The American Red Cross Bulletin (Vol. IV, No. 4, October 1909)

by American National Red Cross

REPRESSION OF THE ABUSE OF THE RED CROSS INSIGNIA

At the time of the Eighth International Red Cross Conference held in London, June, 1907, Professor Louis Renault presented in the name of the Central Committee of the French Red Cross a report upon the “Repression of the Abuse of the Red Cross Insignia.” In this report Professor Renault showed that for twenty years this question had not ceased to be considered. This abuse continues in certain countries—ours among the number—because of insufficient legislation. Still, important steps have been taken, and if to-day the work has not been completed it is on the right road. At the International Convention of 1906, at Geneva, when the revised treaty was accepted it contained special paragraphs referring to the protection of the insignia and name which all the countries of the world have agreed upon to designate the hospital formations and their personnel protected by this treaty. The countries signing this treaty obligated themselves, in case their present laws do not provide sufficient protection to the Red Cross name and insignia, to apply to their respective legislative bodies for the further necessary legislation. The report of Professor Renault had for its object to call attention to these promises that had been made. The honor and the interest of each country demand that they be kept. The Swiss Federal Council has lately prepared a law which it will present to the Chambers to preserve to this emblem of humanitarian neutrality, which the Cross of Geneva represents, all its moral value and its noble signification.

Action of American Medical Association.

Major W. M. Ireland, Medical Corps, U. S. Army, presented to the House of Delegates of the American Medical Association the resolution adopted by the Executive Committee of the American National Red Cross, October 18, 1907, and then offered the following resolution:

Whereas, By the terms of the Treaty of Geneva, 1864, and the Revised Treaty of Geneva, 1906, the emblem of the Greek Red Cross on a white ground, and the words “Red Cross,” or “Geneva Cross,” were adopted to designate the personnel and materiel of the medical departments of the military and naval forces and of the recognized volunteer aid societies in time of war for the humane purpose of rendering them immune from attack or capture; and

Whereas, The United States, as well as all other civilized powers, is a signatory to said treaties; and

Whereas, The use of the Red Cross by medical associations and individuals of the medical profession must seriously impair the usefulness of the emblem for the purpose for which it was created and adopted; be it therefore

Resolved, That it is the sense of the American Medical Association that the use of the Geneva Red Cross by associations or individuals, other than those of the army, navy and Red Cross Society, should be discontinued, and, if desirable, some other insignia adopted, and be it further

Resolved, That the adoption of this resolution be given as wide publicity as possible in the medical journals of the country.

Dr. Samuel Wolfe, of Pennsylvania, supplemented the resolutions presented by Major Ireland by introducing the following preambles and resolution, which were also referred to the Reference Committee on Legislation and Political Action:

Whereas, It is held that the Red Cross, which now constitutes the main character in the official badge of the American Medical Association, is eminently distinctive of certain broader fields of philanthropy, rather than of medicine in particular, and

Whereas, The traditions of medicine would be fully satisfied by the adoption of a design as herewith submitted and described as follows:

A shield on which is emblazoned the American eagle holding in its talons a laurel wreath within which is the knotty rod and entwined serpent and the letters A. M. A.; therefore, be it

Resolved, That the American Medical Association adopt as its official insignia or badge this design.

Protect the Red Cross.

Issued by the New York State Branch.

When the Red Cross insignia was first adopted at the Geneva Convention, as a sign of a hospital in war, and for many years after that, no one dreamed of using it as a mark on goods sold in trade. Gradually, however, such use became more common, and a badge of humanity, which men in the midst of warfare respected, became more and more, in trade, a meaningless label, applied to all kinds of medicinal boxes, bottles and jars, and every other conceivable package and bundle.

The badge of the Red Cross in America would have become a mere commercial mark but for the efforts of the American Red Cross and its branches.

We have worked hard to stop this wrongful use of the red cross, and we appeal to you to help us in this work, and to respect the law, for the unauthorized use of the red cross is in violation of a Federal statute. Help us to make the red cross what it should be, the badge which stands for humanity, and help to those who suffer in war and in calamities of all kinds. Help us to do this by stopping the use of the red cross or using the words red cross on your own articles of commerce and by urging others to do the same.

Even if it helps you to sell a few articles by using this mark on them, is it worth while bringing the red cross into the domain of commercialism, when so many thousand Americans, men and women, in private and in public life—President Taft as well as the smallest worker in the smallest branch—are trying to make the red cross the emblem of the great Red Cross work all over this country, and of that work only?

We forget only too readily what is done in such cases as the San Francisco and the Messina earthquakes, and few recall now the Red Cross work in the Spanish War—fewer still the similar work of the Sanitary Commissions during the Civil War. We pour out money to the associations organized to help those in distress, and we give the Red Cross millions of dollars to distribute. Nobody questions its work; nobody doubts its efficiency; all trust it. Why not then help it as we ask you to do? City officials in New York, and hundreds of individuals have stopped the use of the red cross on ambulances, automobiles, wagons, boxes, packages and all kinds of other articles. They have chosen other emblems suggesting medicine and purity of the articles sold. We urge you to do the same.

Help us, therefore, to make its badge honored and respected, so that it shall stand for nothing but the presence of the ever-ready American Red Cross.

Resolution adopted by the National Association of Retail Druggists in convention at Louisville, September 6-10, 1909.

Whereas, By the terms of the Treaty of Geneva, 1864, and the revised Treaty of Geneva, 1906, the emblem of the Greek Red Cross on a white background and the words “Red Cross” or “Geneva Cross” were adopted to designate the personnel and materiel of the medical departments of the military and naval forces and the recognized volunteer aid societies in time of war, for the humane purpose of rendering them immune from attack or capture, and

Whereas, The United States, as well as all other civilized powers, is a signatory to said treaties,

Resolved, That the National Association of Retail Druggists request its members to refrain from using this insignia to designate their places of business.