The National tribune., 1893-07-27
TIE RELIEF CORPS.
Gleanings from National Headquar-
terS---NOteS from the Departments
CALL A HALT.
Retrenchment and Economy Necessary to
Practical Relief Work.

Retrenchment and Economy Necessary to
Practical Relief Work.
The editorial advice to delegates expecting
to attend 18th National Convention W.R.C., to
be held in Indianapolis Sept. 5, 6 and z, has
brought forth commcndatory responses from
some of the best women in the Order, in De-
partments East and West.
~ am thoroughly alive to the threatening
danger" writes woman who has been work
ing member of the old guard ever since the Re-
lief Corps has had being. Something must be
done to awaken our women to the Importance
of more care in the management of our finances.
If rules are only made to be broken, why have
any rules?
Another writes: II have for sometime
wanted to write my views to The NATIONAL
TRIBUNE, but find them most forcibly en-
bodied in the W.R.C. editorial, Call Halt
Extravaganza and short-sightedness have
heaped grievons burdens upon the officers of
our Department"
Another writes: In our Department. the
expenses of the President last year were enor-
nous. In my opinion no President should
travel about at Department expense to attend
Campfres and Reunions. The local Corps or
Posts inviting them ought to pay expenses"
Another writes of the enormous expense of
printing limited number of annual reports,
and still another of Department committees
who have their expenses paid. From two large
Departments comes the news of the running
expenses of last year, reaching within few
dollars of the incomes, leaving the Presidents
this year to struggle with empty treasures and
outstanding bills coming in.
In one large Department the general fund
was last year so crippled by travelling ex-
penses," "hotel bills" meals on cars" "car-
rage hire" and so on, as to leave nothing for
the Department President to relieve needy
Army Nurses, there being no fund on hand to
supply the exhausted relief fund.
One Department President, who began her
count, and who has since had bills to meet to
the amount of seven or eight hundred dollars,
incurred by the last administration. including
expensive journals, says:
I hope by careful economy to so reduce ex-
penses that these debts can be paid without dis
tressing the Corps of this Department. It is
not wise that they should know of all this
waste; it would discourage them. The times
are hard, and the Posts and Corps in this De-
psrtment are badly crippled.
Unless women wake up and rise out of
their thoughtlessness and selfshness this De-
partment will lose many Corps. self-sacrifce
is the foundation of our work. Nothing less is
worthy the auxiliary of the GAR. Unless
officers practice it, how can we expect the Corps
to do so?"
The Editor indorses the last writer In the
stand she takes, except that the Corps should
not be kept in ignorance of the true state of
affairs. Conventions, Department and National,
are short, and last but few hours at most. 1t
is the Corps that do the solid work, week in
and week out, and the Corps have a right to
know how their affairs, as a whole, are man
aged. If officers keep them in the dark, how
are they to know of their danger?
WORD WITH CORPS
It is from the Corps, after ALL the delegates
to National Convention arc going, and every
Corps that is represented, either by National or
Department officer eligible to seat in Ma
tional Convention, or by other accredited rep
resentatives, should instruct them to vote for
retrenehment and reform
The times are hard there are thousands
who are suffering and in need of help. Let us
concentrate every effort upon our relief fund.
Let US lop off ell dress parade expen ses wher-
ever we can do 80.
Corps workers everywhere, be chary of your
general fund insist upon economy in your
running expenses, that there may be steady
surplus to swell the relief Give generously
in this direction, but hesitate long if for any
other.
Beware of the pernicious and steadily grow
ing practice of paying the expenses of dele.
gates to District Conventions. Department
Conventions and National Conventions. Once
in a hundred times there will be a woman
among you 50 invaluable as your representa-
tive that you will gladly take upon you the
sacrifice of meeting her expenses
But this is the exception, not the rule. Pat
tern by the sound, practical working Corps of
your Order, and refuse to vote your money to pay
the travelling expenses Of Corps representa-
tive. Save your money and vote it into the
relief fund; or make your Post happy with
goodly gift, If you have not done SO; or re-
member the unhappy old soldiers and the help
less soldiers orphans, who need your help in
Frightening and blessing their lives in the
homes provided for them.
ARrrv nUrRCE