This work will necessitate the devotion of a certain number of persons, but it will never lack money in time of war. Each one will bring his offering or his compassion in response to the appeals which will be made by the committee. A nation will not remain indifferent when its children are fighting for its defense. The difficulty is not there; but the problem rests entirely in the serious preparation, in all countries, of a work of this kind, that is, in the creation of these societies. In order to establish these committees at the head of the societies, all that is necessary is a little good-will on the part of some honorable and persevering persons. The committees, animated by an international spirit of charity, would create corps of nurses in a latent state, a sort of staff. The committees of the different nations, although independent of one another, will know how to understand and correspond with each other, to convene in congress and, in event of war, to act for the good of all. If the terrible instruments of destruction now possessed by the nations seem to shorten wars, will not, on the other hand, the battles be more deadly? And in this century, when the unexpected plays such an important role, may not war bring about the most sudden and unforseen results? Are there not, in these considerations alone, more than sufficient reasons for us not to allow ourselves to be taken unawares? Transcriber's Notes Obvious errors of punctuation and diacritics repaired. Inconsistent hyphenation fixed. P. 25: monastary -> monastery. P. 71: transportation of ammunitions -> transportation of ammunition. P. 87: manouvers -> manoeuvers. P. 89: catastrophies -> catastrophes. End of Project Gutenberg's The Origin of the Red Cross, by Henry Dunant