On June 25, 1917, Romain Rolland wrote to Gustave Ador, then President of the International Committee of the Red Cross, informing him of the gift he was making to the Central Prisoners of War Agency. This gesture is worth recalling fifty years later, at a time when the fine figure of the author of Jean-Christophe is held in such high esteem.

The International Committee is aware of the value of this high distinction of which it is the recipient. It fully appreciates the honour it has been given, especially in view of the large number of serious contestants. To this it pays tribute to its predecessors and those who showed it the way to be followed, to Gustave Moynier, its President for forty years and to its actual President, Mr. G. Ador, whom it is entitled to name, since he is at present performing other duties and that it is due to his largeness of heart, his exceptional qualities and his personal and devoted labours that the International Prisoners of War Agency in Geneva was created, organized and developed.

As is known, the ICRC is continuing its activity in various countries of the Near East. It is concerning itself at the same time with prisoners of war, internees and refugees. It is also trying to resolve in a practical way certain problems which affect civilians more especially. Mention was made in the last issue of the International Review of the repatriations of Egyptian civilians which took place in October and for which one of the ICRC delegates assumed practical responsibility. On his return to Geneva he gave an account which we consider to be of interest.

On December 22, 1966, took place the by now traditional ceremony at which the International Committee presents a token of gratitude to personnel having twenty years of service to then credit. This year there were three such staff members to whom Mr. S. A. Gonard, President, expressed the institution's appreciation for their zeal and loyalty to the Red Cross. He presented each of them with a silver platter on which the recipient's name was engraved.

In 1937, during the Spanish Civil War, young A. H. S., who was born in Bilbao in 1929, went to the USSR.