The San Francisco call., 1906-07-06

to their homes and into the channels
of peace. 1t was colossal work and
performed In manner that demon
strated not only the highest ability.
but unquestioned integrity Of its d.
rectors.
But now, with the parks of the city
crowded with the dependent. with suf-
fering that comes from such depend
ency. with sanitary conditions that
need constant watching. with the
young TO be nourished and the old pro-
tected in their extremity, the machin-
cry of this splendid organization is
silent and its flags are furled; but
Mrs. Merrill places the blame for the
| inaction OF the local Red Cross upon
the Congressional act that has merged
her organiza tion into the national body
as a part of the fighting force of the
Government. She said concerning
| this:
We did our greatest work as a Red
! Cross association as an independent
! Spanish war. Our work at that time
so impressed the Government that an
act was passed by Congress placing US
| partment. Consequently Secretary of
! War Taft is now the head of the ma
| tional organization.
DEvINE TAKES CHARGE.
On the morning the earthquake
struck the city we realized that our
diately we organized at my home. but
when that took fire we moved to my
! sons residence on Washington street
| A vacant house next door was utilized
as an emergency hospital and soon we
| had hundreds of nurses and doctors
registered and doing. splendid work
judge w. w. Morrow, president of the
California division. and then / learned
that being unable to reach the city he
where many refugees were cared for
We continued to do this work until Dr.
Deyine. representing Secretary Taft.
authorized to. take UP and continue
work of relief only. until the national
organization deems 1t Of sufficient mag
nitude to relieve US Of the responsible,
ity. In this case the national organiA
zation took charge and DR.. Devine was
elected our director general.
In the meantime, however, DR.. De-
vine had reported to General Greedy
and upon the request OF the Mayer and
DR.. Devine. the army, commissary. de-
| partment had undertaken the work of
caring for the refugees and the dis
tribution of supplies. The general COM
mittee appointed by Mayor Schmitz
Board of Charities had undertaken the
| investigation of special cases. So there
was really but little left for us to do.
| Finally Judge Morrow went East
with DR.: Devine He wrote to me that
he had been conscripted by the doctor
| and asked me to continue the work. He
also sent a messenger to find me. but
! ally in the natural course of things
matters drifted from our hands. We
were given what money we needed by
| the general committee prior to the ar
rival of DR.. Devine, but, of course after
the national organization superseded
these asfes fea shs
only secured $4,000, though In the end
this proved ample for our needs and
| mittee that it should handle the ex-
! penditure of the funds contributed di-
rectly to it without reference to the
/ Red Cross.
WORK FOR ALL AT HAND.
In any event we soon found our
selves without occupation in the relief
] field While as I have said before, we
could get our backs up IL we were so
| inclined we do not purpose doing So
We. BELIEVES that out OF respect to the
/ other organizations whose work carries
with it the ring of charity, retire from
the field and permit the civic COM
mittees to continue the work OF relief.
/ People do not feel the same toward a
paid commission as they do toward
associations such as ours and / feel
! that we have retired at an opportune
j time.
Let every organization in San Fran
fiagration days to the work of the
churches to the care of the orphans
and the helpless aged. There is plenty
of activity there for all and, laying
aside every feeling OF & piqve, let & us aid
relief that will hereafter be carried on
by the committee that has emerged
4 from the confusion to grapple with
4 the problem ahead.
|