Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-04-28
Statement to the Public.

Thomas F. Walsh,
Statement to the Public.
While to the so-called executive commit
tee of the Red Cross no more consideration
is due than is embodied in the foregoing
reply to their notification of suspension OF
certain members, those members, in the In
terest of the association, desire to give to
the public the following statement:
The undersigned are each in receipt or g.
notice signed by Mr.. Walter P. Phillips
claiming to be chairman of the executive
committee of the American National Red
Cross requiring our appearance before such
committee to show cause why the sentence
of our suspension from membership pro-
nounced by said committee should not be
made permanent.
The action of the so-called executive COM
mittee suspending us is already regarded
by them as final. A list of names of present
members, obtained through the Secretary of
State, omits ours. The bylaw under which
the committee acted gives right of ap-
peal to the next annual meeting. The list
furnished by the president Of the society
does not even mention us as members under
suspension. We are considered as finally
expelled even before we have answered
The ground upon which it Is claimed the
suspension Is based is:
First. That We have attempted to disrupt
the organization of the American National
Red Cross. There are no specifications
under this charge because no facts could be
cited. The only specification is contained
in the charge.
Congress, now known as document $40,
House of Representatives, Fffty-seventh
Congress, second session, we have assumed
an attitude unbecoming members of the
American National Red Cross and hostile
to the interests of that organization
We deny the authority Of Mr.. Phillips
committee in the premises. This committee
has assumed to act by virtue of it's ap-
Ont yyf lov,f - TDol
under bylaws illegally adopted, as herein
| after set forth, at the annual meeting held
IN Washington on December II, 1902.
In Violation Of the Charter.
Pretermitting, at this point any reference
| to the manner in which the faction of the
society having thus assumed to act pro-
| cured what was claimed to have been the
adoption of a new set of bylaws at that
| meeting, we assert that:
First Said new bylaws" as we will
| hereafter call them, are, taken all together
| inconsistent with. and can find no warrant
of authority in, the purpose and intent of
the charter OF this corporation as granted
| by Congress.
(a) The charter declares in section that
| certain persons manning them, land their
associates and successors, are hereby Gre
| ated body corporate and polite in the
District of Columbia"
The District of Columbia Is therefore the
| legal home of the corporation, and the law
is undisputed. that the regular annual
| meetings of a corporation. at which every
corporator has the right to attend and have
voice, must be held within the territory
| which Is Its home. The new bylaws
contravene the charter of the society by
providing in their very first article and first
section that 1.-The annual meeting of the
American National Red Cross shall be hello
each year, the time and place to be deter.
mined by the executive committee"
he toax hxr1 s-11
pose and intent of the charter granted b,
| Congress in that they constitute a system
which invades the chartered rights If 1,
does not practically disfranchise all the
! members of the association except the few
whom the president may appoint on com
nfttees; and as one person may serve or
several committees, it is in the power Of
the president to commit all the real power
of the corporation into the hands of LEST
than one-tenth of the membership We
call attention to some of these new by
laws Article III, Boards and Commit
tees"
Section l. The board of consultation pro
vided for and to be composed of the Prest
dent and his cabinet is nugatory becaus,
the President and his cabinet have declined
to act.
Sec. q The national advisory board an
pointed by the president OF the society ma,
give advice, but has no power
Sec. 3. The executive committee Is EN-
powered to appoint board Of eleven trus
administer the same with the approval o
the executive committee"
Sec. 4. The executive committee of five
three to constitute Quorum-and appoint
ed by the president, Shall have power I,
conduct the affairs Of the corporation dur
ing the time intervening between the regu
lar meetings.
Confers Autocratic Powers.
This section indicates that those who ma,
attend the annual meetings, at the tim
and place agreed upon by the executive
committee. shall have voice In the con
duct of the affairs of the corporation, bu
that very same section goes on to Civ
that committee the power Of expulsion, sub
ject to appeal to the annual meeting Tw
persons, the president and one other, VIII
| make a majority of a quorum of the ex
ecutive committee, may suspend any mem
Der who gives. in their opinion, good an
sufficient cause" and the present suspen
! sion Of twenty-three members illustrate
forcefully the autocratic and un-America
working Of this power in the hands Of tn
present committee.
There was provision in the old bylaws
Article ~, section 3. giving the power t
suspend from office any oficer or membe
of this corporation" subject to appeal bu
this power could only be exercised by
majority Of the board OF directors of thirt,
l oil 80 ,Hn,,. hoA Hoa, r1~