ly affiliated with the International
  Committee of Berne for the purpose of carrying out the arrangements
  elaborated by the various conferences held at Geneva, and the
  representatives of the American National Red Cross at those
  conferences have uniformly attended with the sanction of the United
  States Government. No additional recognition or sanction is needed
  in that quarter.

  I have therefore the honor to inform you, by direction of the
  President, that this government recognizes, for any appropriate
  co-operative purposes, the American National Red Cross as the Civil
  Central American Committee in correspondence with the International
  Committee for the relief of the wounded in war and to invite similar
  recognition of its status by your department with a view to taking
  advantage of its proffered aid during the present war so far as may
  be available.

                                        Respectfully yours,
                                              WILLIAM R. DAY,
                                                   _Secretary of State_.

The foregoing letter from the Secretary of State defines the position of
the American National Red Cross, as uniformly recognized by the
Government of the United States, and by the International Committee
representing all the treaty nations. The treaty contemplates that there
shall be in each country one national organization of the Red Cross,
with power to organize an unlimited number of subordinate branches, or
auxiliaries, all directly tributary to the national body. As the
personnel and equipment of the Red Cross are expressly neutralized and
protected by the treaty, it was essential to the security of all, that
the civil power and responsibility should be concentrated. It was for
this reason that the president of the International Committee, in his
letter of March 24, 1882, urged that:

  It is important that we be able to certify that your government is
  prepared to accept your services in case of war; that it will
  readily enter into co-ope