Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1903-02-03
FIGHT IN RED CROSS
Claimed That Clara Barton Was
Made President By Trick.
MAKE VIGOROUS PROTEST
ottumwans Who Served in Army In.
terested in Outcome of Difficulty
Prominent Washington People Are
Connected With Protest.

Many of Ottumwa's young men who
served with Company G during the
Spanish-American war, or who have
been members of any other organiza-
ton in the service of Uncle Sam and
have during their time in the army
received the aid of the Red Cross or
ganization, are interested in the
movement that has been started in
Washington to retire Miss Clara Bar
ton from the presidency of the Ameri-
can Red Cross and effect reorganiZa-
ton of the society. Several promi-
nent Washington people are said to be
connected with this movement and it
is expected that an interesting contest
may result in this matter.
Former Secretaries Herbert and
Foster, Gen. John M. Wilson, Mrs.
Cowles (the sister of President Roose-
velt) Miss Boardman Thomas F.
Walsh, and other members OF the So
ciety have protested to the president
against the recent amendment of the
bylaws, which they say was effected
by trick.
+ Concerning the affair a Washington
lGltSIdu Ills lSIiS l!lS loi-
lowing story:
The change in the bylaws practic-
ally makes Miss Barton, who mas been
elected president for life, the autocrat
of the Red Cross, with the control OF
| the treasury and the machinery for
elecJing officers. The President of the
| United States and cabinet were consti-
tuted by the charter board of con-
sultaton and advice to the Red Cross
society, and it is in that capacity that
President Roosevelt is addressed by
| the signers of the protest. President
Roosevelt has indicated his agree
ment with the signers by refusing in
his own behalf and in behalf of the
cabinet, the invitation to act in an adj
| visory captcity.
The protest, with the correspon-
| dence between Secretary Cortelyou
and Miss Barton, was submitted to
congress late yesterday afternoon.
Papers Submitted to Congress.
! Accompanying the letter of protest
| is copy of the circular sent out in
Miss Barton's name last October in
wiling the members of the Red Cross
society to send her their proxies in
order that she might make some
slight changes in the bylaws of the
Red Cross" In reply to the circular
a large number of proxies were re-
ceived, and on December 8, at meet
\ ing in Washington. an entirely new
set of bylaws, repeating and super
seding the old, were presented. APP
parently the new set was never pre-
viously submitted to the executive
committee or to the members of the
society. Former Secretary John w.
Foster, one of the directors, objected
but the new bylaws were adopted by
a vote OF SO to 13. Seventy-two of
| the eighty-nine votes cast in favor of
the bylaws We're proxies sent, to Miss
Barton in reply to the letetr asking
for them in behalf of some slight
changes
/ Miss Barton's Arbitrary Power.
/ The new bylaws give Miss Barton
practically arbitrary power. 1t is pro-
vided that the president of the Red
Cross shall be elected for life, and may
delegate his or her power to any per-
son. Still another section of the new
\ bylaws practically provides that there
shall be no auditing of the receipts
and expenditures of the Red Cross,
and permits field agents to accept
subscriptions and dispense relief with
out accounting for the sums which
pass through their hands except by a
simple statement to the treasurer. w.
j. Flather, who has acted as Red Cross
treasurer for years, resigned on the
adoption of the new bylaws.
The treasurer is authorized to ex-
. fho
the authority of the president or the
president pro tenn, and no other off
Ger is required to countersign the
presidents approval.
Is Past Eighty Years Old.
Miss Barton is over so years old, and
in the opinion of some of the direc-
Itors should be retired on an annual
allowance. There is bill before con-
gress giving her a pension of $4,000 a
year, but as there is no precedent for
such measure, and as the leaders are
not inclined to make one, the bill
probably will not pass.
The directors wish to put an end to
the informal method of keeping the
society's accounts which has existed
for many years. They say that Miss
Barton is surrounded by bad advisers
The protest concludes:
"Thc undersigned. Mr. President, are
induced respectfully to call your atten
ton to the foregoing statement of the
facts and considerations with view OF
receiving such action as may seem tc
you advisable to take, under the pro
vision constituting you and your cab
met board of consultation and ad
vice-for the reason that there seems
to exist no power within the organiza
ton itself to provide any remedy fol
these serious defects prior to an an
nual meeting. nor even at that time, il
like methods be adopted for securing
one-third vote by proxy"
John NJ Wilson,
First yice-president.
Mabel T. Boardman,
j. Ellen Foster,
Bessie J. Kibbey,
Sara A. Spencer,
A. C. Kaufman,
w. H Michael,
B. H. Warner,
Simon Wolf,
Executive committee