Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-04-27
RED CROSS SOCIETY
MEETING TO BE HELD THIS
AFTERNOON.
The Statement Prepared by Ex-secre-
tary Herbert to, Be Prob
sT
ably Adopted.

Steps will be taken at q meeting of the
twenty-three suspended members of the
National Red Cross Society, at the resi-
dence of Miss Mabel Boardman, corner of
18th and P streets northwest, this after
noon, at 4:3O o'clock, to make public the
exact legal status, as they view it, of the
so-called executive committee of the Red
Cross Society, which suspended them, and
Of their own position. The Importance of
this meeting cannot be overestimated, the
members of the committee of those sus-
pended state, as 1t may signalize the begin
ming of a reorganization which will COM
pletely revolutionize the existing business
| methods of the organization. The twenty
three members who were suspended by the
executive committee, which those sus-
pended refuse to recognize, are among the
most prominent members of the organiZa-
ton and also among the most prominent
people in the country. The meeting today
will be for the purpose of considering the
statement which was prepared by Mr.
Hilary A. Herbert of Alabama, amended
by committee appointed to consider it
| and further amended by Mr.. Herbert. All
of the amendments, ETC., will be considered
by the full meeting and definite steps will
be taken to place the matter before the
public.
The exact nature of the statement it is
impossible to learn. Mr.. Simon Wolf and
Miss Mabel Roardman, the chairman and
secretary, respectively of the committee
appointed to consider the statement, state
that as the matter has not yet been acted
upon by the full membership of the COM
mittee of twenty-three it would be breach
of confidence on their part to make public
| what the paper contains. They also hold
that the decisions of the committee and the
advice of Mr.. Herbert may not be approved
by the full committee and an entirely diff
ferent statement prepared and given out
to the public. They do not believe that this
latter contingency will arise, however and
are Of the opinion that the statement that
they have prepared will be acceptable and
that it will be given immediate publication.
Substance Of the Statement.
It is learned that the paper sets forth
the legal status of the suspended members
as this phase of the question has been con-
sidered by some of the lawyers on the COM
mittee. who are among the most astute
legal minds in the country. In addition to
this the paper will set forth that the situa-
ton regards the business of the society
and its methods is being distorted purpose
ly by the so-called executive committee the
legal existence Of which the suspended
members deny in the most emphatic terms.
1t will also state that prior to the time
the society was chartered by Congress the
business was personal affair, and that
everything that was done in the name Of
the Red Cross was done by Miss Barton.
1t will be charged that many persons
who have contributed to the Red Cross
during the past few years have become
tired of the loose business methods Of the
society and have refused to continue their
contributions unless there should be sat
iSfactOry evidence that the organization
had established itself on a more business
like basis. The statement will also con-
tain an account Of the efforts of the ex-
ecutive and auditing committees of the
society, appointed at the annual meeting
at the Arlington Hotel, to obtain informa-
ton regarding the expenditure of certain
moneys, the requests for which we're re-
peatedly ignored by the president and other
officers of the society. The statement will
also say that in the December meeting Of
the same year in which the executive COM
nlittee mentioned, before was appointed by
the bylaws of the society, dramatically
opposed to the existing laws, was adopted
by which the whole power OF the Red
Cross was again vested in Miss Barton.
The entire situation during the time tnat
has ELAPSED since that meeting will be
thoroughly treated in the statement.
With regard to the status OF the sus-
nended members the statement will say the
SUSPENDED members have heretofore re-
trained from making their objections to
the system of business personal matter
and therefore have hoped that the persons
who were responsible for such CONDITION
ne fairs would see that they were wrong
ana would correct them. This del1cacy OF
feeling will not be allowed to Stand IN tne
way of bringing about a complete reau-
iustment of the affairs of the society now,
however as the society has brought the
trouble entirely on itself ana Will nave "
stand the consequences
Mr.. Wolf Discusses the Situation.