OUR BABIES.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 12726, 22 August 1919, Page 7

OUR BABIES.

(By HTGEIA.) Published under the auspices of th» «oys,l New Zealand Society for the Health of Women and Children. "It is wiper to put IJp * fence at the top of a precipice thar, to maintain an smouiaace at the bottom,’ 1 THE BED CROSS AND INFANT WELFARE. (Continued.) Last week wo dealt with the proposed co-operation of Hie British Red Cross in truant, AActfarc work. This week we shall show* how the movement is likely to become world-wide. wmmitto 6 of representatives of tbc Rod Cross Societies of France Great Britain, Italy. Japan and the United States wa. s formed, with MiHenry F. .Davison (United States) as caaxrrnan. On February 21. 1919, Mr Davison submitted the following memorandum from. Fans, which explains matters very clearly, MEMORANDUM BY AIR HENRY F. DAVISON; . The International Red Cross Committee fit Genera has called a conveui'i.°u of tne .Rod Cross organisations of the work... to meet a t Geneva thirty a A?, illbex- tho declaration of peace. 1 his call was_ issued at, the request m ■! j c ., t,ro£S societies of the jnitcd States, trance, Great Britain, Italy and Japan, whose representatives have constituted themselves * “ CornnnUeo of Red Cross Societies” to formulate, and to propose to the Rod Cross societies of the world an extended programme of Red Cross activities in the interest of humanity.”

The Governments of the fire Conntnes roproseiHocl in this nucleus of a, (■ominifec have from Hie outset been fully informed of the proposal to bold such a. world conlcrence; tbev regard it as ■ important., and each has separately manifested its desire that a plan embodying the purposes of this committee be. prepared for submission to such conference.

THE MOTIVE OF THE PL AM. The world is appalled at the widespread human suffering which has followed m the wake of the war. Problems of iood and reconstruction are of such magnitude that they musk of course, be dealt with and financed bv Governments. But. in addition, there is a vast field for supplementsrv and emergency effort on the part of Volun■'dV’ national relief organisations. ine original Geneva Convention was designed primarily to guarantee nouiniuy to those actually engaged in the care of sick and wounded ootobatiif'.i r l l!s Irar1 rar llas shown, however, that they battlefield of modern warfare extends into every home of the nations involved. Out of this fact has grown the necessity that the Red Cross should in tune of war extend its ministrations te homeless refugees as well as to civilx:™ m homes behind the JmcsThe International Red Cross at Genera has from tho very beginning done an important work. TbroughofSS'h PreS °f n r U ' s Ilich Principles of both neutrality and hrdpfulnesss JnJr 6 "- Its position of pre-eminence as the great neutral agency dioHld be uphold, and it i s the ■ lehef that its .deals for extending relief m time of war ran l ? e applied with equal vigour and effectiveness in time or peace. The experience of the war has developed an advauved practice in caring of luot berhood and •-bildhood. It, has likewise demonstrate, te f|°J eUna most promising possibilities i I, !^ rG n and i treytmo,lk of tnbcrcu; „.rm other diseases. It is accordingly of unusual import.inco at this moment in the world’s history that representatives of the vari- ' ous peoples should meet in conference mid l} dff° Jn . forn , latlon experience,’ ..nd determine how voluntary effort in every country may best exert Self in the service of humanitv. it is peculiarly' Jilting that <=uch a S^r u thrT»° : fr ld luoet under fch ® mgis ol the Red Cross, fo r the Red Cross ha. shown itself to he an instruS of * flexibility and adaptK,' k k- T hK jb to promote efforts T r of K*«*w , , Ktd Gross emblem signifies, next to human sympathy, above : ,11 dro S? a a y ‘bT < ’ r,>Kt ' r :US lions. <i s hetireon races, as between religions, as between classes. While p form i n cad. counter! own r°' rS mi,m ? io rp bd.ions with its own Goronunert. mi R p rcso . r v e s its voluntary and democratic character -,lk KS cx b e , ctcd 1 bat out of this world withering there wdi emerge an international organisation through which the peoples of the world may cooperate " » .m.,l o f,ng »„d d„v„l„pi,b n tbe respective countries' for' the betterment of mankind, of bnmri U,ti i Vlti, ’ S W °" ld fosUsr the study ff human disease, promote sound menMircs for public health and sanitaGon tbo well are of children and mothers and T\ V™’ ° n a n d tr;l!nin ~ "f mirsw,| I the care and prevention of tulmr- . r iS k V ° nrrt ’ nl . ,liso:| ''’- malaria, and ll or chronic or infections diseases, and vouid provide measures for handlim Problems of world relief in omergenc eV such as (ire, famine, and pestilent '

PLAN OF PROCEDURE. It is the plan of the Committee of Pod Cro SS Societies M . to proceed im nedoitdy to the definite formation oF C « }Xnnt wili invited thA world s lea din w experts in uv health, tuberculosis, hygiene tiifcion, imd child -welfare. It is P v" pected that the-past experience of the rations will h e carefully canvassed with .1 vmw to -the formulation of profa™ of action which,, can be ,Q before- the Congress at Geneva. J'ol b h3t ' €Vent -’ *tT- programmes would be communicated’ to , the R.o f i Cross Societies of all the nations, and the societies would each in its own v- av stimulate the carrying out of thoseprogranimes among the respective people* J*, 1 ' Proposed that, following tlie Congress, there will he establishefl, 3t beneva .»■ permanent working

organisation. Such organisation -will comprise experts who will keen in toncn with the developments through- ; £ ii various limes in which the Bed Cross is interested- Immediately developments should have fieen realised in any part of the world either m research or practice, lull intormabon would be communicated to the central oragmsation at Geneva,, and there scrutinised. This information advice, concerning it would then be transmibboAi* tlw Kcd. (..toss Society? of the worldIt is not the_ thcmvht that, the internajona organisation at, Genera would iCelf carry opt tn c programmes adopted. or that .the Bed Cross Societies of the individual countries would themiffi? wessaJ ' l} h conduct, operation, along the respective lines indicated tJ* 1 *- f, ™Pk-n->>Wevep. that the fnhlwf* organisation at Geneva will heieatter continue to formulate and hjo P -nT li r /' Ued Cross effort in (he interest of human! tv. Thew moSTedT + r IJ - conimimi- < ieser h ° ln ' dvn,JuaJ Red Gross So--WOTIM - Hraade.by the intcr-der-uf OT ganisation to stimulate the te/tdopiuent m eacli oountn* of an irtrae and efficient Bod Gross organicGnu in beeping with tho mwlv-rom oived posKioihties of the Red 'Cross movement '-'toss Rod Pross Society, in t-he light of information from the internationa! organisation, or on the basis sUn'-ml-,? experience or desires will St'S teS- 0 f Plish the ITTE MEANING OF THE FLAN \S A WHOLEcfflnl tttr t,iOTl 1 invo,VPs 110t ram-elv eiterts to ichevo human suffering bur. . o pioTcnt it—-not alone the sufferin' l atlTmoK t bUt an at Wrapt, to arouse hi hili( v r»r iV, a S( k ?s Gioir responsuulit.v for the welraro of their fellowbeings throughout. the world. formation ’of whl^wilTbe^dTectf n fiKSS? in *• of s ou Sfh tli ' > ™S d w ( nhl hj i operation of such a plan uikl develop a new fraternitv ard dohm’^ 7 flm ° tl,e T co ples. 'Bv so domg an important contribution "will have been made towards the success Nntion? ’ and thSp^l ir “hje 1 W b ° Vl ® wed , ? s - a raWl factor n-u l ar urKicrr.akiug, all ° T ' ea2 ’ ne °f Nations aims to hold all peoples together in an effort to avoid uar and to ensure freedom; this*'par' ticular plan aims at devisirm a Dr £L Z c^h7^ ] pwpk - s ™y*^: ■ o actively m promoting tho health and happiness of one another at Cannes o .i 7, Ce nt , e ■conference. »lvXd:i4t. r “ o,otions •"*•4