This issue contains reports and illustrations of the last two fields of Red Cross relief. A short sketch of the Russian Red Cross has kindly been prepared by a member of the Russian Embassy in Washington.
The complete story of the Red Cross Christmas stamp can be told only in the April Bulletin. Its remarkable success is a great satisfaction.
We trust our members will read the officer’s reports, the articles on the Endowment Fund and the First-Aid Text-Books. The next problem that our National Society has to meet, and must meet successfully, for it is still young enough to have no such word as “Fail” in its lexicon, is the raising of such an Endowment Fund as will put our Society on a permanent basis and make it the equal of the great societies of the other countries of the world.
The First-Aid Text-Book cannot be too highly commended. We know too little what to do in case of accidents. When statistics show that one person out of every seven of the inhabitants of the United States is injured annually, and that in New York alone during the last three years the annual average of accidents on the surface, elevated and subway traction system has been 34,000, the necessity of the valuable information and instruction this book contains should be realized by everyone. Mr. William E. Curtis has kindly written for the Bulletin a review of the Text-Book, and a further notice in regard to it is contained in the advertising department.
Just as the Bulletin goes to press the Executive Committee learned, through press reports and official channels, of the occurrence of an earthquake in Southern Italy of unprecedented severity, and started its relief machinery into motion by telegraphing the Red Cross Branches and the Governors of several States, requesting that an appeal be issued and contributions received for the relief of the sufferers. Reports of the work of relief and a financial statement will be printed in the April Bulletin.
Hon. William Howard Taft, President of the American Red Cross, President of the United States, March 4, 1909.