American National Red Cross; Red Cross and Red Crescent
4th. Finally, that Congress unanimously, without discussion or
opposition, has voted a sum of one thousand dollars, to be expended
by the government in printed matter, designed to inform the people
of the United States of the organization of the Red Cross. The
initiation of this last measure was not the work of the society but
of the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate; consequently it
bears witness to the spontaneous impulse with which the Houses of
Congress came into accord with the views of Miss Barton.
We must add that the International Committee attaches so much the
more importance to the fact that this society took an official
position, because there was created, at nearly the same time in the
United States, two other institutions, claiming to pursue a similar
object, but of which the Committee of Geneva is absolutely ignorant.
One, called "The Woman's National Relief Association," which
concerns itself with all public calamities, among other things with
the calamities of war, but more especially with shipwrecks, and has
for its distinctive emblem a blue anchor; the other has taken the
name of "The Order of the Red Cross." Dr. James Saunders is the
president of it, with the title "Supreme Commander." This order
proposes to organize more or less in a military way and appears
desirous of imitating the orders of chivalry in ancient times.
The American Central Committee of the Red Cross has its seat at
Washington, but has already founded branches in other localities, at
Dansville, Rochester, Syracuse, etc. Soon, doubtless, cities of the
first class will also take their turn.
We will give in our next bulletin the complete text of the
constitution and by-laws of the American society, which, as will be
seen, has not believed it ought to limit its program to assistance
in case of war, but has comprised within it, in conformity with a
suggestion of the conference at Berlin, the other great calamities
which might befall the country and its inhabitants.
As for ourselves, we have greeted with joy the addition of the
United States to the countries already enrolled under the Red Cross;
it is for our work an important and long desired reinforcement, and
we doubt not our impressions in this regard will be shared by the
twenty-eight central committees to which we address these lines.
We also hope that next year some representatives of the American
society will cross the Atlantic in order to fraternize with the
delegates of the other nations, who will certainly be happy to meet
them at the conference at Vienna.
Receive, gentlemen, the assurances of our distinguished
consideration.
For the International Committee of the Red Cross.
President: G. MOYNIER.
Secretary: G. ADOR.
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