The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-07-11


I'm May. 1S93 general meeting was
held and re-incorporation OF the general
association was had under the present
name of the American National Red Cross.
1t was in 1898 that the first touch Of war
awakened the people of the United States
with the desire to work. and the conscious
ness Of necessity for directing power. In
this emergency two standing committees
came into existence one was the Cuban
Relief Committee. formed before the war
for the relief Of the reconcentrados In
Cuba. with which the president Of the Red
Cross was actively connected by request
OF President Mckinley and the Secretary
of State. The second committee was known
as the New York Relief Committee for the
Red Cross. which formed at the outbreak
Of the war at the instance OF wealthy and
influential citizens of New York City. I'm
der it hundreds Of auxiliaries worked with
tireless assiduity during the entire cam
paign.
Since then the National Red Cross has
been with its bills before Congress pray
ing its recognition and protection. The
result Of that labor is now before US, and
We are here to act upon and under 1t.
While waiting for this action we have been
powerless to make direct connection be-
tween the auxiliary bodies and the Nation
al Association. but the time has now come
when this work should be taken up.
Request. for Branch Societies.
Some of the subjects which should
| come before the National Red Cross are
the requests of Alaska and Porto Rico for
| a branch of the American Red Cross. or
provisional connection with it. In Cuba
| provisional connection has been ar
areeDfanCe
proper officers. The Red Cross has been So
licited by the Governors of various States
to aid In the establishment Of a Soldier s
and Sailors Home in Manila. India, with
Its starving millions. may also need the
Red Cross. and China, with its horrors,
is coming to us in turn.
The Red Cross will continue to retain
its headquarters in Washington, but, in
| order to do the work demanded. l must
| recommend that there should be a fund
| of at least half a million dollars to give
| the work permanency. This fund should
be raised by the people. and in no way
come from the Government Never lose
sight Of the fact. pray you. that the Red
Cross means peoples help for national
necessities. not national help for people s
needs. The American National Red Cross
has never received a dollar Of support
from the Government, as such, and has
never sought it."
Miss Barton recommended the appoint
ment Of permanent committee in Con-
| gress for the Red Cross. In thanking those
| who had come at the call for the meeting,
Miss Barton referred to her own service,
which had been longest Of all. saying:
Added to home duties, with a correspond
ence equal to bureau. with no revenue.
no dues no fund-have been in seventeen
fields in nineteen years--every one carried
through, its work finished. its communities
rescued. Its lives saved. the accounts Of
each closed at the end. and the public re-
port made. IL there were something lef.
to make 1t with. took up the work of the
Red Cross for its good, for the good OF
humanity. and not my own. The end has
been reached: the Red Cross in America
is an accomplished fact
Again Selected President,
At the close of her address, Miss Barton
earnestly requested that she be relieved
from further service, but Hilary A. Her
bert. former Secretary of the Navy, de-
clared that the society could never be
brought to such an action. and amid ap-
plause he moved that the board Of control
be instructed to re-eiect Miss Barton to
the presidency. The vote was unanimous.
Afterwards the board of control was
chosen. which has the general manage
ment Of the affairs Of the society. The
following were elected as members Of the
board. the five first named to serve for
three years. the second five for two years.
and the remaining five for one year: Clara
| Barton. B. II. Warner. Stephen E. Barton.
Mrs Ellen Spencer Mussey. Walter r.
Phillips. Of Connecticut: William Father.
W. H. Michael. Samuel z. Jarvis, of New
York: A. C. Kaufman. of South Carolina !;
Joseph Gardner. of Indiana: Gen. Daniel
Hastings. of Pennsylvania: Mrs. ]. Ellen
Foster. Mrs. James Tanner. II. B. F. Mac
farland, and Mrs Phoebe Hearst, OF Cali
fornia. After the meeting the members
of the society took cars for Miss Barton S
| home at Glen Echo, where they enjoyed
| lunch
| In the evening a meeting of the board
was again held in the parlors OF the Ar
lington. 1t was attended by Miss Ear
ton: her nephew. Stephen A Barton, OF
New York; Mrs. Alice Spencer Mussey.
| President Of the Womens Law School: w.
; II. Michael. Clerk to the Secretary of
State; A. C. Kaufman. of Charleston,
5. c.. who is one of the members Of the
Board of Visitors to West Point: Walter p
Phillips. of Bridgeport. Conn: Mrs. J.. Ell
len Foster. of Washington, and Mrs. James
Tanner, of Washington.
Miss Barton presided temporarily and
her private secretary W. H. Scare. was
acting secretary. Miss Barton was chosen
president for a term of three years. Other
officers who will serve for one year each.
were elected by the board as follows: First
Vice President 3. H. Warner, OF Wash
ington: Second Vice President, Stephen
E. Barton; Third Vice President, Mrs. Ell
len Spencer Mussey; General Secretary.
Walter A. Phillips: Treasurer William
J. Father of the Riggs National Bank !:
and Counselor. Mrs. Mussey. A special
committee of three was authorized to Be
named by Miss Barton to act on forming
auxiliary societies throughout the country.
1T AM A DEMOCRAT"