The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-03-28
RED CROSS SOCIETY
Walter Phillips Surveys the Work Of
the, Americon Organization
Headed by. Miss Barton.
Very Origin and Existence of the So.
= ciety Dependent on Miss Bar
/: tons. Labor and Support.

: Springfield (Mass.) Republican.

The recent unfortunate clash in the
affairs Of the American Red Cross society
has led Walter p. Phillips to make very
Interesting survey of the origin Of the
society and the services of Miss Clara
Barton, it's president. and a statement
an assault made upon her management Of
the funds intrusted to her use. Mr.. Phil
lips shows that without. Miss Barton there
would have been no such society, SO far
as can be seen. Our government Jagged
behind all the chief European powers in
accepting the, Red Cross convention, and
after repeated failures ON the part of
others, among them Rev. DIR. Bellows to
persuade several administrations, Miss
Barton, who had given her services to the
Sanitary and Christian commissions dur
ing the civil war, gained first from Secre-
tary Blaine the assurance of the favor Of
President Garfield, and from President
Arthur the actual recommendation to the
senate Of the ratification of the Geneva
treaty, which resulted favorably 81 years
ago. Miss Barton had up to that time
borne from her private fortune the ex-
penses Of the agitation, and she has ever
since continued to bear almost alone the
expense OF maintaining the organization,
and has never received, or desired to re
ceive, a dollar for her personal services,
which all know have been constant, unre
hitting and efficient. The gifts made
for. the relief Of distress under various
calamities like the Johnston food the
overlooking of the Mississippi, the work
Incidental to the war with Spain, and the
tidal wave that wrecked Galveston she has
administered. Mr.. Phillips says that the
prevailing opinion is that the Red Cross
is supported by the government; but here,
as the world over, the people support the
work. and the office Of the Red Cross is
to serve the government in time of war
nv ,o,~i,oe FL. hn fo11 h 0Ss
are oYertaken by disease in the field. In
other countries the war business has the
Red Cross, and the victims Of other
calamities are relieved by other organiza-
tons; but in our country it's work has been
extended to the suffering due to other
great disasters which need immediate re-
lief.
How prompt and capable the services OF
the Red Cross have been is we'll known,
and Miss Barton has become one of the
famous women of the world through her
unwearied and devoted labors. Mr. Phil
lips reckons that she has in actual cash
contributions given a quarter of a million
dollars, and in her gratuitous services as
much more-''the very life and continued
existence of the Red Cross have been de-
pendent on the moderate income of one
! woman" And the burden she has desired
for years to throw off, if only some one
should appear to take up the work. In
fine, there is no doubt that in respect of all
| things. the irregularities into which the
administration may have fallen were not
such as required the treatment given by
President Roosevelt through Mr.. Cortel-
you s letter and the memorial to congress.
Mr. Phillips reviews the facts as to the
action Of the memorialists, and his history
shows that it was unwisely harsh. Miss
Barton, now in her seventy third year, has
certainly earned the most respectful and
grateful consideration > T.. =.