Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-04-18
PROPOSE TO CONTEST
Suspended Red Cross Mem
bers Ready for Fight.
APPEAL TO THE PUBLIC
CLAIM THEY HAVE FACTS AND
FIGURES UP THEIR SLEEVES.
Meeting Being Held at Miss Board
mans This Afternoon What
Statement Will Say.

The twenty-three Washington members
of the American National Red Cross who
| were suspended by the executive commit
tee at a meeting of that body in New York
Monday, April 9. will fight for what they
believe to be their rights.
They will send a formal statement to Mr..
Walter Phillips. who they term the so
called chairman of the executive commit
tee of the Red Cross, denying in toto the
legality of their suspension.
They will make q general statement to
the public setting forth the reasons that
ton of the Red Cross. If this statement
is not sufficient to place them in the proper
light before the public, further statement
will be issued, giving facts and figures
which, it is said will make reading of moro
than ordinary interest.
Met This Afternoon
A meeting of a committee appointed by
the suspended members and composed Of
Mr. Simon Wolf, chairman; Gen. John M.
Wilson, Mrs. j. Ellen Foster and Miss
Mabel Boardman, secretary, was held this
afternoon at the residence of Miss Board
man, Dupont Circle. The meeting in
progress when The Evening Star went to
press.
The paper prepared by Mr.. Hilary A.
Herbert. former Secretary of the Navy
setting forth the legal status of the sus-
pended members, and all other matters con-
nected with the pending controversy were
taken up and discussed. While The Even
ing Star is not in position to tell all that
transpired at this meeting, it may be con-
f1dently stated that the members suspended
proposed to adopt the plan outlined
above.
The statement to the public will declare
unequivocally, 1t is said, that the contro-
versy has been and is being distorted by
Miss Clara Barton, president of the Red
Cross, and those surrounding her. 1t will
set forth that, prior to the chartering of the
Red Cross by Congress in 1900, it was
personal affair; that whatever was done
In the name of the Red Cross was done by
Miss Barton, and that there was no ac-
counting pro or con.
Will Charge Dissatisfaction.
The statement will say that many per-
sons in the country, who had been contrib
the loose manner in which the business
was transacted, and refused to contribute
further unless there should be evidence
that the affairs of the Red Cross might
be conducted on a business-ike basis.
1t will recite that charter was secured
and a constitution and bylaws prepared
under the said charter; that at the annual
meeting held at the Arlington Hotel a
board of thirty directors was elected, and
that this board of directors elected an eX-
ecutive committee.
To the lot of this executive committee
the statement will say. fell the examination
of the accounts and vouchers in connection
with the disaster at Galveston The audit
ing committee of the executive committee
was composed of Miss Mabel Boardman
Mr.. Simon Wolf and Mr.. Brainard H.
Warner. In examining the accounts and
vouchers many things were found to be,
to say the least, strange and unaccounted
for.
Ignored by Miss Barton.
A request made by the executive
committee, composed of Gen. Wilson. Mrs
John A. Logan, Gen. John w. Foster, Mr..
Warner and Oilers. to have meetings called
to take up. the questions involved. but
without result.
The statement will declare, 1t is said that
the requests of the committee We're ignored
by Miss Barton, the president of the Red
Cross the authorized officer to call meet
ings. 1t will say that Miss Barton was so
in the habit of doing what she pleased that
any suggestion of reform or Questioning as
to methods was resented by her as per-
sonal affront.
Things went on in this way, the state
ment will say, until the annual meeting
the next December, when surprise
sprung on the meeting in the shape of
proxies. some eighty in ALL which, it is de-
clared We're secured ON the pretext that
expedient when instead, radical change
"a complete system of new by-laws-was
made, diametrically opposed to the laws
then existing. and by which the whole
power of the Red Cross was again vested in
Miss Barton.
Laws Were Rushed Through.
The statement will say that these laws
were rushed through without time for all
the directors other than those: interested
to read and thoroughly understand them
a motion made in good faith by Gen. Fos-
ter to postpone voting their adoption
until another year was voted down.
1t will further state that Gen. Foster Mr.
Thomas Walsh. Mrs. J. Ellen Foster, Miss
Boardman and Mr.. Wolf at that time
served warning that by thus forcing
through the new bylaws a crime was be-.
ing committed-even worse, a blunder.
1t will emphasize that the whole object
of the controversy now, SO far as those who
are seeking reorganization of the Red
Cross are concerned is to reaffirm the in
tent of Congress in granting the charter
to wit:
To put the Red Cross in such a condition
as to invite the confidence of it's moneyed
friends so that every dollar received and
disbursed shall be rigidly accounted for
and this demand comes from disinterested
persons who are not paid servants of the
Red Cross. as against the opposition of
those. many of whom are paid employees OF
the society
Alleged Illegality Of Suspension.
The illegaiity of the suspension OF tie
twenty-three Washingtonians will be up
held by the exhaustive statement to be
made to Mr.. Phillips, the 'so-called" chair
man of the executive COMMITTED and will
conclusively show. the statement says that
| the suspension was not only illegal, but
| contrary to the charter nader which the
''so-calied' executive commitfee.acted
The statement will say that the ladie 8
and gentlemen suspended from the Red
Cross, intense American citizens as thee
are. have hesitated from the inception and
have no desire now to make an exhibition
| of unwashed linen, or to bring about a
condition of things that will reflect ON the
American National Red Cross Society. but
II driven to do so, they will no longer hest
| tate to show conclusively the reasons for
| their action and the cause why Miss Barton
and her adherents try to shield themselves
behind the reputation the world has accord
\ 4. frr .f.,A