The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-09-16
The Journal Presents Findings Unbiased Investigation Of Conditions
in the Western City Since the Earthquake and Fire.

this character could have been done
from the start by the different frater-
nal, religious and charity organizations,
the officers Of which knew exactly the
needs of the people associated with
them. In the case Of the young woman
who applied for the sewing machine,
the salary of the three investigators
and the cost of making the necessary
records, was more than the price OF
the machine.
The truth about DR.. Devine is that
he was too small, too narrow gagged a
man for the big relief situation in San
Francisco. He was sleek, looked after
his own comfort and was absolutely
cold -blooded. Altho little newspaper
publicity has been given to the wrang-
1ings in the relief committee concern
ing DR.. Devine, it is well known that
direct attack was made in commit
tee upon his motives and methods. A
member of the committee, weary of the
complications arising every hour of the
day, did not mince words in making an
attack upon DR.. Devine s system. The
| climax came when DR.. Devine tried to
force the purchase of $4,000 worth Of
clothing ;.
"Give the people the money!" in
sisted the determined man, "and let
them buy the clothes they want. Why
are you insisting upon getting stuff that
| they do not want, and, IN fact, cannot
! Wear9' -'.r aAy
About the same time the Call sent a
woman representative to one Of the
refuge camps in the guise of a refugee.
She stood three days in line and failed
to get mattress or blankets. The ex-
pose following this, coupled with the
attack from a committeeman for quite
different matter, made it plain to Dr.
| Devine that the time had come for him
to depart. s..sr -. r..
Defiant, ill-advised appointment ,:
men insisted upon giving farewell!
loving cup was part of this celebration
The expenses of the feast and the loving
cup were borne by the guests, of whom
there were twenty or thirty, but tho
occasion was none the less cruelty alb
surd and in bad taste. While dainties
| and champagne were being served il
what was left of the St. Francis hote
diningroom, several hundred refugees
gathered upon the sidewalk without
clamoring like mob during the begin
ming Of the French revolution. They
jeered and made speeches, denouncins
| Devine and the men who sat with him
The refugees need not have envied any
of the people around the festive board
because the banquet was gruesom'
one. DR.. Devine will find that, like tn,
shell that seems to bring its roar. from
the ocean, his loving cup will echo tn
voices of the refugees. ,.@
| When DR.. Devine left, he was al
lowed to pay $1,000 for the automobile
he had used during his stay in Sa1
Francisco. It would easily have brough
twice that amount in the open market
DIR: Devine received no salary from tn,
relief fund, but it is generally under
stood that he was receiving a SALARY
from the National Red Cross organiza
ton. His living expenses, approximate
ing 81 900 a month while he was in Sal
Francisco, were paid out of the relic
funds. No one expected DR.. Devine t.
live in the soup kitchens he institute,
for the refugees, but the contrast be
lack Of them, was maddening.
California Red Gross Ignored.
I San Francisco has prominent and re
sponsible men and women who are, an
who have been from the beginning
, willing to give their services on relic
, work without compensation. They wer
, ignored in DR.. Devine' IS scheme, as wa
the California branch of the Red Gross
, which stood ready to act in just sue
a crisis as that which fire and earth
| due1ho U1OuSuI W Dali lduClSCO.
> After the reorganization Of the M
tional Red Cross according to the pr
: visions Of the congressional enactmen
= which retired Clara Barton and mad
. the organization responsible to the wa
r department., the California Red Cros
r complied with all the conditions of stat
u reorganization and was regularly a.
= cepted into membership by the nation;
j. body. The personnel of the Californi
, branch of the Red Cross is exception
t ally good, the members having had
e singularly comprehensive experient
n during the Spanish American war, an
u for long time afterwards. When D
/ Devine came to California, he absolut
!. ly ignored the state Red Cross wit
/. exception Of hobnobbing with Judge '
h W: Morrow, the fgurehead president.
@ Under the direction Of the effcie1
d vice president, Mrs. John F. Merrill
Red Cross headquarters were opene
" while the fire was still burning. Whe
! Mrs. Merrill s own handsome resident
f was claimed by the confagration, 81
moved the headquarters, never forge
ting in her own serious losses her duti