THE PUBLIC HEALTH.

Auckland Star, Volume LIII, Issue 143, 19 June 1922, Page 2

THE PUBLIC HEALTH.

» AWAKENING OF CONSCIOUSNESS. RED CROSS LEAGUE'S AIM. In the course of a report submitted to " the Bed Cross Society by Dr. Colquhoun and Miss Svbii Nathan, New Zealand : delegates to "the Bed Cross Conference at Genoa at the end of March, the follow- . ing interesting matters were referred to: I "Our first impression was one of . wonder and interest at coming in coni tact with so many and such different nationalities, especially with those who , had borne the burden of the war and the : events, which followed—famine, disease, ■ and anarchy—Poles, Serbians, Czecho- ' Slovaks, as well as the better known : nationalities, French, Italian, Belgian, • and Russian, not forgetting men and '. women of our own speech from America, . Britain, and Greater Britain. We were struck, through the course of the whole meeting, with the obviously friendly rei lations which were so quickly established - among the dilTerent nationalities, con- ; finning the universal experience that • human relationships are most likely to be established on a friendly basis when i people meet together face to face. The • introductory meeting of the conference was held at the Hotel de Yille. a building of historical interest, and which, with ' the other nublic buildings, was freely f granted by' the Geneva people for the , use of the league. A feature of the . meeting was the presence of the president of the Canton of Geneva, Monsieur ' Butty, who welcomed the league in an eloquent and high-minded address. The most important address was that delivered by Sir Claude Hill, the Directori ! General of the League of Red Cross - Societies, which we specially recommend should be studied closely by, the executive, as it expresses the policy of the " league and the work designed for the •' ! next few years, with a clearness and ' sanity of exureesion which we do not ! doubt will be" appreciated by the execu- ! tive, as it has been by ourselves. "Another important feature of the •' meeting was the statement by the ; American delegate. Dr. Ross Hill, that America would supplement the finances of the league for the next two years, . and we hope the consideration of this : report and of the great work undertaken by the league, will influence the execu- ' ! tive of New Zealand to make a contribu- : I lion to the general funds of the League. "On this day it was agreed that New . ! Zealand should have a seat on the Board ; of Governors; this resolution will not 1 take effect until the next meeting of the ' | Board of Governors. It will be necessary for the executive to name its re- ' prescntative on that board. An appre- . ciative letter was read by Dr. Depages . from Cardinal Gaspanri. expressing the best wishes of his" Holiness the Pope Benedict IV. for the success of the coni ference. An address was also read by I Monsieur Dcs Gnuttes on behalf of the ! original Red Cross Committee, expressing their anproval of the programme drawn up and their desire to work har- \ moniously with the league. I "On the second day Monsieur Bou- : linere, of the French Red Cross, ex- ' pressed the great interest taken in : France and in the work of the society. and said that his society approved of • the universality of the league, involving the admission" of Germany. These ' words are worth noting: 'It is far from I being the desire of the French Red Cross ■ . Society, or of any Frenchman, to per- ! petuate a conflict! the end of which we rejoice to sec.' Upon this a vote was taken on the question of the universa- j ' lity of the league, and the voting was ' ' unanimous. It was agreed that the ; head office of the league he removed to : 'Paris as soon as possible, the reasons for the transfer being both financial and ad- ) minis!rative. Much regret was expressed at the of leaving ! Geneva, which will always remain the spiritual home of the Red Cross work. \ In the discussion on the work of the j league. Dr. Alice Masarykova said: The ; aim of the league has been expressed in . a short sentence, 'the awakening of the hygienic consciousness.' We have to . make people see that the visiting nurse • system, public health instruction, and .Junior Red Cross are the roads that lead to success." She ended with our national motto. 'Truth, Love Work. Work is needed help us to work.' Dr. Masarykova, the daughter of the first President of Czecho-Slovakia, has been i in an Austrian prison for twelve months, ' and had served through the mosti strenuous time of the war and at the period of reconstruction. She was one of the most popular figures at the con- < \ ferer.ee: her enthusiasm and high ideals i were almost rapturously received by all j tlie members of the conference. j i '"Colonel Bicknell (America) dealt ! 1 especially with the Junior Red Cross. ■ and yoi.r delegates are of opinion that ' no field of Red Cross work is more pro- ! mising than this. Sir Nap'er Burnett spol.e vigorously on the subject of pub- ! lie health propaganda in England. General Hailer (Poland 1 was eloquently ' . earnest, and with first-hand information i which he was n'o'ie to furnish re:rardinE i conditions in Poland, profoundly impressed the members of the conference. All the speeches were united on the need iof propaganda among all classes, impressing the need of 'Putc air, pure water, pure food," as being the ground- ; work of public hraltri. It is obvious I that the coming t"gpther of so many | nationalities, repr -enting practically j tee whole world, presented extraordinary difficulties to tho-e who had the mari- | : agoment of affairs. We express, what, | was.as far as we can gather, the general ' opinion of the delegates, our appreciation j ! ot the fact. Itindne/s, and ability with; whith the meetings were conducted " ' " =