Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-12-05
MEETING OF REDCROSS
Funds of Society Neither Lost
Nor EmbezzIed.
DENIAL OF "GRAFT" RUMORS
Payments at San Francisco Carefully
Scrutinized.
AFFILIATION OF BRANCHES
Closer Relations With Militia-Miss
Helen Gould Elected Member of
Board Of Incorporators.
DENIAL OF "GRAFT" RUMORS
AFFIL1ATIoN OF BRANCHES


Activity was the rule at the annual meet
ing of the American National Red Cross
Association at Hubbard Memorial Hall yes
terday afternoon after the President had
met and shaken hands with the members Of
the society at the White House. The morn
ing was devoted mainly to suggesting things
that were then turned over to the executive
committee, and the hearing of routine
ports, as outlined in The Star yesterday.
There were no members of the national
board present at the morning meeting, ex-
cept Miss Mabel Boardman who is the only
woman member of the staff, but in the
afternoon Secretary Taft appeared and pre-
sided. San Francisco was to the fore most
of the afternoon
The first work of the afternoon was the
reading of the telegram from James d.
Phelan, president of the San Francisco Re-
lief and Red Cross Funds Corporation, pub
lished in The Star. The telegram was the
cause of enthusiasm. 1t stated that no Red
Cross funds had been lost in San Francisco;
none had been embezzled, and that every
penny had been accounted and recelpted
for, all stories to the contrary notwith-
standing. 1t was explained that an express
company had not delivered a package of
about 81 900 because it was not deliverable
at the time 1t had finally reached the
proper hands.
Has Been Most Fortunate.
Gen. Robert NJ. O'Reilly, chairman of the
central committee of the American Ma
tional Red Cross, also took occasion in his
report to deny some of the stories of
graft. He praised the San Francisco Relief
and Red Cross Society for the manner in
which it had transacted its onerous duties.
and expressed the belief that the national
society had been most fortunate In the
men who have represented it in San Fran
cisco, and to it's estimate of the value OF
their services can be added that OF the
committee sent from Massachusetts, to in
yeStigate the relief work. Both this COM
mittee and the chamber of commerce OF
New York, after mature elaboration, de-
termined to eXpend the balance OF relief
funds in their hands through the corpora
ton of San Francisco relief and Red cross
funds, finding the active members of this
body and the Red Cross representative the
most reliable organization to which the ad-
ministration of the funds could be intrust-
ed. All funds received from the National
Red Cross have been and will be audited
by an official of the War Department. At
the very beginning of the relief work Gen.
Alfred E. Bates, retired paymaster gen
eral of the army, volunteered his services
to the Red Cross and went to San Francisco
to inspect the methods of accounting of
funds which he found accurate and care
ful, ana winch received MS approval OH
the part of the corporation of San Fran
cisco relief and Red Cross funds desire
has been expressed that all funds received
by it, from whatever source, shall be con-
strued as Red Cross funds, and be audited
by the War Department..
Gen. OReilly's report was received with
applause, and at its close Secretary TAFT
announced that Gen. Bates is now on.
way to San Francisco and that his report
will no doubt be of great interest to all
concerned.
Report on San Francisco.
Then followed another report on San
Francisco, made by DR.. James T. Devine.
the special representative sent by the
American National Red Cross Society to
San Francisco He went into the details
of the work done there, and entered the
most emphatic denial of any wrongdoing
concerning Red Cross funds. DR.. Levine,
who was special representative of the
Red Cross to San Francisco, said in re-
port several weeks ago:
Unity and harmony of adminstra ton
has been maintained. in spite of many
chances against it. The army, the munich
palty, the finance committee and the Red
Cross have not worked at cross purposes,
but have agreed upon all questions of gem
eral policy, and whenever there has been
occasion upon details. AS a result all funds
intended for general relief are now at lie
disposal CT one efficient responsible and
incorporated body which has and deserves
the confidence of the community and of
the contributors throughout the world for
the relief of San Francisco
In his remarks yesterday afternoon DIR.
Devine said:
There was absolutely no stealing graft
or extravaganza, and from the first all
payments We're carefully scrutinized. At
the end of July when my work ceased
there was s,.l a large fund in our treas
ury to be used in establishing the stricken
people in their homes and employments.
Even from the very beginning of the relief
work, the people did not suffer for lack of
necessities, from preventable sickness or
neglect. There was throughout complete
harmony between all factors in the relief
work as to the military, municipal and
volunteer methods employed. They real
lied at the outset that it was not a per
sonal matter, and displayed commendable
willingness to sink their individual ooin-
ions and to submit to expert guidance"
Dr. Devine added that the disaster had
made it plain that the society needed closer
Affiliations with other relief organizations.
Closer Af1iliation.
The closer utilization of the relief societies
with the American National Red Cross was
one of the subjects for discussion after The
Stars report yesterday closed It was
urged that effective work could only be
done under one effective head. and no bet
ter head could be selected than the Amer
lean National Red Cross to which all other
relief societies should be urged to report
when great emergencies arise 1t was also
urged that such branches report promptly
to national headquarters any disaster oc-
curing within their state or territory ne
cessitating Red Cross relief 1t was com
planned during the discussion that when
"hurry-up calls are sent for relief as in
the case of the Valparaiso horror, no in
structions were given as to the kind of re-
lief needed, mere call for relief being
vague and unsatisfactory. 1t was added
that II Is desirable that
be given branch societies to work upon. If
clothing is wanted. If food, doctors, nurses.
money, whatever are needed, such should
be stated.
Miss Boardman explained that in the case
mentioned the American Red Gross Society
knew only what the president had given
out in his call for aid and that was that
probably meant food, clothes, money, every
thing. The society had not been able to
specify. and had 1t had the information it