ELUTHEROS K. VENIZELOS
Although I never met Miss Barton, her achievement in establishing the American Red Cross is such as to win for her the lasting gratitude of many millions of people all over the world.
Greece, in particular, will never forget the noble work accomplished here by the American Red Cross. Its aid has been invaluable during the world war and I am therefore glad to be given this opportunity to pay this small tribute to the founder and first President of this splendid organization.
Elutheros K. Venizelos,
The Ex-Premier of Greece.
Of the Michigan forest fires Clara Barton said: “So sweeping has been the destruction that there is not food enough left in its wake for a rabbit to eat, and indeed there is no rabbit, if there were food.”
In the spring of 1882 for hundreds of miles there overflowed the raging waters of the Mississippi, destroying homes and causing great suffering. Again the new association responded to the cries of distress. While the National Association was in session, devising ways and means for extending relief, a messenger came from the U. S. Senate announcing that the United States had acceded to the Treaty of Geneva. “Through all the past years, during which the Red Cross has sought recognition, protection and cooperation of the Government,” says Clara Barton, “it has been but for one purpose—to be ready.” The relief of suffering in national disasters, hitherto unknown in the history of the world through Miss Barton had become popular among the American people.
The ratifying powers at Berne accepted the National American Red Cross with the proposed Clara Barton amendment, generally known as the American Amendment. The system for relief work in national disasters, made popular in the United States through Clara Barton, was later approved and adopted by the International Red Cross Committee of the Treaty of Geneva. It has therefore become a part of the Red Cross system of all Treaty nations. These nations, representing a population of more than one billion of human beings, or four-fifths of the human race, are now enjoying the beneficence of the constructive genius of Clara Barton.
LXXXVI
Clara Barton—one of God’s noblest. Augusta (Ga.) Journal.
One of the world’s greatest.
Sacramento (Cal.) Record-Union.
Honored in three continents. St. Paul (Minn.) Dispatch.
Her movement spanned the globe.