It created, with great care, an insignia to be the one known and recognized sign of neutrality in the relief of the sick and wounded of armies, and in the protection of the military hospital service, the world over.
This insignia, which has given its name to the treaty, has become universally known and respected. There is no other military hospital flag, and no other sign marks the relief designed for the succor of the wounded soldier, nor protects from capture or harm, either himself or the non-combatant who goes to administer. It is probable that no sign nor figure in the secular world is sacred to so many eyes as the Red Cross of Geneva.
This treaty takes its powers from the common consent of the united governments of the civilized world. Their rulers sign it. Its ratifications are officially made by the Congress of Berne, Switzerland. It recognizes no other features than the relief of the victims, and the mitigation of the horrors of war.
In its short life of twenty-five years it has assumed the conduct of the entire auxiliary relief work of the armies of the world. It has given rise to more valuable inventions, and under its humane impulses sanitary science has made rapid growth.
By common consent of the powers, at the formation of the treaty, the worthy body of Genevese gentlemen, who called and conducted the convention, was formed into an International Committee, through which only medium the various nations within the treaty communicate, and which holds the direction of all international relief in time of war. Each nation, upon its accession to the treaty, is requested to form a national committee, which committee shall constitute the medium by which the other governments, through the International Committee, may communicate with its government.
These national committees are usually presided over by officers very near the crown or high in authority; as, for instance, the national president of the Red Cross of Germany is Count Otto de Stolberg, who recently crowned young Emperor William. Of France, Marshal McMahon; of England, Lord Lindsay; of Belgium, the King himself.
Their patrons are always of the crown or royal families, as Empress Augusta of Germany, Victoria of England, Dagmar of Russia, Marguerite of Italy, and the Royal Grand Duchess of Baden.
Although the object of the organization is people’s help for national necessities, its national branches receive strong governmental recognition, and encouragement. Every facility which can be is afforded them, and the patronage of the crown or government in monarchical countries, unlike our own, means substantial aid, which is afforded in many ways.
Each nation is left free to form its national committee in accordance with the spirit and needs of its nationality. In the formation of our own, it was thought possible to include other relief than that of war, and as you already know, America organized for the relief, first of war then of other great national calamities, such as the government is liable to be called upon to aid through its public treasury.
We were accepted by the ratifying powers at Berne, with this digression, and although novel, it has won great approval and is known abroad as the “American amendment.”