PEACE CONGRESS

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 174, 17 April 1919, Page 7

PEACE CONGRESS

NEW ZEALAND DELEGATION ALLIES RED CROSS PEACE PLAN (From Mr. R. Riley, Official Journalist with the New Zealand Peace Delegation.) Paris, February 2G. One of the most interesting functions that Mr. Alassey has attended in Paris in his official capacity as Prime Minister of New Zealand was the dinner given recently to the international Press representatives' (who, as they themselves say, are attempting to report the Peace Conference which is an absolute negation of Mr. Wilson's doctrine of ' open treaties openly arrived at") by Mr. Henry P. Davison, a representative 01 the American Red Cross, and chairman of Ihe Allied Committee of the Red Cross Societies. The dinner was merely a social opportunity for the discussion by representative men of sin important movement for the preparation of an extended programme of lied Cross activities following the declaration of peace. The aim of the Allied Tied Cross Committee is to establish a permanent workin;,' organisation through which the peoples of the world miiy co-operato in studying disease and combating it overy-wliei-o and in every form. In other words the great development of the Keel Cross organisation for alleviating the havoc of war anions the armies of the ■\llies is to be mado a vital factor in promoting the interests of humanity m The principal sneaker was Mr. Davipon who outlined the committee's plan of campaign. He first of nil submitted ft memorandum from the Joint Committee of Red Cross Societies, at whose remiest the International lied Cross Committee at Geneva has called a convention of (ho Red Cvos= organisations of the world at Geneva thirty days after Hie declaration of peace, '['he object of the projected convention is to formulate an extended programme of Red Cross activities m the interests of humanity. It is honed to establish an organisation for the fostering of the study of disease, for the promotion of sound measures for public health and sanitation, the welfare of children and mothers, Hie edncation and training of nurses, the care and prevention of tuberculosis, venereal disease, malnrin, and other chronic and infection? diseases, and providing measures tor handling moblems of world rebel i" emergencies such as fire, famine, and pestilence. The plan, briefly, is to inaugurate an in.iernatio-.ial lifc-sayniß campaign to help to overcome quickly and humanely the destruction of energetic i life by the war. Those New Zealanders I who have laboured hard without a full ! measure of sympathy and practical sup- | port to improve the lealtli f.nd social status of the population—uphill work that surely has obtained great success already-shonld find comnensation and rasoiration in the plan of the Allied Ked I Cross societies, wliose y heme includes acI tivities which have been practised widely, if somewhat exnerim'.ntolly, for many year-i in the Dominion. These comments, which are justified bv facts, are especially true as regards "New Zealand s DiirVst pfforts in the direction of promoting public health, the welfare of mothers and children, sanitation, traming of nurses, and prevention of disease. The Committee of ( |m aIUmI Hod Cross Societies intends to e=tablish forthwith working he!n!:|iiar..era at: Cannes, and to invite there The world's leading expsrts in public health, tuberculosis, hygiene and sanitation, ar.d chil't welfare, with a view to formulnhnß prolamines for presentation to th? <,onvfiiti'Hi at Cienevn. It is intended to stimulate in eneli country lha develop, ir.ent of Eeil Cross activities in keeiiin:! villi the aims end Haw of the Allied K?rl f!rn=3 Societies. It was mentioned by Mr. Davison that more than forty million American peonlo had contributed to the American Tied dross Society for war work, and _ that vheii the armistice was signed their orp.ini&ntion was four times the size of l'ln> American Expeditionary Forces. It had eight million u?onle. working for it. Hβ tmnhasisod the need for further or"animation huiiin>--t infectious diseases by mentioning that Hip deaths in India from influenza alone were estimated to he about two and a half millions. Kir Arthur Liuvley. representing tlio British Red Cross Society, modestly, bin mite effectively, recounted the development and work of the British Red Cross Society in every theatre of war. It would be deplorable, he said, if all the machinery and organisation for Red Cros3 wort during the war were to be flung -ipon tha sorap-heap. It was the duty of tl.c Mlied nations to broaden the base of Red Cross activity so that the stricken peoples of a greatly distracted work might be guided through the long night of sorrow to the golden dawning cf « bettor day. It was made clear at the function rnnt the representatives of many nali.in.' assembled there would strive to promote tlio great Red Cross movement.