The Washington times., 1906-04-25
PRESIDENT TAKES
THE RELIEF FUND
FROM RED CROSS
The Proclamation Directs
Money Be Sent to the
Citizens Committee.

President Roosevelt today Issued a
statement in which he directs all relief
contributions for San Francisco to be
placed in the hands 70 tho general relief
committee, taking the matter entirely
out Of the hands of the Red Cross Soc
iety- The President had a conference
about the matter this morning with Sen
atOr Flint OF California, and his state
ment followed Immediately
The former statement Of President
Roosevelts directing that all contribu-
tions be expended under the direction Of
Dr. Edward Devine, of the National PED
Cross. was not well taken by the people
Of San Francisco, as they did not under
stand the Presidents motives. He says
that all need for employing the Red
Cross has now passed. His statement is
as follows
ITO the Public:
When the news OF the dreadful dis
aster at San Francisco first came II
was necessary to take immediate steps
10 provide in some way for the re-
celpt and distribution Of the sums OF
money which at once poured in for the
relief Of the people OF San Francisco.
At the moment no one could fOretell
how soon II would be possible for the
people OF san Francisco themselves TO
organize; and 10 tide over the interval,
the American National Red Cross As
sOciatiOn was designated 10 receive and
GISburSe the funds. But the people of
San Francisco, with an energy and
self-reliant courage, a cool resOurceful-
ness. and "a capacity for organized and
orderly endeaVOr which are beyond all
praise. have already met the need
through committees appointed by the
mayor of the city. eX-MayOr James ID.
PheIan being chairman OF the finance
committee. The work of these COM
mittees has been astonishing in it's
range, promptness. and efficiency.
"As ! am informed by Major General
Greedy, although all local transporta-
tiOn was destroyed, as well 8 practically
every supply store in the city, these
local committees, with the help OF the
army. have succeeded IN caring for 3OO.-
900 homeless people in the last five days
Thanks to their efforts, no individual is
row suffering severely for food, water,
or temporary shelter This work has
been done with the minimum of waste
and under conditions which would have
appalled, men less trained in business
methods. endowed with less ability, or
inspired with any but the highest mo-
tives OF humanity and helpfulness. The
need of employing the Red Cross, save
as an auXili ary, has passed, and L urge
that hereafter all contributions from
any source be sent direct to James y.
Phelan. chairman finance committee
San Francisco. Mr.. Devine. of the Red
Cross, will disburse any contributions
sent to him through ex-Mayor Phelan
ana Will work In accord with him in all
ways. THEODORE ROOSEVELT.
The White House. April .. 1906"
The President telegraphed to Mayor
Schmitz the text Of this proclamation.
and added.
There was. of course. absolutely no
question that every sufferer would be
helped simply as a sufferer by your
committees as soon as they were or
ganiZed and action through the Red
Cross was simply 10 fill the gap until
your organization was perfected, and
il would. of course. have been derelic-
ton Of duty on our part If we had not
at once taken steps to see that the
gap was filled at a time when IT was
Impossible for us to know how soon
you would DE organized. L have sent
a message 10 Congress today urging
an immediate appropriation fer work
at the Mare Island Navy Yard, and
for an immediate appropriation for the
building asked for by the War Depart
ment In a few days 1 shall send in a
further communication for the rebuild
ing of the other public buildings, but
I am not yet able TO get details as TO
the amount needed for these.
THEODORE ROOSEVELT