The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-04-22
RED CROSS'S TROUBLES
THE MrNoRITY's POSITION BE
 ING MADE PLAIN.
One Complaint is the Alleged Loose ness in Business Methods on
 the Part of the Clara Barton Faction.

Washington, April 21.-(special.) .)--The motives which actuated Colonel Herbert and the other Washington members ir their differences with the Clara Barton faction of the Red Cross Society are mol difficuit to understand as the facts come to light. f--. ..s.-a Tt will be impossible to make public in one statement all the Irregularities 1T the business methods of the Red Cross that have come to the attention of the Washington members, one of the sub- committee named to frame a statement of the minority's" position remarked to- day. . ..-.
 .'The public would not have the patience to read at one sitting all the evidence we have collected showing the loose business methods of the society. The first state ment will most probably only be brief review; and it Is likely that supplement tary statements will be made from time to time We do not want to wear news paper readers out with long ones, and think 1t advisable to divide the material into installments."
 One of the charges made by the Wash ington members Is that the officers of the society drew on whatever fund that hap pened to have money in 1t. regardless of the. nature of the obligation to be met.
 Hotel bills of agents, salaries. and va- rious other expenses. which should have been met from the general fund. that es- pecially designed for meeting the ex- penses of the society, are said to have been paid from contributions made for the relief of flood and famine sufferers.
 Ellen Spencer Mussey called the atten- tioa of the Washington members of the Red Cross to the failure of the officers to respect the purposes of the various funds at the time of the Galveston disaster. Before the destruction of the Texas city. Mrs. Mussey was Third Vice-President of the society and was employed as counsel. at a salary of s15O a month. She held this position Cor more than six months, and S1 600 was due her from the society.
 Mrs. Mussey says that when a check was sent her for her services 1t was drawn on the relief fund. She refused to take money which was subscribed es- pecially for the relief of the suffering Texans and returned the check. A check was then. sent her drawn on the general fund, from which salaries and other ex- penses of administration are to be paid.
 This Is only one of many cases of this nature which have besd brought to the attention of the protesting members.
 Congress May Be Asked to Act.
 Washington. April 21.-It seems quite likely now that the trouble which has arisen in the membership of the Red Cross Society will be brought in some form to the attention of Congress soon after 1t shall convene next fall. No deh- nitd decision yet has been reached with regard to this point, but an effort will be made to obtain from Congress such an amendment to the charter of the society as will be satisfactory to those members Awho have been suspended by the execu- tive committee appears to be reasonably certain.
 A suggestion has been made, tentatively that new organization of the Red Cross be effected, but it is understood that this has not met the entire approval of those members who have been suspended, as it is realized that there are technical and legal difficulties in the way of such pro- cedure. The statement which has been prepared by the suspended members will be given to the press in a few days.