The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1906-12-17
RELIEF FUND MAY
Be TIED UP
Local Controversy Over
Refugee Camps Likely
to Result in Deadlock
COIN HELD IN EAST


War between the city authorities and
the Relief Corporation has assumed
serious aspect and the money contrlbu-
ted to aid the refugees may be tied up
as result. James Gallagher, chairman
of the finance committee of the super
visors, said last night that the ordi-
nance prohibiting the corporation from
collecting rents from refugees In the
parks had been passed to print, and
that the final vote on the ordinance this
afternoon would simply be matter OF
form and it would certainly become a
law.
The situation involves three sources
OF authority. and in nutshell is as 1ol-
lows: The Board Of Supervisors is de-
termined to stop the collection of rents
from refugees. The Relief Corporation
will withdraw its expenditures in the
parks if this is done. The Park Com
mission, which gave the relief authori-
ties right to use the parks, claims the
Supervisors have no right to say any
thing about matters connected with the
parks, In which they are evidently
backed up by the city charter. A legal
contest will probably cause the law
preventing the right of people to live
in the parks to be enforced, thus caus-
ing the eviction of the refugees.
In discussing the matter last night,
Supervisor Gallagher said:
The threat on the part of the Relief
Corporation to withdraw from the
parks does not amount to anything. If
they don't want to perform their duties,
we certainly don't care. The trouble
is that they have begun to assume that
the money belongs to them. Their duty
is simply to carry out the trust that
has been imposed upon them.
1T seems that the Relief Corporation
does not understand that the money
is not their own and that 1t is intended
entirely for the use of the refugees.
They have 100000 tied up in banks.
which they should distribute among
those who need it. The members of the
Board of Supervisors have no right to
take action in distributing this money,
but If they had the right they would
act upon it..
Personally, / think they should aban-
don the project of collecting rent The
shacks which they say they will give
back to the refugees are of noJvalue.
The refugees have simply been handed
a gold brick"
When James D. Phelan. president of
the Relief Corporation, was Informed
of the statement made by Gallagher
he expressed himself as follows:
THE money we have on hand
amounts to S1,750,000. There is $1,000
900 in the hands of the Red Cross at
Washington, and 100000 in Boston.
These people have some voice in the
matter, and are giving us the money in
installments as we present to them our
needs for it.
I'VE are maintaining satisfactory
relations with these people in regard
to assisting the refugees. and all we
want is to be let alone. Neither Wash
ington nor Boston would give so cents
to Mr.. Gallagher and to the present
administration for them to distribute
and they ought to know it. That is all
/ have to say"
Some indignation is reported from
among the refugees concerning the ap-
parent effort on the part Of officials
who are undergoing investigation by
the Grand Jury to use them as a. tool
for the purpose of getting even with
the relief authorities, the leaders of
whom are responsible to large extent
for the investigation of the charges
of graft