The Washington times., 1903-05-22
PUBLIC DISTRUST Of
RED CROSS METHODS
Contrast With Confidence
Of Mt. Pelee Contributors.
MINORITY DRAWS PARALLEL
Comment on Miss Barton's Appeal for
First Aid" Department-Gal-
weston Relief Fund Collections.

washington members of the Red Cross
have commented on two articles which
appeared on the second page of The
Times last Wednesday. One article was
the appeal OF Miss Barton for funds 10
establish a first aid" department. The
other was statement of the commit
tee named by the President to receive
money for the relief of Mont Pelee
sufferers.
Under the direction of the late Abram
s. Hewitt. Cornelius n. Bliss, Gustav
H Schwab. and other men who axe
prominent in the commercial world. the
Mont Pelee committee received S157, 600.
or this amount. only 5000 was used
In Martinique. aud the remainder is to
be used as the contributors to the fund
direct.
Poor Accounting.
Appeals are said by "the minority" to
have always been the chief character
istic of Miss Barton's administration of
tbs Red Cross. Accountings had little
Place in the affairs of the American
he'd Cross A circular such as the one
issued by the Mont Pelee committee
"
members who sought to conduct the So
clety on business lines.
The public contributed S157, ,O00 TO the
relief of the Martinique sufferers in ad-
dition to the $500. 600 appropriated by
Congress This generous response is at
trihuted by the dissenting members OF
the Red Cross TO the confidence which
people had in the capable business men
who made up the Mont Pelee committee
named by the President This confidence
was strengthened by the business-li
report of the committee.
Galveston Fund Collection.
When Galveston was swept away the
Red Cross received only s17, 600 for the
relief of the sufferers. Generous con-
tributions were made through the gov
ernor of the State and local relief COM
mittees. but the responses to the appeal
of the Red Cross were few.
The generous response to the appeal
of the Mont Pelee committee for funds
to relieve the sufferings of foreigners is
pointed to by the local members of the
Red Cross as a result which could be
readily accomplished by the American
Red Cross were it conducted on bust
ness lines. and managed by men whose
standing in the business world is be-
yond question.
Mabel T. Boardman's Views.
''It is not to be wondered at that
$4,000 was given by the public over
and above the s200,O 900 appropriated by
Congress for the relief of the Mont
Pelee sufferers when the men who were
appointed as receiver by the President
are considered" Mabel T Boardman
said this morning in discussing the cir
cular issued by Gustav H. Schwab, who
has been chairman of the relief COM
mittee since the death of Abram S.
Hewitt,
For Galveston. the Red Cross, with
all its vaunted reputation. received only
$1,000. The proof of the pudding is in
the eating. and the proof of public con-
tdence at such times is the giving"
The prompt relief afforded the St
Pierre sufferers by the Presidents com
ILittee is pointed to by the Washington
members of the Red Cross as an en-
fbatic denial of Miss Barton's assertion
that the adoption OF business methods
by the American Red Cross would inter
fere with the speedy administration Of
funds in emergencies.