American National Red Cross

“ 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. ”

“ 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. ”

“ 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. ”

“ 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. ”

“ 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. ”

“ 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 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. ”

“ 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. ”

“ 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. ”

“ 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. ”

“ 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. ”

“ 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. ”

“ 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. ”

“ 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. ”

“ 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. ”

“ 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. ”

“ 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. ”

“ 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. ”

“ 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 of16 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. ”

“ 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. ”

“ 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 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 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. ”

“ 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. ”

“ 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.24 More than nine out of every ten of the applicants will be self-supporting in a few weeks. ”

“ 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. ”

“ 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. ”

“ 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. ”

“ 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. ”

“ 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. ”

“ 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 at38 present. ”