8 
NORTH SHORE BREEZE 
Open Meeting of Manchester Woman’s Club 
The Manchester Woman’s club 
held the first meeting of the season 
in the Congregational chapel Tues- 
day. Mrs. F. G. Cheever, accom- 
panied by Miss Jessie Hoare sang 
very sweetly before Mrs. D. T. 
Beaton, this year’s president, opened 
the meeting with a few well chosen 
words of weleome. Mrs. Beaton 
spoke of the activity of the organi- 
zation during the summer months 
and reported that the June and 
July committee for the District 
Nurse Fund, working together, con- 
tributed $167 to the treasury. The 
August and September committee 
furnished over three hundred dol- 
lars. In introducing Miss Mabel T. 
Boardman, Mrs. Beaton presented 
her as not only the speaker of the 
day but as the first honorary mem- 
ber of the club. 
Miss Boardman, through her long 
connection with the Red Cross asso- 
ciation, was well qualified to speak 
upon the subject which she had 
chosen, ‘‘The International Red 
Cross.’’ The Red Cross society may 
be said to have drawn its first 
breath in the old days when the 
eood Samaritan gave aid to the 
poor wayfared, said Miss Boardman. 
The next step in the development of 
the organization was the Knights’ 
Hospitalers in Jerusalem, who gave 
help to the needy, irrespective of 
sect or position. This band of work- 
ers spread into surrounding cities 
and its work was upon the same 
principles of the Red Cross associa- 
tion of today, neutrality and hu- 
manity. In 1854 another step to- 
ward the formation of the associa- 
tion was taken when the noble deeds 
of Florence Nightingale during the 
Crimean war caused world wide 
comment. Miss Nightingale’s task 
systematizing the conditions in the 
hospitals at that time was stupend- 
ous and the spirit of the Red Cross 
was expressed in her action of volun- 
teering her services. 
Miss Nightingale’s work was °s- 
pecially a matter of interest to a 
hoy in Switzerland, Henri Du Long. 
He was so greatly impressed by the 
fine spirit of it that, being in Italy 
during the battle of Saferino, he 
organized a committee to work on 
the battlefield to help the sick and 
wounded. The result was the con- 
ference at Geneva, at which the 
Societv of the Red Cross was offici- 
ally founded. The treaty which as- 
snred the safety of the Red Cross 
workers, during times of war, from 
all nations was signed at that time. 
In many of the problems brought 
before the conference Mr. Bolles, the 
American representative, was able 
to give valuable help as nearly all 
of the questions had been answered 
by the U. S. Sanitary Commission 
during the Civil war. 
The lantern slides showed the 
work of the Red Cross society in the 
European countries. In England the 
work of the St. John’s ambulance 
association was shown. The object 
of this organization is to prepare 
men and women alike for the duties 
of emergency nursing in war and 
peace. Miss Boardman spoke very 
highly of this association, the fore- 
runner of the Red Cross society. 
In France the line of work taken 
up by the women of the common 
class and that by the ladies of higher 
station in life was taken up to some 
extent. But more at length, Miss 
Boardman showed the Dispensary 
elass work which has gone far in 
teaching the use of medicines and 
relief work. 
The thing most worthy of note in 
Russia’s work along this line was 
the fund of $50,000, donated by the 
Dowager Empress, the income of 
which was to be used every five 
vears for the distribution of prizes 
for good work by the Red Cross 
society in times of peace only. 
Miss Boardman spoke at some 
length on the anti-tuberculosis work 
in Germany, which in many ways, 
surpasses that of any other nation. 
Patients are cared for in settlements, 
where homes and gardens are pro- 
vided for the families) Germany 
shows consideration for these pati- 
ents who must of a_ necessity be 
some burden to the country. 
example, Miss Boardman cited the 
ease of one of the largest factories 
in Germany, which provides ample 
opportunity for young girls to learn 
embroidering and then work upon 
the linen which is furnished. 
The well known sign of the Red 
Cross is not accepted in Turkey be- 
eause of the strong religious feeling. 
The red crescent has been substi- 
tuted. The society’s work was very 
active during the recent Turko- 
Italian war. 
The best part of the Red Cross 
work in Greece is the aid which is 
given to the Montenegran, Albanian 
and Bulgarian refugees during the 
many border wars which are con- 
stantly arising. 
Miss Boardman” gave highest 
praise to the quick response of the 
Red Cross society during the recent 
As an 
eruption at Messinia and Reggio. 
Doctors and nurses came at once 
from Germany, France and Switzer- 
land. While the subject of Miss 
Boardman’s address was not Ameri- 
can Red Cross work, she felt that 
too much could not be said in 
praise of the noble work of her 
country. The relief ship which 
came down from Rome was the first 
step and many others followed dir- 
ectly. Tools and building materials 
were sent at once and what is 
known as ‘‘the American city’’ at 
Messinia sprung up.. On orphanage, 
which is still maintained, was an- 
other tangible result of the Red 
Cross work at that time. From 
the sashes of ruined houses a cross 
of red glass was made and placed 
in the new chureh, which stands: 
today as a monument to the noble 
work of the American Red Cross 
society. It is ealled the church of 
the Saered Cross. a 
Branches of St. John’s Ambu- 
lance association have given aid tog 
: 
the people of India for many years 
in times of famine, and as the work 
of this organization is so nearly 
identical with that of the Red Cross, — 
Miss Boardman gave it its full 
measure of praise. ; 
The neutral spirit of the Red 
Cross society has been expressed in 
the revolution which has trans-— 
formed Old China into a new Repub- 
lic. The Imperialists and the- Re- 
volutionists alike received aid re-— 
gardless of party or the conditions - 
of war. 
Japan has been, perhaps, among 
the most enthusiastic Red Cross 
workers of the eastern nations. Re-_ 
cently at the annual conference 
there were over 35,000 present. 
Japan’s Red Cross has a fund of 
$7,000,000, which has been raised — 
within comparatively few years. 
The Dowager Empress of this little - 
country endowed a fund of $50,000 
to the international treasury, for the 
henefit of the Red Cross which is ever 
bringing the nations nearer in times 
of war and which may eventually 
mean the dawn of a new peace. . 
Miss Boardman’s excellent ad- . 
’ 
dress was greatly appreciated by 
her audience and she was given a 
rising vote of thanks. A large bou- 
quet of carnations was presented to — 
her in token of their estimation. 
Tea was served by Mrs. George — 
Sinnicks and Mrs. Ellery Rogers, 
the vice presidents of the club, and 
the directors, Mrs. Mary Merrill, — 
Mrs. Emma Stanley, Mrs. George 
