Read Ebook: The American Red Cross Bulletin (Vol. IV No. 1 January 1909) by American National Red Cross

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Ebook has 386 lines and 32314 words, and 8 pages

PAGE

Preface 3

William Howard Taft 4

Robert W. de Forest 6

The Christmas Stamp 32

The Story of the Red Cross 34

Report of the Treasurer 40 Beekman Winthrop.

Fourth Annual Red Cross Meeting 43

Red Cross Endowment Fund 44

Notes 49

THE AMERICAN RED CROSS

Officers

Board of Consultation

SURGEON-GENERAL WALTER WYMAN, U. S. Public Health and Marine Hospital Service.

Central Committee 1908-1909

Brigadier-General ROBERT M. O'REILLY, Surgeon-General, U. S. Army, War Department, Washington, D. C.

Hon. ROBERT BACON, Assistant Secretary of State, Department of State, Washington, D. C.

Hon. BEEKMAN WINTHROP, Assistant Secretary of the Treasury, U. S. Treasury Dept., Washington, D. C.

Medical Director JOHN C. WISE, U. S. N., Navy Department, Washington, D. C.

Hon. HENRY M. HOYT, Solicitor-General, Department of Justice, Washington, D. C.

President BENJAMIN IDE WHEELER, University of California.

Mr. JOHN M. GLENN, 105 East 22d street, New York, N. Y.

Miss MABEL T. BOARDMAN, Washington, D. C.

Hon. JAMES R. GARFIELD, Secretary of the Interior, Washington, D. C.

Hon. A. C. KAUFMAN, Charleston, S. C.

Hon. H. KIRKE PORTER, 1600 I street, Washington, D. C.

Col. WILLIAM CARY SANGER, Sangerfield, N. Y.

Judge LAMBERT TREE, 70 La Salle street, Chicago, Ill.

Hon. JAMES TANNER, Washington, D. C.

Mr. W. W. FARNAM, New Haven, Conn.

PREFACE With its January issue the RED CROSS BULLETIN begins its fourth year. The fact that it is becoming of more general interest has led those in charge of the publication to increase its size that it may conform more to the appearance of other magazines. A new cover, symbolical of Red Cross work, will be provided for the April issue. As the expense of publishing the BULLETIN has been a heavy drain upon the limited income of the Society, it has also been decided to accept advertisements, so that the BULLETIN may in part pay for itself.

That, though elected President of the United States, Mr. Taft consented to be re-elected President of the American Red Cross is a fact upon which the Society is to be not only heartily congratulated, but for which it is most deeply grateful; that, while assuming the great duties and responsibilities of the highest office in the government, Mr. Taft still desires to associate himself in an active way with the American Red Cross is but another proof of his constant desire to be of service to his country and also testifies to his belief in the usefulness of the Society. The Red Cross has also been most fortunate in obtaining the consent of Mr. Robert W. de Forest to act as the Vice-President.

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.

WILLIAM HOWARD TAFT

On February 8th, 1905, on call of the Secretary of War, the Incorporators of the re-incorporated American National Red Cross held their first meeting for re-organization in the diplomatic reception room of the State Department. At this meeting William Howard Taft was elected the first president of the re-organized Society. At each of the four subsequent annual meetings Mr. Taft has presided, save in 1907, when absence in the Philippines prevented his attendance, and at each of those meetings has been re-elected president.

The active duties of the Society are delegated by its Charter to a Central Committee, the Chairman being appointed by the President of the United States; therefore, the duties devolving upon the President of the Society are supposedly of an honorary nature, but with a man of Mr. Taft's character, duty becomes honorable rather than honorary.

Shortly after its re-organization and while in its very infancy, there came upon the Society the storm and stress of the San Francisco disaster. A great pressure of work fell also upon the War Department, but in spite of this, and, though no by-law required his presence, Mr. Taft came to the meetings of the Executive Committee, listened to the reports, counseled and advised, and by his wisdom and clear judgment brought order and result out of confusion and indecision. Whenever and however he could be of help, he has given his assistance gladly, and only those who have struggled through the problems of its re-organization can know the pillar of strength he has been to the American Red Cross.

Since Mr. Taft's nomination and election to the Presidency of the United States, so much has been written of his life and his achievements, it has not seemed necessary to repeat it here. The people of this country have set the seal of their approval upon the labors of his past. The wonderful fidelity of his work for the far-away Philippines has led his country-men to paraphrase scripture--"Thou hast been faithful over a few people; I will make thee ruler over many people."

In spite of the great and many new duties that the Presidency of the United States will bring upon Mr. Taft, he consented again to be elected president of the American Red Cross. Moreover, he declined an election to honorary membership, saying that he desired to consider himself an active member of the Society. In thus continuing as president of the Red Cross, the official organization for volunteer aid, Mr. Taft, who as President, becomes Chief of the Army and Navy, will be able to bring into close association these departments and the Red Cross, so that in case of the misfortune of war or of great calamities, harmonious and systematic relief work will result.

With such a man for President as William Howard Taft, the American Red Cross must live up to the thought he has, himself, expressed:

"I say to you that there are rewards that are unknown to him who seeks only what he regards as the substantial ones. The best of all is the pure joy of service--to do things that are worth doing, to be in the thick of it; ah! That is to live!"

ROBERT W. de FOREST

The Red Cross has been most fortunate in the acceptance of its Vice-Presidency by Mr. Robert W. de Forest, of New York City. There are few residents of that city so widely known for their philanthropic and public spirit and work as Mr. de Forest.

Mr. de Forest is a graduate of Yale, a lawyer by profession, having received his LL. B. from Columbia, and having also studied at Bonn University. In 1904 the degree of LL. D. was conferred upon him by Yale University. Since 1874 he has been counsel, and since 1902 Vice-President, of the Central Railroad of New Jersey. For twenty years he has been President of the Charity Organization of New York City; he was a founder and first president of the Provident Loan Society, the first philanthropic pawn-broker, the Chairman of the Tenement House Commission of New York State in 1900, trustee and secretary of the Metropolitan Art Museum, manager of the Presbyterian Hospital, a trustee and director in various business institutions, was the first Tenement House Commissioner of New York City, the President of the National Conference of Charities and Correction in 1903, President of the Municipal Art Commission of New York in 1905, and is Vice-President and Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Sage Foundation.

This brief statement of the important positions Mr. de Forest has occupied, or does occupy, is strongly indicative of the character and ability of the man, and the Red Cross is heartily to be congratulated not only upon its President, but upon its second officer, the Vice-President of the Society.

THE FOREST FIRE DISASTERS

BY ERNEST P. BICKNELL

"The summer and fall had been excessively dry here, as elsewhere, and there had been little wind. Farmers had been clearing up their lands, burning logs and stumps and accumulated rubbish, as is their custom at the end of the summer. In thousands of places fire was smouldering in log heaps, and in the roots of stumps and in the peaty soil which, when dry, will burn without flame and with little smoke until extinguished by rain.

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