Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-04-10
RED CROSS. TROUBLES
Suspended Members to Meet
Tomorrow Afternoon.
GEN. WILSON'S. HOUSE
NEW YORK CONTINGENT SENDS
OUT A BULLETIN.
Miss Barton Invites an Investigation
and Washington Member
Discusses It.
GEN. WILSON'S. HOUSE

Discusses 1t.
A meeting of the suspended members OF
the American National Red Cross will be
held in this city tomorrow afternoon. 1t
will be held at the residence of Gen. John
M. Wilson, 1773 Massachusetts avenue
northwest, at 4:30 pm. Mr.. Simon Wolf
will likely be unable to be present. He Is
still in the south.
Members of the Red Cross-both those in
standing with the management and those
suspended-received copies today of the
Red Cross Bulletin" The publication is
a five-column folio and bears the imprint,
volume 1, Number o. On the editorial
page Is the official announcement OF the
suspension Of those who signed the memo
rial to Congress. Immediately following is
this statement:
Investigation Invited.
Miss Barton has requested the executive
committee of the Red Cross to Immediately
employ expert and impartial accountants
to examine the books and records OF the
society with view to the making of re-
port to the American people to whether
or not there is any ground for the charge
in the letter of Geo. B. Cortelyou, late
secretary to the President. alleging the
existence of loose and improper arrange
ments for securing the needed accountable
ity for and supervision of the disburse-
ments for the money furnished in times
of exigency to the Red Cross by the char
table public "
One of the suspended members after
reading the above this afternoon, said:
1T Is pleasure to know that Miss Bar
ton at last sees the Importance of having
a systematic and thorough investigation of
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realize that any one may examine the
books but If one hasn't the vouchers how
is it to be known how the money was ex-
pended?
in the matter. and Miss Barton or any one
else may present only those books and
vouchers that either cares to offer.
"As to the Bulletin it seems to have
been published to bring about counter-ex-
element"
Statement From Miss Barton.
A statement was given out at Miss Bar
tons home in East 5Sth street last night
by one of the members Of the Red Cross,
with Miss Barton's sanction. Her repre-
sentative said:
1.-The effect of Miss Boardman's collection
of letters as edited by her is to impress on
the reader that Miss Boardman had no op-
portunity to reply to the notice of suspen-
sion. AS matter OF fact, from the time
Miss Boardman was notified of the action
OF the executive committee in her indi-
vidual case (based on the letter to Mrs.
John A. Logan) until the suspension of the
Washington members this month, a period
of three weeks tntervened, and nothing in
the mature of an inquiry or a reply came
from Miss Boardman.
Miss Barton will be quite content to
have the questions raised in the memorial
heard and disposed of by Congress Neither
Miss Barton nor the Red Cross has any,
thing to conceal and a dignified and dis
passionate inquiry by such body as the
Congress of the United States will be
far better way of clearing the public mind
than the chickering's of letter writer's.
1.-THE action of the Washington members
has made 1t impossible for Miss Barton to
retire honorably at this time. She repeated
ly opened way for a graceful retirement
If the Red Cross was satisfied to put some
one else into the active presidency and
leave her to pursue her life work along
lines that she had long planned in connec-
ton with the Red Cross. At the first meet
ing. in July, 1900, after the adoption of the
act of Congress Miss Barton signified her
willingness to retire. She did again In
1901 and also at the last annual meeting,
in Washington, last December.
Says It Was Threat.
Miss Boardman's letter was threat.
Perhaps If she had printed her letters in
full the situation might be clearer. Miss
Boardman writing to Mrs. Logan practical
ly said that If Miss Barton would not ac-
cept the annuity proposed and retire-which
might be regarded as a bribe-then an IN
vestigation might be made of the Red Cross
expenditures and method, going back to
the Johnstown disaster. 1t might we'll give
the impression that promise not to in
vestigate would be an inducement to Miss
Barton.
Each year the Red Cross has appointed
an auditing committee to pass on the ac-
counts and finances, and these reports have
come before the annual meeting, where
they may be criticised or inquired into. The
fnsinuations of the Washington members
have been general and not tangible. They
have been asked for specific charges and
they have not furnished them.
Nothing in this unfortunate situation
has hurt Miss Barton so much as President
Roosevelt's hasty decision resulting in his
letter of withdrawal
I'm spite Of the disturbing nature of re-
cent developments Miss Barton has been
devoting her time to the plan she has cher
ished for SO many years, of extending the
Red Cross over the country through rep
resentatfve from every state to be appoint
ed by the governor Of each state. This
constitutes a national advisory board for
the purpose of broadening and nationaliz-
ing the voice and interest Of the people in
the work OF the Red Cross
THE perfecting of this plan is provided
for in the bylaws by committee on ex-
tension. The work of the committee has
been delayed by the illness of William l.
Wardwell of this city. its chairman.
Miss Barton has given much time and
study to this plan. realizing the difficulties
in the way of perfecting it because of the
breadth Of the Red Cross aims and work.
There is more or less sectional sentiment
among the people of every state. To pre-
vent friction and at the same time raise
their loyal interest and national love above
self-pride the methods must be wise, firm,
kind, strong and generous. BY such meth
DDS. outlined In Miss Barton's plan, the
committee on extension will be enabled 10
broaden the purposes and extend Red Cross
work throughout the states of the Union"
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