The complete story of the Red Cross Christmas stamp can be told only in the April BULLETIN. Its remarkable success is a great satisfaction. We trust our members will read the officer’s reports, the articles on the Endowment Fund and the First-Aid Text-Books. The next problem that our National Society has to meet, and must meet successfully, for it is still young enough to have no such word as “Fail” in its lexicon, is the raising of such an Endowment Fund as will put our Society on a permanent basis and make it the equal of the great societies of the other countries of the world. The First-Aid Text-Book cannot be too highly commended. We know too little what to do in case of accidents. When statistics show that one person out of every seven of the inhabitants of the United States is injured annually, and that in New York alone during the last three years the annual average of accidents on the surface, elevated and subway traction system has been 34,000, the necessity of the valuable information and instruction this book contains should be realized by everyone. Mr. William E. Curtis has kindly written for the BULLETIN a review of the Text-Book, and a further notice in regard to it is contained in the advertising department. Just as the BULLETIN goes to press the Executive Committee learned, through press reports and official channels, of the occurrence of an earthquake in Southern Italy of unprecedented severity, and started its relief machinery into motion by telegraphing the Red Cross Branches and the Governors of several States, requesting that an appeal be issued and contributions received for the relief of the sufferers. Reports of the work of relief and a financial statement will be printed in the April BULLETIN. [Illustration: HON. WILLIAM HOWARD TAFT, PRESIDENT OF THE AMERICAN RED CROSS, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, MARCH 4, 1909.] WILLIAM HOWARD TAFT On February 8th, 1905, on call of the Secretary of War, the Incorporators of the re-incorporated American National Red Cross held their first meeting for re-organization in the diplomatic reception room of the State Department. At this meeting William Howard Taft was elected the first president of the re-organized Society. At each of the four subsequent annual meetings Mr. Taft has presided, save in 1907, when absence in the Philippines prevented his attendance, and at each of those meetings has been re-elected president. The active duties of the Society are delegated by its Charter to a Central Committee, the Chairman being appointed by the President of the United States; therefore, the duties devolving upon the President of the Society are supposedly of an honorary nature, but with a man of Mr. Taft’s character, duty becomes honorable rather than honorary.