THE B.C. LUMBER work

February 22, 1943

Where War, Fire, Flood Or Sickness Strikes There Goes The Red Cross

On a hot June day in the year 1859 were gathered on the Plains of Lombardy in north-

ern Italy, two great

fighting forces—the French Army under Napoleon III and the army

of the Austrians. All day long from-sunrise to sunset the battle raged—the battle of Sol- ferino, perhaps the first large battle on the scale of modern warfare. It was a battle which demanded roads of communication whereby supplies, food, water, medical aid might be brought to the large armies gathered there. There were no such roads.

< When the din of battle ceased there was seen the bloodiest scene of carnage that eye had ever witnessed. This battle is known in history as the blood bath of the 19th century—cries of the wounder and the dying rose to high heaven. There was no one to succor them, not even to give the sufferers a drink of cold water. The exhausted living buried the dead — no

stretcher bearers, no field ambulances,

‘An eye witness to this awful scene was a young man a Swiss, Henri Dunnant, age 31, Why? A non-combatant, a witness of such @ battle! Dunant was inspired to go to Solferino by the work of Flor- ence Nightingale.

‘As he looked on all that suffer- ing, on all that unnecessary loss of life, he declared, “This thing should not be.” And Henri Dunant then and there vowed to God that if his life be spared he would spend it in helping sufferers on the battle- field,

He returned to Switzerland and wrote a burning pamphlet, “Mem- ories of Solferino.” With a few of his countrymen he worked on the idea of an international society for the above avowed purpose.

In 1863 representatives from twenty-six governments met at Ge- neva, and in 1864 the Geneva Con- vention was ratified, their emblem chosen and the International Red Cross was born,

How much does the world owe to the inspiration of one young woman and the untiring efforts of one young man? — and how much does the world owe to Switzerland, the staunch and unfailing friend of the prisoners and the refugees?

Dunant died in 1910. At one time he was forgotten by the world though he spent his entire life and fortune in pursuance of this noble work. He was found in a home for old men. However, the latter years of his life were spent with great honor. He received the Nobel Prize in 1901.

“rhis is the story of the force of an idea—conceived in the mind of a young man.

‘The International Red Cross ap- points a representative to every warring country. He takes orders only from Geneva. He visits the prison camps. If conditions of any camp are not in accordance with the rules and regulations laid down by International Red Cross, and if not rectified at once after the com- plaint has been made, the delegate reports to Geneva; this report is published in the International Red Cross publication. Reprisals such as stricter disciplinary measures follow immediately on the offend-

When in VANCOUVER Stop at COLUMBIA HOTEL LICENSED PREMISES

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no first-aid dressing stations—nothing.

*s. Addison G. Foster, teer, is pictured packing one of

‘held in war prison camps abroad,

District of Columbia Red Cross Volun-

the standard food parcels which

“folks at home” throughout the country are sending to Americans

ing power.

Today, the Canadian Red Cross is the only organization that can send parcels of food and other comforts ‘to prisoners of war in any country. Since the war began, the Canadian Red Cross has sent more than three {million food parcels to prisoners of wat in 163 prison camps and are today making up 100,000 parcels per week in Toronto, Montreal, Winni- peg, Windsor, and Hamilton. The contents of the parcels have been carefully planned for food value by Dr, Tisdall, eminent Canadian ex- pert of nutrition.

The Canadian Red Cross has sent aid to Russia in the way of serv- ices and goods to a value of up to two million dollars,

Along with Canadian government monthly gift of wheat to Greece the

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Canadian Red Cross has sent, to value of $11,000 food, such as de- hydrated vegetables and milk powder — also drugs, serums, anti- toxins, vaccines, anaesthetics. Be- fore ‘these arrived there were no anaesthetics for amputations. These shipments are made under the sup- ervision of Swedish government and the Swedish Red Cross. The Canadian Red Cross has also sent six trucks and 10 automobiles with necessary oil and grease so that house-to-house distribution can be made, :

A ship awaits sailing orders in an eastern Canadian port—awaiting conclusion of diplomatic arrange- ments, She will travel via Portu- guese East Africa when her ship- load will be transferred to a Japa- nese ship carrying exchange in- ternees. On hoard that ship are life-giving, morale building food parcels to the value of $234,000.

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Why We Should Support The Red Cross

Teachers Present _---

Brief On Education

“Point Out Weaknesses in Present System

* ‘The brief dealing with the present situation regarding edu- cation in British Columbia, prepared by the B.C. Teachers’ Federation, of which the president of that organization, A. T. Alsbury, spoke recently at a meeting of the Vancouver Labor Council, was presented before the provincial executive council

on February 9:

The delegation which met the executive council was headed by Mr. Alsbury and General Secretary Harry Charlesworth.

‘Copies of the brief have been sent by the BCFTA to all CCL Union locals in order that members may have an opportunity to study its contents, and be prepared to sup- port this movement for improved educational facilities in the prov- ince.

The document sets for the seri- ous situation developing through a shortage of efficient teachers, causes of inequality in educational facilities, and points out that pub- lic opinion demands two definite things:

WHAT 1S DEMANDED. 1. That this Province shall pro-

vide sufficient money to ensure,

that every child in British Colum-

1 bia shall receive such educational

opportunities as will enable him to develop his capacities and abilities

,to the utmost limit in order that

as a future Canadian citizens he

‘may make his maximum contribu-

tion to Canadian progress and so- ciety.

2, That this Province shall es- tablish such a systém of education finance as will provide for an equit- able distribution of educational costs on a just and uniform basis for all school districts. This may mean a redistribution of the pres- ent costs of education, An imme- diate study of this possibility should be made.

There is canned food, fruit juices, 47 cases of drug and dental supplies, 264 cases of soap, 134 cases of Klim milk, cigarettes, garden seeds, ma- terial for shoe repairs.

The Canadian Red Cross overseas department’ sends’ a “Capture” parcel directly addressed to pris- oners of war immediately the iden- tity and camp of a prisoner is known. They contain warm under- wear and toilet articles. This main- tains the prisoner until the arrival of next-of-kin parcels from Canada, One thousand seven hundred and eighty seven (1,787) “Capture” par- cels were received by our men taken prisoners at Dieppe. Men returning from Dieppe were given comforts by the Canadian Red Cross.

Next-of-kin parcels may be sent to prisoners every three months. It must bear official next-of-kin label and be examined at the post office. At first these parcels. contained only clothing and chocolate bars.

Since November, 1942, our govern-| ment allows certain foods, dehyd-; rated fruits, soups, shelled nuts, |

prisoners who have special tech- nical, literary, historical, or dram- atical knowledge, conduct classes which are well attended.

$5,500,000 of the $10,000,000 sought by the Red Cross drive this year goes to buy prisoner-of-war food parcels.

Every day the Canadian Red Cross receives grateful letters from soldiers, seamen, airmen, or their relatives. One soldier returning from the battlefield, after being at- tended by the Canadian Red Cross and seeing the wonderful work they were doing, said, in a letter to his mother, “If all I had was 10 cents between me and starvation, I would give it to the Red Cross.” An air- man prisoner wrote, in praise of the food parcels, but the unusual thing about this letter was his re- quest to his family that they do- nate $10 monthly out of his pay for the duration of the war for this branch of the Red Cross work.

The Red Cross Blood Donors’ Clinic, of which there are. 29 in Canada and three mobile units, are

cocoa, coffee, tea, sugar ie herd | doing a tremendous war job. In candy, dried or chipped beet, sp! ae Vancouver alone, 9,493 donations curry powder — to be packed. En-'1,.. been given and processed. The

tire weight, 11 pounds. Parcel marked by official next-of-kin label and checked at the base post of- fice, Ottawa. If only a scanty parcel is sent, perhaps by one who can’t afford more, the Red>Cross add to it up to the 11-pound limit. Educational facilities are provided by the Red Cross. Much is done in England. Classes are held in litera~ ture, languages, business, etc, Many

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present quota in Vancouver is 250 donors per week. This is soon to be raised to 600, when the necessary equipment is ready. ; Canadian blood serum is available everywhere for Canadians, as well as others, both of the armed forces and civilians. It is belng sent to Russia, by way of Murmansk, to Cypress, Lybia, and, of course, was used after Dieppe. In the recent disaster at St. Johns, Newfound- land, the reserved Blood Bank was used and 22 lives were saved.

Editor’s Note. — In view of the forthcoming drive for funds for the Red Cross, we are giving the above outline of the history and work of that worthy organiza- tion.