INTERNATIONAL COMMITTEE.
Monsieur Moynier, President of the International Committee since its foundation in 1864, has collected in a cabinet all the souvenirs, orders, and testimonials of gratitude he has received during his long connection with the universal Red Cross. The idea of Christian charity is represented by an engraving of Christ dying upon the cross. Photographs of the founders of the Red Cross in different countries fill one album, and the publications of the International Committee form in themselves quite a library. The University of Tomsk, on the 350th anniversary of its foundation, unanimously conferred honorary membership of the university upon Monsieur Moynier, the highest academic honor that can be given in Russia. The Grand Duchess of Baden, in the name of the Baden Women’s Union of the Red Cross, has sent to Monsieur Moynier, with a personal letter, a medal and an illuminated address. The medal bears the indication of the 50th jubilee of this union, which was actually formed before the Red Cross, with a red cross in the center on the one side of the medal and on the other the grand ducal arms and the motto of the society, “Gott mit uns.”
Of the American Red Cross Text-Book on First Aid, by Major Charles Lynch, U. S. A., Dr. Ferriere speaks most highly in the International Bulletin, saying that it merits being translated and adopted by other Red Cross Societies.
The International Bulletin, in referring to the international relief work done by the Red Cross, says: “The international solidarity is developing and may well some day crystallize into a convention like that of Geneva, for the purpose of organizing specially for international assistance at times of great calamities.”
The American Red Cross ventures respectfully to suggest that this international assistance after great calamities needs no special convention, that the Red Cross Societies of the world, originally organized to render volunteer aid in time of war, have, almost without exception, so broadened their scope of work as to include the assistance necessary after great calamities. The American Red Cross, since its reorganization in 1905, has rendered assistance after some eighteen serious disasters, eleven of which were in foreign lands. If the American Red Cross shall have the honor and pleasure of receiving the Ninth International Red Cross Conference at Washington, it will ask that special attention be paid to this question of international assistance at times of great calamities. Such international cooperation in relief measures would not only bring the financial assistance that does so much to relieve the sufferings of the victims and gives them new courage because of the consciousness of brotherly sympathy the world over, but the experience and knowledge of each and all as to methods of relief after various kinds of calamities, such as fires, earthquakes, famines, floods, and epidemics, could be available for the benefit of those in need of such aid. Much time, money, and supplies are often wasted and unnecessary suffering caused because of lack of experience in how best to proceed with relief measures.