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The founders of the Red Cross did not seek to establish their work on the elements of a doctrine. They referred to a concept of the world which was common to them all and which did not appear to need any explanation. They were impelled by the emotions which Henry Dunant's revelations and proposals had raised in them. Their purpose was to "take into serious consideration the idea proposed in the conclusions of the book entitled "A Memory of Solférino", namely the foundation of Societies for the Relief of Wounded Soldiers and the addition of a corps of medical volunteers to the belligerent armies", and their concern was "how" to put that idea into practice rather than "why". It is true that those conclusions contained in embryo a whole set of guiding principles which were not formally stated until much later; but they appeared then as a necessary condition for the application of the initial decisions rather than as their source.

In the years of transition and change between 1918 and 1939, the only constant was the contrast with the turmoil of the world wars which preceded and followed that period. In this passage from one world conflict to the next, three stages, not only in the evolution of the world but also in that of the ICRC, may he distinguished.

Wonderfull many places, in the Ciuile law, require an expert Arithmeticien, to vnderstand the deepe Iudgment, & Iust determinatiô of the Auncient Romaine Lawmakers. But much more expert ought he to be, who should be hable, to decide with æquitie, the infinite varietie of Cases, which do, or may happen, under every one of those lawes and ordinances Ciuile. Hereby, easely, ye may now coniecture: that in the Canon law; and in the laws of the Realme (which with vs, beare the chief Authoritie), Iustice and equity might be greatly preferred, and skilfully executed, through due skill of Arithmetike, and proportions appertainyng.John Dee The Mathematical Præface to the Elements of Geometrie of Euclid of Megara (1570), at [12].