Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-03-28
RED CROSS TROUBLES
Miss Boardman's Rejoinder to
Mr.. Phillips Letter.
BRISK CORRESPONDENCE
MRS. LOGAN FIRST PROPOSED
MISS BARroN's RETIREMENT.
A Protest Against Suspension From
Membership Without
Hearing.

gan1ation of the National Red Cross, pre-
cipitated by a memorial sent to Con-
gress at the last session by num-
Der of the members Of that organi-
cation, continues to develop interest
ing phases. Last Mondays issue of The
Star contained an abstract Of the statement
issued on behalf of the executive commit
tee Of the National Red Cross, by Walter
P. Phillips and others, in the course of
which letters were given disclosing certain
action by that committee suspending Miss
Mabel Boardman of this city from member
ship, with view to her ultimate expulsion
from that body. 1t appears, however, that
the full correspondence in the case was
not given publication. Miss Boardman has
sent to Mr.. Phillips lengthy letter on the
subject of her suspension. showing that the
proposition to retire Miss Clara Barton from
the active to honorary presidency of the
Red Cross with annuity did not originate
with Miss Boardman, but with Mrs. John
A. Logan. 1t was Miss Boardman's letter
to Mrs. Logan in reference to the position
to retire Mrs. Barton upon which the &C
ton of the executive committee suSpending
Miss Boardman from membership was
based.-~ In her letter to Mr.. Phillips, Miss
Boardman quotes his letter to her announc-
ing her suspension and her letter to Mrs.
Logan of February 20 in reference to the
retirement of Miss Barton. both of which
were printed in Mondays Star, and con-
tinues, referring to the latter letter under
date of February 20, in part as follows
Breach of Confidence Charged.
This was entirely personal letter 70
Mrs. Logan and part of a confidential cor
respondence. but in no event can any fair
Interpretation be put upon it that will JUS
tify your extraordinary action. 1t, as you
well know, but expresses the views of the
twenty-three members of the Red Cross
who signed the memorial to Congress of
January 20. 1t was written privately to
friend of Miss Barton. intended to further
and promote the expressed views Of that
friend. OF course did not expect to see 1t
made public, though l had been In fact
some time since warned as to the PROBABLE
exercise of the power of suspension by the
executive committee as now composed under
the new bylaws against one who should be
so bold as to criticise the methods OF ex-
penditure that had been previously fol-
lowed, although sueh criticism had the SIN
gle worthy purpose of reforming those
methods. Nowhere in the letter singled out
for publication, or in any other or the let
tiers constituting the confidential CORE
spondence with Mrs Logan is there sin
gle expression of mine that can be fairly
construed as rejecting in any manner on
Miss Bartons integrity. ..
My letter, appears on Its face, and as
Mrs. Logan we'll knew, was drawn from me
by a correspondence which she herself de-
clared to be confidential. Had had any
suspicion of the possible betrayal OF my
confidence the letter would have contained
more explicit statement, which became
entirely unnecessary In a letter to one with
whom I had had number1ess conversations
on the subject. The letter was confden-
tial part Of a confidential correspondence.
Mrs Logan had no right to give it to yau
and you had no right to use 1T in any way
whatever.
Mrs. Logan Made the First Move.
Mrs. Logan had written me letters, dated
February q 1903, and February ID, 1908, in
which will be seen she claims to have made
these remarkable propositions which Mr..
Foster and others interested beside myself,
were endeavoring to carry out. and the
main purport of my letter was to indicate
to her, as Miss Bartons friend, that her,
Mrs. Logans, suggestions were about TO
materialiZe The statements in my letter
pertain chiefly to the annuity. These are
to be construed in connection with other ex-
pressions of mine In the same correspon-
dence with Mrs. Logan contained in letters
in which l set forth the meaning and pur-
pose of the whole Of this protest against
what were deemed the unbusinesslike meth
DDS that terminated In the open protest
made by Mr.. John w. Foster and others
at the late meeting, and which afterward
took form In the document winch was
printed by Congress.
1.-The publication by Mrs. Logan Of Mr..
Fosters and my letters to her releases us
from all obligation to regard as confidential
letters from her, though marked as such,
to which our letters were sent in reply. The
parts omitted refer to questions not under
consideration.
''Holly Hills Farm,
AVENEL, Md, February 2, 1903.
"Mv Dear Miss Boardman:
"From the above you will see that am
out In the country, where have been call
ed to attend to some preparations for the
spring planting. This VIII convince you that
in the deplorahle controversy that is going
on in the Red Cross, which l cannot help
thinking could have been avoided, If the
suggestion which L mace TO you last faiI
had been carried out, and 1 believe now, If
we could in some way raise a fund which
would produce suitable income that would
give Miss Barton some recognition for her
lifelong service in the cause OF humanity
II shall always feel that too much has
been said about the Galveston matter and
not enough about the expenditures Of the
board of control. II one was wrong the
other was, but I hope, my dear Mabel,
that YOU and may not become bad friends
because we differ about the policy that
should be adopted by the Red Cross. If
with your wonderful ability and abundant
wealth you would only start fund for the
Red Cross, the income from which would
be devoted to giving Miss Barton mainten-
ance in a dignified and proper way and to
providing suitable apartments FOR her In
connection with the Offices of the Red Cross,
am quite sure that she would be only too
glad to accept the honorable position of
retired president and give her advice and
best thought to the success of the Red
Cross, which is her idol. - :
It seems to me that in your circle of
wealthy friends there might be raised at
once a handsome fund for the Red Cross
to be used, as suggest. and after her
death 1t would, Of course, continue to be
productive Of great good for this incompara-
BILE organization. All;
'Affectionately,
MRS JOHN A. LOGAN"
Miss Boardman's Reply.
Ny reply to this is as follows: