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Disaster In History: The league also coordinates international Red Cross disaster in history operations; whenever a national society finds itself faced with a disaster in history need too great for its own resources, it appeals for aid through the league, which then asks other societies to help. Since the league can ask assistance for the disaster in history-hit society from all others, no one society is pressed, while all together assure a full response.
A board of governors and an executive committee control the league's affairs. The membership of both is drawn from the national societies.
From 1881 to 1904 Clara Barton led the young society (which became the American National Red Cross in 1893) in a series of disaster in history relief operations. During these years were established the guiding principles of today's Red Cross disaster program—that Red Cross disaster in history relief is not charity but essential aid to average citizens unable temporarily to help themselves, that Red Cross aid must meet needs but not attempt to replace losses, and that disaster in history aid should aim to restore families to self-reliance as soon as possible. Also during Clara Barton's years as president of the society came the organization's first war experience, service in the Spanish-American War of 1898.
Within a month after its organization the infant Red Cross society plunged into its first disaster in history relief operation—for victims of a forest fire in Michigan. Thus was the American association's major contribution to Red Cross work— disaster in history service—almost immediately determined. While Henri Dunant in 1863 had suggested that the Red Cross could provide peacetime services in disaster in history and other emergencies (as well as wartime service for sick and wounded soldiers),the suggestion had rarely been taken up until the formation of the American society. In 1884 the society presented to an International Red Cross Conference the so-called "American" amendment that is the basis for all Red Cross peacetime disaster programs. |
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