lower than before. Currency being scarce at the time in this district, he issued temporary notes to be used for paying wages only on public works. These notes could be exchanged for foods only, not for wine or liquor nor for tobacco, and are even to-day in circulation among wage-earning people there. I enclose herewith their samples.

Speaking generally, all sufferers have now been rescued from starvation throughout these three famine stricken districts. It is not any exaggeration to say that many lives have been saved through the generosity of American people, and that every peasant, rich and poor, or wise and ignorant, has more than highly appreciated the kindness and sympathy you have extended to him so practically.

In Sendai City, at my request, Hon. Kamei, President of Miyagi Red Cross Branch, introduced me to foreign missionaries living there, whose names, it gives me great pleasure to mention here, were:

Mr. W. E. Lampe, Mr. C. S. Davison, Mr. C. Jacquet, Dr. J. H. DeForest, Mr. M. B. Madden.

I dined with them and enjoyed the party to a full extent. Scarcely need be said that these missionaries have played a great part especially by this critical time in helping the sufferers. I have no doubt that the former’s effort in enlightening, in addition, the latter in every respect together with all classes of people must have been and will be more than the whole Japan can repay.

At the close of this statement, I take great pleasure in adding that all foodstuffs purchased with your contributions have been distributed among the sufferers separately from others stating at each time to the effect that those articles were the gifts of American people, to whom the President Roosevelt and Christian Herald appealed for the alleviation in behalf of the famine stricken districts. All the head men of counties, towns and villages whom I met while on my trip requested me to convey to you their heartfelt gratitude for all the kindness you have tendered them. Enclosed is one of the letters of thanks, which has been addressed and forwarded to our Count Matsukata from the representatives of the sufferers, asking him to convey to you their highest appreciation.

Thanking you in anticipation for your kindness in reading this report, which I now have the honor to submit to you.

I remain to be, dear sirs,

Yours obediently,

BARON T. OSAWA,

Vice-President, Red Cross Society of Japan.

MEIJI 39th year, 4th month ....day.

The American Red Cross Society,

Your Society having felt pity at the distressed condition of the people occasioned by the famine last year in this district, has expressed deep sympathy and collected extensive contributions for the purpose of affording relief, to be distributed through the proper authorities.

We immediately bought rice with the money and distributed it among the poor people of this village, fully explaining the philanthropic spirit in which you sent it. The people, who were in extreme poverty and could not follow their occupations, were deeply impressed by your kindness, and felt ashamed at their lazy habit, swearing that they would rise and exert themselves in future. They received the gift with tears of gratitude and bowed heads.

I hereby have the honor to express the sentiments of gratitude on behalf of the people of this village.

It is desired that your Society will kindly communicate the foregoing to the President.

Village of Niita, Adachi county, Fukushima district, Japan.

(Seal) SHOZO YENDO,

Village Magistrate.

THE VESUVIAN RELIEF FUND

The reports contained in the press of the suffering, and privation caused by the eruption of Vesuvius determined the Executive Committee of the Red Cross to issue an appeal to the public for the unfortunate victims of this calamity. Therefore, on April 12th the Secretary of the National Red Cross sent to all the Secretaries of the State Branches the following telegram:

“Please announce in press Red Cross will forward contributions to Italian Red Cross for Vesuvian disaster. Name local Treasurer.”

The work of securing contributions for this purpose had only just begun when there occurred the great calamity caused by earthquake and fire in California so that all the energies of the American people were turned to render aid to their unfortunate countrymen at home, and thus only a small amount was secured to be forwarded to the Italian Red Cross for the relief of the Vesuvian victims.

The Secretary and Treasurer of the Berkshire Division of the Massachusetts Red Cross Branch received the following letter from Italians resident in Pittsfield:

PITTSFIELD, MASS., April 30, 1906.

DR. ALFREDA B. WITHINGTON,

MADAM:—Enclosed you will find check for $80.75 in behalf of the suffering Italians who are victims of the Mt. Vesuvius eruption. We all have the best of respect for the American Red Cross Society, and have only thanks to offer you as their treasurer of the Berkshire Division for the interest this division has thankfully offered their aid to our people. If this collection had been made when all were working the cash amount would have been larger, but under the fact that all laborers have not been employed during the winter, they responded to the call for aid the best they could. Your committee wishes to thank you personally for your efforts for suffering humanity.

Signed,

JOHN SUTTY,

JAMES LIBIZZI,

ANTONIO CHIODE,

JOHN F. COSTER,

Committee.

Thus at the time of any great foreign calamity the natives of the country in which the disaster has occurred and now residents of the United States may feel that the American National Red Cross provides a medium through which all contributions they may desire to make for the benefit of the sufferers from such calamity, can be forwarded to the Red Cross of their former country for administration without any expense to the contributors.

The following are copies of telegrams sent by the Department of State transmitting to the Italian Red Cross the contributions received by the American Red Cross for the relief of the sufferers in the vicinity of Mount Vesuvius:

May 7, 1906.

AM. EMBASSY, Rome:

Six thousand three hundred dollars received from American Red Cross for transfer Italian Red Cross, account relief sufferers vicinity Mount Vesuvius, being contribution citizens Boston and Massachusetts. Draw Secretary State, forward receipt Italian Red Cross to Department.

BACON, Acting.

June 6, 1906.

AM. EMBASSY, Rome:

Eleven hundred fifty-one dollars additional received from American Red Cross for transfer Italian Red Cross account relief sufferers eruption Mount Vesuvius. Draw Secretary State, pay as before and forward receipt Italian Red Cross.

BACON, Acting.

June 18, 1906.

AM. EMBASSY, Rome:

Fourteen hundred twenty-seven dollars twenty cents additional received from American Red Cross for transfer Italian Red Cross, account relief sufferers from Vesuvius disaster. Draw Secretary State, pay as before and forward receipt Italian Red Cross.

BACON, Acting.

June 19, 1906.

AM. EMBASSY, Rome:

Twenty-two hundred fifty-two dollars sixty-two cents additional received from American Red Cross for transfer Italian Red Cross, account sufferers Vesuvius disaster. Draw Secretary State and pay as before.

BACON, Acting.

TABULATED STATEMENT OF THE VESUVIAN FUND

Contributed by the

Connecticut Red Cross Branch

$126.50

“       “       “

Delaware Red Cross Branch

20.00

“       “       “

District of Columbia Red Cross Branch

192.00

“       “       “

Maryland Red Cross Branch

22.00

“       “       “

Massachusetts Red Cross Branch

6,658.75

“       “       “

New York Red Cross Branch

247.00

“       “       “

Ohio Red Cross Branch

1,135.20

“       “       “

Rhode Island Red Cross Branch

283.00

“       “       “

South Carolina Red Cross Branch

114.25

“       “       “

Miscellaneous contributions

79.50

“       “       “

L’Opinione (Italian paper of Phila.)

2,252.62

Total amount contributed

$11,130.82

Transmitted to the Italian Red Cross

$11,130.82

Balance on hand

0.

NOTE.—The entire amount for this fund from Ohio was collected by the Cincinnati Sub-division.

CALIFORNIA RELIEF

On the morning of Wednesday, April 18th, before ten o’clock, the news of the earthquake in California was received at Red Cross Headquarters from the War Department. Immediately the following telegram was sent to Judge Morrow, President of the California Red Cross Branch, and a meeting of the Executive Committee was called for that afternoon:

WASHINGTON, April 18, 1906.

Judge W. W. Morrow, President of California Red Cross, U. S. Circuit Court, San Francisco, Cal.:

Have just been advised of disaster. Can Red Cross be of assistance?

CHAS. L. MAGEE, Secretary.

Somewhat later in the day the following telegrams were sent to Judge Morrow, the Honorable Horace Davis, Treasurer of the California Red Cross, and to the Mayor of San Francisco:

WASHINGTON, April 18, 1906.

National Red Cross ready to aid San Francisco. Please confer with Mayor as to best means of assistance. Reply care of War Department.

CHAS. L. MAGEE, Secretary.

WASHINGTON, April 18, 1906.

To the Mayor of San Francisco:

National Red Cross ready to aid San Francisco. How can most effective service be rendered? Please confer with Judge Morrow and Hon. Horace Davis of California Red Cross. Reply care of War Department.

CHAS. L. MAGEE, Secretary.

As it was found impossible to obtain a prompt reply to these dispatches because of the condition of the telegraph service, it was decided at the Executive Committee meeting to send to the Secretaries of the Red Cross Branches the following telegram:

WASHINGTON, April 18, 1906.

Make Red Cross appeal for San Francisco. Name local Treasurer.

CHAS. L. MAGEE, Secretary.

On Thursday, April 19th, no word having been received from any of the officers of the California Branch, the Hon. William H. Taft, President of the Red Cross, appointed as special Red Cross Agent, Dr. Edward T. Devine of New York, who had had experience in such relief work at Johnstown and Baltimore. Dr. Devine being instructed to proceed immediately to San Francisco, started Thursday afternoon. General Funston, Judge Morrow and Mayor Schmitz were sent telegraphic notice of his appointment.

Judge Morrow reported by letter later that directly after the disaster he sent several dispatches to the National Red Cross, none of which were ever received.

A large number of telegrams were received at Red Cross Headquarters asking to whom car-loads of provisions donated for San Francisco were to be consigned. Before Dr. Devine had started instructions were returned to ship such supplies to General Funston. As soon as Dr. Devine had started all further contributions of supplies of which the Red Cross was notified were consigned to him as Special Red Cross Agent. A report of these contributions will be given in a later Bulletin when a fall report of contributions of money, food, clothing and other supplies received by the Red Cross will be made.

April 25th, Dr. Devine telegraphed to the Red Cross that a consolidation of the Finance Committee with the California Red Cross Branch had been effected, which was entirely satisfactory to Judge Morrow, President of the Branch. The new committee was called the “Finance Committee of Relief and Red Cross,” Mr. James D. Phelan being chairman. There was great local desire to have this consolidation recognized. An immediate reply was sent as follows:

Dr. Edward T. Devine, Red Cross Agent, San Francisco, Cal.:

Executive Committee gladly recognizes Committee of Relief and Red Cross. Will forward funds to credit of James D. Phelan. Law requires Red Cross accounts to be audited by the War Department. Please keep accounts so that this may be done.

ROBERT M. O’REILLY,

Chairman Red Cross Central Committee.

On April 23d, the following telegram was sent to the Secretaries of the Red Cross Branches:

WASHINGTON, April 23, 1906.

Appoint Committee of women to collect, sort, pack summer clothing, blankets, linen, etc., to await further orders for shipment.

CHAS. L. MAGEE, Secretary.

This was succeeded on April 24th by the following instructions:

WASHINGTON, April 24, 1906.

Sort and pack contributions of clothing. Ship to Dr. Edward T. Devine, Red Cross, San Francisco. Indicate as far as possible on outside nature and contents of each box. Wire Dr. Devine of shipment. Report Red Cross Headquarters by letter amount and character of shipment.

CHAS. L. MAGEE, Secretary.

On April 19th a request was made by the Maryland Red Cross to have a contribution of $5,000 immediately forwarded to San Francisco. As even the U. S. Treasury Department was as yet unable to get into communication with the United States Mint there was no way of transmitting these funds, and the President of the Red Cross telegraphed to General Funston to inquire if relief funds would be of use there and received word that such funds were not then required. The business portion of the city had been so largely destroyed by fire there was nothing to be purchased in the way of supplies.

Very shortly after the relief work for California began, the Western Union Telegraph Company, the Postal Telegraph Company and the Long Distance Telephone Company gave to the Red Cross the free use of their wires for all communications connected with this relief work. The railroads and express companies throughout the country were most generous in providing for the free transportation of supplies of various kinds that the Red Cross Branches received for California. A more complete acknowledgment of this will be made later when fuller data are obtained from the reports of the Branch Societies.

The response made throughout the country to the appeal for the sufferers from the great disaster was most generous and sympathetic, finding expression in the children’s pennies as well as the checks for thousands of dollars, and many interesting incidents were reported in the letters from the State Branches. A Chicago letter says: “Little girls are even bringing in dolls and dolls’ dresses for the little girls in San Francisco who have lost theirs in the fire. Some of the incidents occurring in the Armory where the ladies are receiving, packing and sending off clothing, are most touching. Yesterday a boy about eleven or twelve years of age came in, sat down on the floor and pulled off his shoes. He was asked what he meant by doing that and he said: ‘Well you see it is nearly summer time now and I can go bare-footed, so you can just take them shoes and send them to one of them boys who is getting his feet burned in them hot streets.’ It was with difficulty the little fellow could be persuaded to put on his shoes again and go away.” In many cases garments were brought in the giving away of which must have meant serious deprivation to the givers and yet there was evident joy at the opportunity of helping those even more unfortunate.

Only a brief general statement can be made in this Bulletin of the contributions from the various Branches for San Francisco, the more detailed report will be given later when the returns are all received. In this Bulletin the receipts from the Branches for the Japanese Famine Fund and for the Vesuvian Relief are reported.

The prompt sympathy that was shown outside our own country for the California sufferers manifested itself in several cases by generous appropriations by foreign governments and by contributions from firms and individuals. These were generally sent to the State Department. As the President felt that the liberality of our own people would meet the required aid and, moreover, if accepted by the Government from one country others might feel a necessity of also making relief appropriations, it seemed wise to decline with most sincere expressions of thanks such contributions.

Acting under the apprehension that the President deemed it best that no foreign contributions be accepted, two generous contributions made directly to the Red Cross, one from the Canadian Pacific Railroad and one from the Chinese Diplomatic and Consular Service in this country, though deeply appreciated, were declined. In the case of the money offered by the Chinese Legation and Consuls, the Chinese Minister, at the suggestion of the Red Cross, placed the contribution in the hands of the First Secretary of the Chinese Legation, Mr. Chow Tszchi, who was sent by him to the Pacific Slope with a letter from the Red Cross to Dr. Devine, requesting the latter to assist in every way possible Mr. Chow Tszchi’s work for the Chinese sufferers.

On May 5th the following letter was received by the Honorable Wm. H. Taft, President of the American National Red Cross:

JAPANESE EMBASSY, WASHINGTON, May 5, 1906.

Honorable Wm. H. Taft, President of the American National Red Cross:

SIR:—I beg to inform you that the Red Cross Society of Japan has solicited contributions from the general public in Japan for the relief of distress caused to the population of California by the recent earthquake, and transmitted to me by telegraph as the first installment the sum of 50,000 dollars with the request that it be applied to the above named purpose through the kindness of the American National Red Cross.

Will you kindly inform me at your earliest convenience whether you can use your good offices in the premises or not?

Yours sincerely,

VISCOUNT S. AOKI.

As information was received that only such contributions as were made directly to the Government were to be declined, this generous expression of sympathy consisting of voluntary contributions made through the Japanese Red Cross to the American National Red Cross for the purpose of this relief work was accepted by the President of the Red Cross in the following letter:

WASHINGTON, D. C., May 8, 1906.

Your Excellency:

I beg to acknowledge the receipt of your favor of the 5th of May, in which you inform me that the Red Cross Society of Japan has solicited contributions from the general public in Japan for the relief of distress caused to the population of California by the recent earthquake, and has transmitted to you by telegraph the sum of $50,000, with a request that it be applied to the above-named purpose through the American National Red Cross. Your Excellency asks that I advise you whether I can use my good offices in the premises.

In reply I beg, on behalf of the American National Red Cross, to express its gratitude and that of the people of California, for the generosity of the Japanese Red Cross and the people of Japan, and to say that I shall be glad, on behalf of the American National Red Cross, to receive the contributions mentioned, and to expend them for the purposes mentioned in Your Excellency’s letter.

I have the honor to be, Your Excellency,

Very sincerely yours,

WM. H. TAFT,

President, American National Red Cross.

His Excellency, VISCOUNT S. AOKI, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, Japanese Embassy, Washington.

On May 21st a second installment was received from Japan and accepted in the following letter:

WASHINGTON, D. C., May 21, 1906.

Your Excellency:

I have the honor to acknowledge receipt of your favor of the 21st of May, enclosing a check for $30,000, which the Red Cross Society of Japan has raised as the second installment from the general public of Japan for the relief of distress caused to the inhabitants of California by the recent earthquake.

On behalf of the Red Cross, I beg to thank you and your people for the generous contribution.

I have the honor to be, Your Excellency,

Very sincerely yours,

WM. H. TAFT,

President, American National Red Cross.

His Excellency, VISCOUNT S. AOKI, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, Japanese Embassy, Washington, D. C.

That, after the great expense incurred by the late war and the need of relief at home on a large scale for the famine stricken provinces, so generous an expression of sympathy for the sufferers in California was made by the people of Japan, is most deeply appreciated by the American National Red Cross and the American people.

Up to the date of going to press the Red Cross has received from the State Branches and from other sources $2,275,489.56. Four hundred thousand dollars of this amount has been transmitted to Mr. James Phelan, as Chairman of the Finance Committee of the consolidated Relief Committee and Red Cross, and the remainder is subject to the call of this committee, any sum being at its request immediately forwarded by telegraph to San Francisco through the U. S. Sub-Treasuries, and placed to Mr. Phelan’s credit.

As the general principle of the Red Cross is that money is most wisely expended as far as possible, near the scene of disaster so as to stimulate the somewhat paralyzed business-life, and expended by those, who—taking part in the actual relief work, best understand the needs, the Red Cross Executive Committee made no purchases save one carload of condensed milk and ten thousand blankets. In both cases these purchases were made with the kindly assistance of Army Officers who pronounced on the prices and inspected the articles before they were shipped, transportation having been given. The Commissary officers of the U. S. Army throughout the West kindly consented to act as Purchasing Agents for the Red Cross, and Dr. Devine who with Mr. Pollok of the Relief Committee was appointed on a purchasing committee, was notified of their names and addresses.

On April 26th the following telegram was received from Judge Morrow, President of the California Branch:

HON. W. H. TAFT, President Red Cross, Washington, D. C.

Have arranged for full historical record of all matters connected with disaster for Red Cross purposes.

WM. W. MORROW, President.

The distinguished historian, Professor H. Morse Stephens, is on this historical committee and associated with him are some of the most capable young men who were intimately connected with the relief work from the first.

This record will be published later and will not only prove of historical interest, but of great value in any future relief work of a like nature.

The importance of having the accounts of the expenditures of Red Cross money contributions so kept as to render auditing by the War Department possible, as required by law, was fully realized, and General A. E. Bates, Retired Paymaster-General of the U. S. Army, kindly volunteered his services to proceed to San Francisco and arrange some simple plan for the keeping of these accounts. His offer was accepted, and at the request of the President of the Red Cross he left for San Francisco, and on May 9th the following telegram was received by the President of the Red Cross:

The Secretary of War, Washington, D. C.:

Arrived Monday evening and yesterday had an interview with the Finance Committee by whom I was most pleasantly received. Examined their system of auditing which I approve. Suggest an addition to their system by which the Red Cross funds will be treated like an appropriation for a specific purpose and accounted for to you by vouchers and accounts similar to money of Army appropriation. My suggestion approved and adopted by Committee and Dr. Devine with thanks. Relief work here is perfectly organized and organization apparently working effectively and smoothly. Expenses being reduced daily. This morning I appeared by request before the full Committee and explained my position here. Shall remain here until system is working and one set of accounts is forwarded.

A. E. BATES, Major-General, retired.

The following communication was received by the Secretary of the Red Cross from Judge Morrow, enclosing the literature referred to:

CALIFORNIA BRANCH, SAN FRANCISCO, CAL., May 12, 1906.

MR. CHARLES L. MAGEE, Secretary, American Red Cross:

DEAR SIR:

The distribution of food to the nearly three hundred thousand sufferers in San Francisco has been a difficult problem for solution, but we think a system has been adopted that will make the distribution as nearly perfect as possible, and as the subject may be of some interest to the National Society, I enclose herewith the plan of registering of persons desiring food, the directions for registering applicants at relief stations; also a registration card and a food card.

You may, perhaps, find it interesting, and I would suggest that you show it to Mr. President Taft. The plan was devised by Professor C. C. Plehn of our State University, and we think it would be well to have it made a matter of record for future reference. The plan goes into effect immediately.

Very truly yours,

WM. W. MORROW,

President, State Branch Society.

A reproduction of the registration and food cards are given and it is especially interesting to note that in the Japanese Famine Relief work, as seen by Baron Ozawa’s report contained in the Bulletin, that the Japanese Red Cross also used a system of registration.

NATIONAL RED CROSS

General Register of Applicants for Relief, San Francisco, 1906

Food Station No. ....

Surname and given names of head of family:

Total number of persons for whom rations are asked: ....

Food Card No.

Date of this registration:

Men ....

Children .....

Women ....

Aged, etc. ....

Present location:

Former home, or address on April 17:

Trade or occupation of head of family:

Age:

Nationality:

Union:

Former employer:

References, or other memoranda relating to employment:

Membership in (1) fraternal orders; (2) churches; (3) clubs:

Address of friends to be communicated with:

Present employment:

Is it steady?

Is applicant owner of real estate? If so, where?

Plans for future:

Relief supplied (other than rations, including transportation):

Remarks:

Food Card Issued.

No.

Date.

Data as to adult bread winners in family or party (not the applicant named on face of card).

m. f.

m. f.

m. f.

m. f.

Name and sex

Age and nationality

Trade or occupation

Union

Former employer

References

Present employment

Future plans

Remarks:

1

NATIONAL RED CROSS.

(See other side.)

2

FOOD CARD.

3

4

C. No. .........

R. S. No. ..............

5

6

7

This card is issued on.....................................(date)

8

9

It will be good for 10 days ending..........................(date)

31

10

30

11

.........................................(Signature of Issuing Officer.)

29

12

28

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

TAKE NOTICE.

This card must be presented whenever rations are drawn. When drawing rations keep it always in plain sight.

This card is not transferable, and will be honored only when presented by the person to whom it is issued, or by some member of his family or party.

Good only for 10 days.

Renewable after 10 days at the discretion of the registration officer.

Good only at the Relief Station of issue.

If any fraudulent use of this card is attempted it will be taken up and no rations will be issued to the offenders.

“AMERICAN NATIONAL RED CROSS

“Instructions for Registering Applicants at Relief Stations

“The primary purpose of this registration is to provide a record that will show how many persons are applying for relief from the National Red Cross. Since relief is granted through a large number of sub-stations, it is necessary not only that each station should keep a register of its own applicants, but also that the headquarters should have complete records for all stations.

“When any one applies for relief, therefore, a Registration Card should be at once made out showing so far as pertinent and ascertainable the information asked for concerning the applicant. When rations are issued to a family or party both the Food Card and the Registration Card should be made out at the same time. Registration may—and in many cases will—be done by the canvassers who visit each family. These canvassers may be: (1) officers of the Relief Station; (2) workers of the Associated Charities; (3) representatives of the Central Registration Bureau. The utmost care should be exercised to see that the persons registered for relief are within the district assigned to the station issuing relief. If any question as to boundaries arises refer the same to the Central Registration Bureau.”

Among the directions for making out the Registration Card are the following:

“(1) Surname and initial of applicant.

“Write legibly the name of the head of the family or party applying for relief.

“(5) Present location.

“Give the best possible indication of where applicant can be found on visit or by letter.

“(6) Former address or home on April 17th.

“What is wanted is the address that will be most useful in tracing the applicant or his family in case inquiry is made by distant friends or others.

“(7) Trade or occupation.

“In case the applicant has a recognized trade enter it; otherwise give best indication possible of how he made his living.

“(13) Address of friends to be communicated with.

“Enter here any names and addresses of people to whom applicant desires the National Red Cross to write in his behalf.

“(17) Plans for future.

“State any plans applicant says he has for future work, for leaving town, etc., and any fact which may help in putting him on his own feet again.

“Treat all applicants with the utmost consideration. The relief afforded is not a charity and is needed most by respected and honorable citizens. More than nine out of every ten of the applicants will be self-supporting in a few weeks. The few lazy imposters will be speedily detected and dealt with separately. Assume every one to be entitled to relief until clearly proven unworthy.”

Under the directions for the issue of Food Cards the purposes for which Food Cards are issued are stated to be:

“(1) To make sure that every one entitled to draw rations secures an amount proportionate to the size of his family or party.

“(2) To prevent imposters from drawing more than their proportionate share of rations.

“(3) To furnish a record of the number of persons being fed at the several relief stations, for the use of stations, and of the central distributing authorities.”

In connection with the Food Cards the following cards have been issued to provide for the giving out of other supplies:

FOOD CARD No. ......... DATE ..................

TO SUPPLY STATION:

Give bearer the number of Articles punched out below.

FOR MEN.

Hats

1

2

3

4

5

6

Shoes

1

2

3

4

5

6

Shirts

1

2

3

4

5

6

Undershirts

1

2

3

4

5

6

Drawers

1

2

3

4

5

6

Socks

1

2

3

4

5

6

Stockings

1

2

3

4

5

6

FOR WOMEN.

Waists

1

2

3

4

5

6

Skirts

1

2

3

4

5

6

Under Skirts

1

2

3

4

5

6

Under Vests

1

2

3

4

5

6

Diapers

1

2

3

4

5

6

Drawers

1

2

3

4

5

6

HOUSEHOLD ARTICLES.

Tents

1

2

3

4

5

6

Cots

1

2

3

4

5

6

Mattresses

1

2

3

4

5

6

Blankets

1

2

3

4

5

6

Towels

1

2

3

4

5

6

Wash Basins

1

2

3

4

5

6

Stoves

1

2

3

4

5

6

Buckets

1

2

3

4

5

6

Pots and Pans

1

2

3

4

5

6

Knives and Forks

1

2

3

4

5

6

Spoons

1

2

3

4

5

6

Plates

1

2

3

4

5

6

Cups

1

2

3

4

5

6

Lanterns

1

2

3

4

5

6

Chairs

1

2

3

4

5

6

Soap

1

2

3

4

5

6

The issuing of these cards has reduced the number of repeaters and has been of great assistance in the systematizing of the relief work.

General Bates in his report to the President of the American National Red Cross states later that a further economic and salutary measure has been adopted in the establishment at the different camps and relief stations of large kitchens and dining halls or sheds where a contractor buying the supplies from the relief committee furnishes three cooked meals a day, and in case of all persons, excepting those who are entirely destitute, these meals are sold at ten or fifteen cents each. It is the opinion of the officers in charge of this work, which is just inaugurated, that within a few days, the greater majority of the people getting relief from the Committee in this manner will pay for it. General Bates also says, “I think it would be quite impossible for any one, without having been on the ground or having had a similar experience in some other place, to appreciate the enormous difficulties that these people have had to contend with. In the first place their three days’ battle with the fire was as horrible, excepting as to loss of life, as any of the critical battles of the world. During that time, with the water cut off from the city, the impossibility to arrest fire by means of dynamiting and blowing up districts so that the fire should have nothing to feed upon, the suffering and horror of turning two hundred thousand or more people from their homes into the streets, with nothing to eat and nothing to drink was simply appalling and notwithstanding the gigantic task that lay before them, I think from what I learn, that it is safe to say that no one has suffered from hunger or neglect.”

This is only a brief and partial report of the beginning and progress of the relief in California, but it conveys some idea of the methods adopted in the accomplishing of this great work.

Up to the date of going to press the various State Branches have contributed the following amounts:

Connecticut

$119,094.74

Delaware

18,900.00

District of Columbia

58,911.01

Georgia

200.00

Illinois

144,818.55

Indiana

34.032.16

Maine

5,607.02

Maryland

100,000.00

Massachusetts

64,877.25

Michigan

27,500.00

Missouri

143,000.00

New York

510,000.00

Ohio

62,967.45

Pennsylvania

129,600.00

Rhode Island

87,000.00

South Carolina

1,000.00

Wyoming

1,694.60

THE EIGHTH INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS OF THE RED CROSS SOCIETIES

To the Presidents and Members of the Central Committees of the Red Cross:

GENEVA, March 20, 1906.

GENTLEMEN:

In accordance with an established tradition, duly confirmed by the last Congress held in St. Petersburg, it is the duty of the International Committee to concern itself in due time with the reunion of the International Meetings, which periodically bring together the delegates of all the National Societies of the Red Cross.

The British Society not having heretofore been called upon to entertain the sister organizations of other countries, we addressed ourselves to the London Committee: We have the pleasure of announcing to our honorable correspondents that this Committee accepted the mandate which we proposed it should assume.

The next International Congress of the Red Cross Societies will therefore convene in London, 1907, during the week beginning June 10th.

You will unite with us Gentlemen, will you not, in addressing publicly to the British Society, the expression of our sincere gratitude for the invitation extended to us, assuring it at the same time of the zeal with which we will favorably respond.

It is important that these periodical occasions, the only ones which afford to our Societies the opportunity to strengthen the bands which unite them, by personal and instructive intercourse, should be as largely attended as possible and that no Society, however modest it be, should fail to have itself represented.

The British Society which has so recently been called upon to reap such a rich harvest in the field of Volunteer Aid, will doubtless have important communications to make to its guests; moreover its organization and peculiar workings, will offer an ample subject of study to delegates assembled to perfect their knowledge in the line of aid to wounded soldiers.

It seems of interest to us, to trace in a few lines, the origin of this Society, thereby learning to know it in advance, because few countries have shown as much zeal and expended as much money in succoring wounded soldiers, as Great Britain. This Society owes its existence to the Members of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem, who conceived the idea in April, 1869. It was regularly incorporated August 4, 1870. Its operations were confined at the outset, in time of peace, to the training of nurses, but in time of war, it played an important and beneficent part in sending aid in money, or in kind, by furnishing detachments of nurses, not only for the wars in which England participated, but also for those in which she was not engaged.

In 1899 a British Central Committee of the Red Cross was created, uniting the delegates of the National Society for Aid to the Wounded, the Ambulance of St. John and the Reserve Corps of Army Nurses, to serve as a bond between these three institutions and for the purpose of distributing in time of war, all voluntary relief contributions, whether made in personal service, in materials or in funds. It was destined to enlarge the sphere of action and of influence of the British Red Cross, and to neutralize the efforts of all the Relief Societies of the country. The Chairman of the National Society, Lord Wantage, was placed at the head of this Central Committee, and the new combination proved efficacious and useful in the Anglo-Boer War, where the Volunteer Sanitary Service played such an important part.

Finally in 1905 a new transformation became operative. Lord Wantage, deceased in 1901, was succeeded by Lord Rothschild. A committee presided over by the latter, under the auspices of the Queen and in response to an appeal made by her, was charged with the work of rendering more effective the concentration of all British Societies concerned with Relief Work amongst the sick and wounded in the Army. The efforts of this committee of organization have resulted in an association which assures to the Red Cross in Great Britain, the position it should occupy. Lord Rothschild is Chairman of the Executive Committee. We will undoubtedly be able in the next issue of the “Bulletin” to give more complete details concerning this entirely recent institution.

The Headquarters of the British Red Cross Society are at 9 Victoria St., London, S. W.

The program of each Congress is as you know, finally arranged by the Committee of the Country acting as host, according to the subjects suggested by the other National Societies and also by those which it desires itself to discuss. We therefore request you to inform the British Society directly and at your earliest convenience, of the questions you would wish to see appear on the program for deliberation. The British Society in transmitting to you the final program, will give full, practical and necessary directions.

In accordance with resolutions passed at St. Petersburg, an exhibition will be held in connection with the next Congress, with the object of showing the technical progress made in relief methods. Moreover the prize founded by the Empress Marie-Feodorovna, will be awarded for the first time, to the authors of the best inventions for alleviating the sufferings of sick and wounded soldiers.[1] The inventions to be shown at the aforesaid exhibition. The jury charged with awarding the prize is composed of eight members, of which two are named by right, one by the Russian Central Committee, the other by the International Committee; besides these, the Central Committees charged with designating in 1907, each a member of the jury, are those of Germany, Austria, Great Britain, France, Italy and Holland.

Finally, and in conformity with a decision of the last Congress, we invite those of the Red Cross Societies which have not yet informed us of how far they have been able to carry out the wishes and the resolutions adopted in St. Petersburg, to do so at once, or at least to notify the London Committee in time to enable them to present a report on the matter to the Eighth Congress.

Having given ourselves the pleasure of announcing the gracious invitation which the British Red Cross Society intends addressing to you, with the special communications which it will send to you directly, we beg to renew to that Society the expression of our gratitude and to present to you, Gentlemen, the assurance of our most distinguished sentiments.

For the International Committee of the Red Cross:

G. MOYNIER, President.

E. ODIER, Secretary.

GUSTAVE ADOR, Vice-President.

[1] Article 2 of the regulations of the Empress’ Fund. See Bulletin of the International Red Cross Committee, xxxiii, p. 143.

THE ABUSE OF THE RED CROSS INSIGNIA

The rapidly increasing prominence and importance of the Red Cross will still further tend to the abuse of its insignia. Unfortunately in the United States the use of this insignia, created for the special purpose of identifying and protecting in time of war those caring for the sick and wounded, ambulances, hospitals and hospital equipments, has never been properly safeguarded as has been done in most other countries which are signatory powers of the treaty of Geneva, and which recognize the necessity for the protection of this insignia.

A number of manufactured articles bear as a trademark this insignia, their manufacturers having obtained from the Patent Office, previous to the reincorporation of the Red Cross, a legal right to such use. Others using that mark claim a right to use it because they had used it previous to the granting of the charter. In a number of cases their attention being called to the clause of the charter intending to prevent as far as possible this use of the Red Cross for purposes of trade, manufacturers and others have kindly and promptly abandoned their use of it. In other cases the request to desist from its use—it might be called its abuse—was refused.

In two cases that have been brought to the notice of the Executive Committee so-called training schools for nurses that provide, in one case a course of a few weeks with no hospital experience, and in another a training by correspondence only, called their nurses Red Cross nurses. As it is the object of the National Red Cross to enroll among its nurses only such as have had a regular two or three years’ course with hospital training, and whose efficiency and character have been thoroughly vouched for so that our American National Red Cross nurses will rank as highly as do the Red Cross nurses in many of the other countries, this use of the Red Cross by such institutions as those mentioned above must act as a strong detriment to the National Red Cross and prove especially injurious to its efforts to secure the enrollment of the highest class of trained nurses.

Red Cross nurses are enrolled for service in time of war or of great calamity as provided in the charter and a false impression is conveyed when nurses not enrolled by the National Red Cross make use of this name of Red Cross nurse. There can be in each country but one Red Cross Society as recognized by the International Red Cross Committee of Geneva upon proof that the Society has received official recognition from the Government of its own country and only its nurses are really Red Cross nurses, so that all others using this name convey to the public a false impression that they are nurses of the Red Cross.

Public opinion should most strongly oppose the abuse of the Red Cross insignia, and its use, save for the purposes for which it was created, earnestly discountenanced. The members of the Red Cross are requested to report to the Executive Committee all such use of the Red Cross, not connected with the National Society, that may come within their cognizance. The Society has a list of those manufacturers who obtained the Red Cross as a trademark previous to its reincorporation under the present charter in January, 1905. It should be the duty of every American to see to it that in our country this Red Cross insignia, created for so beneficient a purpose, is protected as far as possible from the degradation of becoming a mere advertisement for money making designs.

NOTES

On April 16th the Headquarters of the American National Red Cross were moved to the office, room 341, provided for them in the Surgeon-General’s Division of the War Department. Through the kindness of Mr. F. A. Keep some new articles of furniture were purchased for the office, and the more spacious quarters and better equipment for office work have proved of the greatest advantage in the large amount of additional labor entailed by the San Francisco Relief.

The delegates appointed by the U. S. Government to represent it at the Convention of Geneva for the Revision of the Red Cross Treaty, held June, 1906, are Brigadier-General George B. Davis, Judge Advocate General of the U. S. Army; Brigadier-General Robert M. O’Reilly, Surgeon-General of the U. S. Army, who is also Chairman of the Red Cross Central Committee; Rear Admiral Charles S. Sperry, U. S. Navy, and Colonel William Cary Sanger, President of the New York Red Cross Branch. A report for the Bulletin on the revisions agreed upon by this Convention will be made by one of the U. S. delegates.

Since the publication of the last Bulletin the following new State Branches have been organized:

Colorado.—President, C. C. Hemming; Secretary, W. DeF. Curtis; Trustees, John A. Thatcher, Pueblo; F. B. Gibson, Denver.

Indian Territory.—President, Dr. F. B. Fite; Vice-Presidents, Hon. D. H. Johnston, Chief Chickasaw Nation; Hon. John Brown, Chief Seminole Nation; Hon. W. C. Rogers, Chief Cherokee Nation; Hon. Green McCurtain, Chief Choctaw Nation; General P. Porter, Chief Creek Nation; Secretary, Dr. Fred S. Clinton; Treasurer, J. H. McBirney.

Minnesota.—President, Governor John A. Johnson; Vice-Presidents, Dr. Cyrus Northrup, Archbishop John Ireland, Hon. David Percy Jones, Hon. William H. Lacid, Rev. A. W. Ryan; Secretary, Edward C. Stringer; Treasurer, Kenneth Clark; Chairman of Executive Committee, Hon. Daniel R. Noyes.

Missouri.—President, J. C. Van Blarcom; Vice-Presidents, Hon. John W. Noble (1st), Robert A. Holland, Jr., (2d); Secretary, Leighton Shields; Treasurer not yet designated.

North Carolina.—President, Mrs. Zepulon B. Vance; Vice-Presidents, Dr. S. Westray Battle and James H. Caine; Secretary, and Treasurer, Mrs. Theodore F. Davidson.

Texas.—President, Mrs. Mary Sherman Allen; 1st Vice-President, John A. Ewton; 2d Vice-President, M. P. Exline; 3d Vice-President, Mrs. Sarah Danover; 4th Vice-President, Mrs. C. Burton Griggs; Treasurer, Royal A. Ferris; Secretary, Mrs. Green Scheyler Hill.

Washington.—President, Mr. John T. Redman; Vice-Presidents, Captain E. G. Griggs and Dr. Carsley Balabanoff; Recording Secretary, Mrs. Henry McCleary; Corresponding Secretary, Mrs. James W. Cloes; Treasurer, Mr. Louis W. Pratt.

The records of the Philippine Red Cross Branch show a membership of 119 annual and 4 life members.

On December 30th there died at Manila Captain Joaquin Monet of the Manila police force as the direct result of a cold contracted in the performance of duty during the tornado which devastated Manila and particularly his precinct, Paso, on the 26th day of last September, when for twenty-four hours he worked without changing his wet clothing, amidst live electric wires, in the ravages of storm and flood, to protect property and to relieve the sufferings and fears of people under his care. He left a widow and children, and as there is no provision for pensions for the families of men who give themselves at the call of duty, the Philippine Red Cross Society decided to appropriate out of its relief funds $15.00 a month for six months for the support of this man’s family, and the Secretary of the Philippine Red Cross writes: “Had you relieved only this one case it is worth the while to have founded here a Branch of the National Red Cross.”

Hon. A. C. Kaufman, President of the South Carolina Branch of the Red Cross, writes as follows:

The formation and management of a Red Cross Branch, in this section, has called for extreme diplomacy, conservatism and caution. Our effort has been to place this Branch upon a high plane, following closely the standard of the parent organization.

By pursuing this course, we have established confidence in the movement, and have won friends in every portion of the State. That has been clearly demonstrated in our ability to secure as a Vice-President, from each of the seven Congressional Districts, in South Carolina, gentlemen of exalted standing in the social, professional and business walks of life.

The following is a complete list of the Vice-Presidents of the South Carolina Branch: First Congressional District, Maj. Theodore G. Barker, Charleston; Second Congressional District, Hon. D. S. Henderson, Aiken; Third Congressional District, Rev. James A. B. Scherer, Ph.D., Newberry; Fourth Congressional District, Rev. Robert P. Pell, Litt D., Spartanburg; Fifth Congressional District, Col. Leroy Springs, Lancaster; Sixth Congressional District, Hon. W. D. Morgan, Georgetown; Seventh Congressional District, Hon. W. C. Benet, Columbia.

Again, we have done well under the circumstances, in contributions that have come to us, in aid of sufferers of Japan, Italy and San Francisco. Our purpose was, not to go around begging alms, but to trust to the generosity of our fellow citizens, and thereby to test their confidence in us, as representatives of this great International body. The success of this plan has been shown in the reports that have been made by us to the National Headquarters. Every penny we have accounted for has been a voluntary gift, that has come to us, not been run after. This dignified course has produced a marked effect upon the people of the State who have witnessed this well ordered procedure. This plan may have diminished somewhat the amount of our receipts, but it has raised the organization very high in the estimation and respect of the entire citizenship of our State.

The Branch is now in a most healthy and flourishing condition and we feel proud of the position it occupies in the brilliant galaxy of Red Cross Branches.

The Secretary of the Michigan Branch, Mr. R. M. Dyar, writes under date of June 6:

We have adopted a method for increasing our membership of getting in communication with men in small towns, who acted as Treasurer or Chairman of local relief committees for the San Francisco Fund, our idea being to appoint such men as Vice-Presidents and to have them decide on becoming members themselves, and endeavor to secure additional members in their cities or towns.

The following is a list of the Sub-divisions of the Massachusetts Branch, with the officers of each:

Worcester County.—Chairman, Charles G. Washburn; Treasurer, Dr. Homer Gage; Secretary, Mrs. Lincoln W. Kinnicutt.

Berkshire County.—President, Judge John C. Crosby; Vice-President, Rev. J. C. Smoots; Secretary and Treasurer, Dr. Alfreda B. Withington; Executive Committee: Dr. J. F. A. Adams, Mrs. H. A. Brewster, Miss Julia W. Redfield, Rev. James Boyle, Pittsfield; Mrs. W. Murray Crane, Jr., Dalton; Miss Cornelia Barnes, Lenox; Miss Caroline T. Lawrence, Stockbridge; Mrs. William Stanley, Great Barrington.

Hampden County.—President, Mr. George Dwight Pratt; Treasurer, Mr. Ralph P. Alden; Secretary, Miss Amy B. Alexander.

A Division is being organized in Essex County, of which Gen. Francis H. Appleton will be Chairman and Mr. W. O. Chapman, of the Asiatic Bank, Salem, Treasurer.

The Secretary of the Massachusetts Branch, Miss Katherine P. Loring, reports that, “A man has been representing himself as an agent of the Red Cross and has been begging for subscriptions for our purposes. We have put notices in the newspapers and have notified the police that we never employ agents.”

The Connecticut Branch reports six Sub-divisions and another in process of formation. They have a total membership of 900, including 89 life members. Of the foregoing membership four hundred are members of the Norwich Society.

The Secretary of the Connecticut Branch of the Red Cross in a letter dated June 12th states that the Bristol Sub-division, which is composed of twenty-five boys, members of a Sunday-school class, accomplished wonders in their efforts in behalf of the unfortunate people of California. They not only collected and shipped to California clothing, blankets, linen, etc., amounting to 1272 pieces, but contributed in cash $1,235.04. No better work than this has been done by any organization, and as Mrs. Kinney says—good for the boys!

The New York State Branch now has twelve sub-divisions. Since the April number of the Bulletin, four new sub-divisions have been organized, namely: Chautauqua County, Columbia County, Duchess County and New York County. It is probable that organization will be effected soon in Chemung, Oswego and St. Lawrence Counties. Work is now progressing and organization is under consideration in seven other Counties, namely: Broome, Greene, Orange, Nassau, Suffolk, Tompkins and Jefferson.

The membership of the sub-divisions is as follows:

Albany County

100

Brooklyn

267

Buffalo

80

Chautauqua County

11

Columbia County

52

Duchess County

59

Islip Township

144

New York County

587

North Westchester County

51

Oneida County

186

Rochester

30

Syracuse

20

In other counties of the State there are forty-nine members, making the total membership for the State, so far as reported on June 16th, one thousand, six hundred and thirty-six.

The Americans in London sent through the Honorable Whitelaw Reid, the American Ambassador, $20,000.00 for the California Fund.

The New York County Sub-division opened two clothing depots where contributions of clothing were received, assorted, repacked and shipped, sending 181 cases to San Francisco. During the first three weeks every night a list of supplies that day shipped or en route was sent to Dr. Devine. Service was also systematically arranged in telegraphing inquiries for missing relatives and friends and forwarding the information when received. The business public evinced the greatest interest and most practical coöperation in the relief work by furnishing free service and by lending or giving ample equipment to carry on the work.

The work of the State Branch has so increased as to render it necessary to move into a larger office—Room No. 507—in the same building, No. 500 Fifth Avenue, New York City.

PENNSYLVANIA BRANCH HEADQUARTERS.

PHILADELPHIA, Independence Hall Building, June 14, 1906.

We awoke the day after the earthquake horrified to read in the morning papers that California had been devastated and San Francisco was in flames. It needed no second reading to know that a call for help would soon reach us, so our officers and executive committee reported to our State Headquarters where soon the expected telegram from Washington was received. It was a brief message instructing us to issue an appeal and appoint local treasurers.

Our official printer, who, by special arrangement, is obligated to take our copy and run on our emergency work night and day, was in a few hours delivering to headquarters the necessary printed matter.

“The Society for Organizing Charities,” represented by Miss Richmond and Mr. Esterbrook, volunteered to do the addressing of our appeals and at an hour’s notice had more than a score of their splendid young lady volunteers addressing and mailing our Red Cross appeal, using their Charity list of fifteen thousand selected names.

By a wise arrangement our Secretary is authorized to make emergency expenditures subject to reimbursement at later meeting of the Executive Committee, so the postage alone of some $300 was made instantly available from his personal funds.

In all such appeals it is vital to determine the psychological moment of greatest effect and the force of our appeal was at its highest on Monday morning following the reading of the Sunday papers.

An early call was sent to each city daily and evening newspaper and a publicity department was established where all telegrams, letters, abstracts and daily subscription lists were furnished in typewritten copy to all reporters. Such returns must be made quickly and we kept a regular volunteer force of messengers taking reports at certain convenient intervals to newspaper headquarters. These State Headquarters realizing the necessity and value of the coöperation of the towns, other than Philadelphia, throughout the commonwealth, promptly acted upon the suggestion of President Talcott Williams and the Secretary who were in daily conference with heads of all departments. A telegram was therefore sent to some two hundred towns throughout the State, addressing the leading bank, or trust company, asking them to confer with their Mayor or Chief Burgess as chairman, appointing a Red Cross Committee, and with aid of local newspapers to publish a fund and solicit subscriptions, same to be promptly forwarded to State Treasurer, Mrs. Alexander J. Cassatt, at Philadelphia, who daily deposited the amounts received for transmission to Washington. An immediate response was forthcoming from some score of towns and in a few days the funds were massing up.

This secured the hearty interest and coöperation of thousands of citizens of the State and established the groundwork of Red Cross Sub-Branches in every city, hamlet and village.

The State Headquarters, at Philadelphia, in the old Independence Hall Building, with its Executive Committee and volunteer clerks, stenographers and messengers was a busy office for the three weeks following the disaster.

Our facilities were admirable to the purpose. The two telephone companies, the Bell and Keystone, gave us free of cost each three extra telephones of unlimited service. The Postal and Western Union Telegraph companies franked our official messages. The Adams, United States and Wells Fargo Express companies sent forward our packages free of charge and the Relief Trains of the North American and Evening Telegraph put their cars at our disposal, and sent their wagons for our heavy freight, thereby greatly assisting us with a matter that was assuming serious proportions.

The Ladies’ Auxiliary Committees under the able advice of Mrs. John Dye, herself a veteran nurse of the Civil War and a trained Red Cross worker of the Spanish War, took full charge of the packing and inspection of all materials submitted and nothing of worthless or inappropriate kind went forward bearing the tag of the Pennsylvania Branch.

It was an honor and privilege extended our Secretary to act in conjunction with the National body in the purchase of large quantities of Army Blankets from local mills. These vital essentials were early despatched by rush express to the Red Cross Field Agents in San Francisco and thus can the State Branches assist the great National Headquarters in other ways than the forwarding of funds alone.

An item of a thousand baby nursing bottles and a dozen boxes of infant necessaries and a shipment of condensed milk for future ’Frisco citizens shows that the little ones were also well remembered.

In Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and other of our large cities there has existed for years many splendid and efficient Permanent Relief and Citizens Emergency Committees all of whom, with the many trades organizations, were early in the field with their appeals. Though the millions of dollars thus raised were speedily and properly expended it yet served to exhaust the giving power of many who would have gladly subscribed to the Red Cross appeal.

This serves to urge us to the immediate completion of a full State organization of Sub-divisions, and any of our Pennsylvania citizens reading this would help our cause should they proceed to organize local bodies and address these Headquarters for instructions.

It is impossible in so brief a report to mention the many incidents of our “California Earthquake and San Francisco Fire Appeal” as we called it. The pathetic letters, the sad plight of the refugees who came to us for succor and employment, of our inquiries for the dead and missing, of the free telegraphic bureau and of the letters written by the many who called to ask a seemingly hopeless question. Nor must we overlook thanking Dr. Devine for his quick and always satisfactory replies to our inquiries. The marvel of it all is that it was possible to so quickly bring the relief work to such a state of high potential efficiency, conclusive and splendid record of the success of the National Red Cross and its responsible State Branches. In a later report we will send you a list of the Pennsylvania State towns with their financial statements of subscriptions sent through these Headquarters. We wish now to thank the citizens of the entire State and particularly of those cities that responded so promptly and so liberally.

“Who gives quickly gives twice.”

Very respectfully yours,

JOSEPH ALLISON STEINMETZ.

Secretary for Pennsylvania.

The National Secretary received the following letter from Miss Emily P. Bissell, Secretary of the Delaware Branch, who is making a tour of Europe:

ROME, May 27, 1906.

MR. CHARLES L. MAGEE, Secretary the American National Red Cross, Washington, D. C.

MY DEAR MR. MAGEE:

I am sorry to say that I could not find out anything much about Red Cross relief work in Naples. When I landed there on May 8th, the eruption of Vesuvius was a thing of the past. The streets were all cleaned up, the roads open, and the people who had at first crowded into the city from the destroyed towns had all been sent back or away. I went to the Red Cross rooms, and was shown the garments for distribution, which a committee of ladies had been attending to. That was the only sign of activity there, and only one man, and he not an official, but a subordinate, was in the rooms. He told me all the relief work now carried on was in the towns themselves—Bosco Tre Case and Ottajano. So I started off for them next day.

Bosco Tre Case is very easy to reach and to examine. The road is clear, up to where the mass of lava has blocked the railway. The officers of the municipality, three in number, were standing at the entrance of the road into the village, with a plate, asking contributions from the tourists, who were driving through in numbers. The lava, a black, rough mass, covering fields, and what had been houses, was still smoking. But its path was not very wide, this village only being destroyed, and on each side of it the fields were in their usual state. The destruction in the path of the lava was absolutely complete, of course. I could not find any Red Cross people there, so I drove on to Pompeii, and took the next train to Ottajano. As we went up toward Ottajano, the ashes began to show in the fields. At first only a thin gray dust, they increased as we ascended. It was a pitiful sight, the vineyards and orchards dying in the ashes. It was like a tremendous snowfall, with drifts here and there, but smooth in most places. For miles, the vineyards are three feet deep in ashes. Here and there, women and children, with small baskets on their heads, were laborously carrying away the ashes and dumping them on the side of the roads. But it would be about as easy to empty Lake Erie with a tablespoon. At Ottajano, I found the army and the Red Cross in full control. Seven hundred homeless people are here cared for. One thousand have been sent to friends or to America, or scattered here and there where work can be found for them. The Red Cross people said that it was impossible to tell how long those who remained would have to be looked after. Perhaps six months would not be enough. Three hundred was too large an estimate, they said, of those killed in the eruption; but certainly over one hundred had perished, and very likely many more. The soldiers and the men were at work digging ashes, and casting them away on tiny freight cars. The women were sitting in groups, with nothing to do. Some sewing is now being given out by the Red Cross. The houses are full of ashes to the second story, and the roofs either gone altogether, or broken and unsafe from the weight of the ashes on them. The Red Cross gives out rations and clothes and seems to be extremely well conducted. There are various officials and Sisters of Mercy, all working constantly and with great system.

The covering of the fields by ashes is the worst part of the disaster, for it means that the livelihood of the people is gone for an indefinite time. They are hardworking, deserving peasants, and now their crops are gone, and the soil will not bear anything for three or four years, till the ashes are assimilated. They are far too deep to be plowed in at present. There is no possible place to dump them. Every road is full, every waste space heaped up high.

The Red Cross has not as yet published any bulletin or account of their work. They will do so, however, in the end. Of course they need money, and will continue to need it for months. I hope America can send them some, for they certainly deserve it.

Sincerely yours,

EMILY P. BISSELL.

Items from the April Bulletin of the Red Cross International Committee of Geneva.

The Bulletin contains a report of the hospital sent to and maintained in Manchuria by the German Red Cross Society. The equipment filled 24 cars, providing for a hospital of 120 beds, a disinfecting apparatus, Röntgen plant, a bacteriological laboratory, and provisions for six months. Its personnel consisted of the Chief Surgeon, four Assistant Surgeons, two students, an administrator, a technical officer, 12 sister nurses and nine lay nurses. A large part of the personnel spoke Russian. Dr. Brentano, the Chief Surgeon, who considered the collaboration of feminine service of inestimable value, exacted that the sister nurses should belong to strictly religious orders, and that the character of the lay nurses should be strongly vouched for.

At the termination of the war, in returning to their country, 59 Japanese officers and 1721 soldiers who had been prisoners in Russia passed through Germany. For those who had been sick or wounded the German Red Cross turned the cars into veritable hospitals. At Berlin, upon order of the Emperor and Empress, the German Red Cross prepared a reception for them. Tea, cigarettes and some Japanese papers were distributed among them. At Hamburg the transportation of the sick and wounded to the ship was quickly accomplished by the Red Cross sanitary columns, and those who were well taken by a Red Cross detachment to see the city.

In France a movement is on foot to organize a volunteer automobile corps for the transportation of wounded. With the excellent roads that exist in that country, the wounded could often be transported in a few hours by automobiles to the reserve hospitals—thirty or forty miles from the front—instead of by the slow process of transportation by ambulance.

It is proposed to organize a volunteer corps of chauffeurs, including women, who are experts in the running of these machines.

In Italy the Red Cross has been continuing its great anti-malarial work in the Roman Campagna. It has several stations, and each station has a wagon, an ambulance and medical supplies, and a personnel of a medical officer, a man nurse and a conductor, each giving two months’ service.

In 1900 when the work began, 31 per cent. of those receiving the preventive treatment suffered from the fever. The report for 1905 shows that only a little over 5 per cent. were attacked by the malady; that is, out of 16,427 treated only 839 suffered from fever.

The Red Cross of the Netherlands reports relief rendered to a village which was partially destroyed by fire.

The Bulletin contains a long article on the Russian Red Cross. On January 1, 1905, not including Port Arthur, it had 158 ambulances of various kinds including hospital trains, and hospital accommodations in Manchuria for 27,911. This article shows so strongly the need of system and preparation beforehand that it is hoped a portion of it may be printed in some subsequent Bulletin of the American National Red Cross.

The Saxon Red Cross reports 70 Sanitary Columns with 2161 members, all of whom have received a special course of instruction. At Loschwitz a house for convalescents has been established and utilized for German soldiers returning from campaigns in South Africa.

The importance of the Revision of the Treaty of Geneva and some of the subjects to be discussed, for which the Convention is now being held in that city, occupies considerable space in the International Bulletin. Among the questions are: the protection of the wounded from ill treatment and pillage, the wearing by all military persons of some mark of identification, a provision that a list of the dead, the wounded and sick found or taken by the enemy shall be sent as soon as possible to the opposing Army or its government, a complete enumeration of the sanitary personnel protected by the Treaty, if in this enumeration shall be included the personnel of the volunteer aid, and under what conditions? Fourteen questions are given.

It is much regretted by the National Officers that so few of the Branch Societies have sent in any notes for publication in this number of the BULLETIN.

Copies of this quarterly BULLETIN are sent to all foreign Red Cross Societies and to every member of the American National Red Cross free of charge.

Members of the Red Cross may obtain from the Secretary of the Branch to which he or she belongs a Red Cross pin or button upon the payment of fifty cents.

The new life-membership certificates are now being sent out from the National Headquarters, and any life member not receiving one will confer a favor by notifying the National Secretary.

The Red Cross is having made some special pins to be worn by Red Cross nurses. These will be furnished the nurses without charge.

APPLICATION FOR MEMBERSHIP

Persons desiring to become members of the American National Red Cross should fill out, as indicated, the blank forms on following page of this Bulletin and mail to the Secretary of the Branch Society in the State where they reside, whose address is given below.

Persons residing in States or Territories where no Branch Societies have as yet been formed should send their applications to the Secretary of the American National Red Cross, Room 341, War Department, Washington, D. C. These applications will be given prompt consideration as soon as such Branch Societies are organized.

Life membership dues, $25.00.

Annual membership dues, 1.00.

CALIFORNIA BRANCH: Mrs. Thurlow McMullin, 2200 California Street, San Francisco, Cal.

COLORADO BRANCH: W. DeF. Curtis, Colorado Springs.

CONNECTICUT BRANCH: Mrs. Sara T. Kinney, P. O. Box 726, New Haven, Conn.

DELAWARE BRANCH: Miss Emily P. Bissell, 1404 Franklin Street, Wilmington, Del.

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA BRANCH: Mr. Gist Blair, Corcoran Building, Washington, D. C.

GEORGIA BRANCH: Mr. Allen Sweat (Treasurer), National Bank Building, Savannah, Ga.

ILLINOIS BRANCH: Mr. Honore Palmer, 1300 First National Bank Building, Chicago, Ill.

INDIANA BRANCH: Hon. Noble C. Butler, Indianapolis, Ind.

INDIAN TERRITORY BRANCH: Dr. Fred S. Clinton, Tulsa, Indian Territory.

MAINE BRANCH: Mrs. Frank H. Briggs, Auburn, Me.

MARYLAND BRANCH: Mr. George Norbury Mackenzie, 1243 Calvert Building, Baltimore, Md.

MASSACHUSETTS BRANCH: Miss Katherine P. Loring, Prides Crossing, Mass.

MICHIGAN BRANCH: Mr. R. M. Dyar, 705 Union Trust Building, Detroit, Mich.

MINNESOTA BRANCH: Edward C. Stringer, St. Paul, Minn.

MISSOURI BRANCH: Leighton Shields, Laclede Building, St. Louis, Mo.

NEW YORK STATE BRANCH: Mrs. Wm. K. Draper, Bristol Building, 500 Fifth Avenue, New York, N. Y.

NORTH CAROLINA BRANCH: Mrs. Theodore F. Davidson, Asheville, N. C.

OHIO BRANCH: Rev. John Hewitt, Cumberland Building, Columbus, Ohio.

PENNSYLVANIA BRANCH: Joseph Allison Steinmetz, Independence Hall, Philadelphia, Pa.

PHILIPPINE BRANCH: Mrs. George A. Main, Manilla, P. I.

RHODE ISLAND BRANCH: Prof. George Grafton Wilson, 15 Westminister Street, Providence, R. I.

SOUTH CAROLINA BRANCH: Mr. George Hoyt Smith, Charleston, S. C.

TEXAS BRANCH: Mrs. Green Scheyler Hill, Dallas, Texas.

WASHINGTON BRANCH: Mrs. James W. Cloes, Tacoma, Wash.

VERMONT BRANCH: Mr. Charles S. Forbes, St. Albans, Vt.

WYOMING BRANCH: Miss Winifred W. Woods, Cheyenne, Wyo.

Application for Membership in the American National Red Cross

I apply to be enrolled as a (Life/Annual) member of the ....

Branch of the American National Red Cross.

Name................................................

Address.............................................

Life membership dues,  $25.00.

Annual membership dues, 1.00.

(Erase whichever membership is not desired.)

To the Secretary of the ........... Branch

The American National Red Cross.

.......................................................................

.......................................................................

Application for Membership in the American National Red Cross

I apply to be enrolled as a (Life/Annual) member of the ....

Branch of the American National Red Cross.

Name................................................

Address.............................................

Life membership dues,  $25.00.

Annual membership dues, 1.00.

(Erase whichever membership is not desired.)

To the Secretary of the ........... Branch

The American National Red Cross.

.......................................................................

.......................................................................

Application for Membership in the American National Red Cross

I apply to be enrolled as a (Life/Annual) member of the ....

Branch of the American National Red Cross.

Name................................................

Address.............................................

Life membership dues,  $25.00.

Annual membership dues, 1.00.

(Erase whichever membership is not desired.)

To the Secretary of the ........... Branch

The American National Red Cross.

.......................................................................

.......................................................................

FORM OF BEQUEST

A will in the form following may be used to bequeath money for the purposes of this corporation. It would be well to have the same signed by three witnesses in the presence of the testator and of each other.

All legacies, not otherwise specified, go into the Red Cross Endowment Fund, the interest of which is applied to the Emergency Fund.

I, A. B., of .............................................. (testator’s domicil), hereby make and publish the following as my last will and testament:

I give and bequeath to the American National Red Cross, a corporation in the District of Columbia, created by Act of Congress of the United States of America, its successors and assigns, the sum of

........................................... Dollars.

(A. B.) ...........................................

Signed, sealed, published, and declared by the above named A. B. as and for his last will and testament, in the presence of us, who have hereunto subscribed our names at his request as witnesses thereto, in the presence of the said testator and of each other.

................................

................................

................................

- Transcriber’s Notes:

- Missing or obscured punctuation was silently corrected.

- Typographical errors were silently corrected.

- Inconsistent spelling and hyphenation were made consistent only when a predominant form was found in this book.

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Table of Contents

The American National Red Cross Bulletin (Vol. 1, No. 3)

CONTENTS

PREFACE

JAPANESE FAMINE FUND

THE PRESENT CONDITION OF THE FAMINE-STRICKEN DISTRICTS IN THE NORTHERN PART OF JAPAN

THE VESUVIAN RELIEF FUND

CALIFORNIA RELIEF

THE EIGHTH INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS OF THE RED CROSS SOCIETIES

THE ABUSE OF THE RED CROSS INSIGNIA

NOTES

APPLICATION FOR MEMBERSHIP

FORM OF BEQUEST

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