New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-05-06
RED Cross REORGANIZATION

Judicious persons who take an unselfsh in
terest in the work that the American National
Red Cross was organized to carry on cannot be
satisfied with the reported results OF the in
quiry into its management by the committee Of
which Senator Proctor is chairman. The plan
for the future control OF the society which is
said to be favored by the committee and ac-
ceptable to the remOnstrantS provides for
new charter from Congress, TO be secured
soon as possible and a governing body of eigh-
teen members. OF these six are to be appointed
BE- the President Of the United States, who is
also TO name the chairman. and the rest in the
first instance by the national society, but sub
sequently in equal numbers by the society and
its State branches when organized. In the
mean time the control is TO be vested in trus-
tees. Jointly chosen by the society and the re-
monstrants, to whom the powers of Miss Clara
BartOn'S executive committee are to be i'm
Taediatey transferred. 1t is also proposed that
the accounts Of the society shall hereafter be
audited by the auditor for the War Depart
ment and annually reported to Congress with
q statement Of the society's work for the year.
This latter provision is entirely satisfactory, but
we are by no means convinced that either the
arrangement proposed for temporary control or
the plan devised for permanent government
would so completely associate the society in
the public mind from the methods and ndivid-
uals that have brought it into disrepute and to
the verge of ruin as 10 make its future secure.
If, possibly, it is premature 10 express def
mite opinion on that point it is not too soon 10
say that the proposed settlement of the contro-
yersy contains certain features OF which the
present organization doubtless highly approves
and which the remonstrants will he pressed 10
accept but which would go far toward defeat
ing the main purpose of their disinterested and
necessary endeavors. The investigation now
qrputiU ending which had hoo uro 10 de-
manded for years, was not secured without
great difficulty. and might not have been Sc
cured at ali If it had been expected TO make
complete embarrassing impossible; but, how
ever that may be, it has resulted in bringing
before the committee, and accidentally to some
extent before the public, facts which IT is I'M
proper, if not absolutely iniquitous, to refrain
from putting on record in full. 1t has shown
that the accusations made by responsible men
and women against the management of pecul-
iarly sacred trust We're well founded that there
has been nothing like a suitable system Of
handling and accounting for funds that gross
waste and confusion have prevailed, and that
transactions which il is charitable 10 attribute
To rank incompetence have been officially
ordered authorized. Yet the committee hav-
ing suppressed so far il could the evidence
on which it comedies the necessity for a reor-
ganiZation and radically different methods here
olASi, SApESSseS lllS nope lIdl uO
vestgation Of past accounts viii be demanded
attempted. and would consign the whole
oalam1tous record OF mismanagement to OBJ
livion, while Senator Proctor makes the amaz-
ing suggestion that Miss Barton should be hon
orabiy retired from active duty with the title
OF President Emeritus.
The sole object of a long effort which IS now
seen 10 have been imperative as ii was high
minded has been, through honest exposure
-
caying institution which ought TO be rendering
inestimab!e services TO humanity and TO be
hOnored throughout the world 1t can never
attain that standing until public confidence has
been thoroughly restored, and, in our opinion,
public confidence never can or ought TO be re-
stored until the American National Red Cross
has broken completely and irrevocably with its
ruinous past and judgment has been unfiinch-
ingly pronounced against the wreckeTs.