The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-07-31
WHAT OTHER PEOPLE THINK
Mr.. EDGAR and the Red Cross.

Ia2t'Ha IVTs GOHATs ana IEIo ttSO NTOSSs ~
10 the Editor Of The Journal.
been. we think that Mr.. Edgar has not
acted Or spoken wisely OF ,adyisedly, In
his attempt to- influenSe public feeling
against the Red Cross society
No doubt DR.. Deyine could have used
q little more tact and acted with Mr..
Edgar's knowledge and consent in a man
ner IN which. the -four should have been
handled ell So as r to DO the greatest amount
OF good. N. i sd .,.. 81. 5 #
Unless it can; be, shown iii that Dr.. Devine
or the Red Cross people derived some
personal and private gain, It can hardly
be- proven that they were guilty Of q
breach OF trust, Il II ss-
It would be almost miracle II, the Red
Cross or some ones,else in charge of such
a big undertaking as. the relief of the
San Francisco sufferers did not meet with
q multitude Of trying circumstances on
every hand, that could not have been an
ticipated, and that called for prompt
action to relieve immediate suffering. y
There is. quite a difference between
theory and practice when applied Ito a.
matter Of, this kind. We can sit in our
comfortable offices and execute welllaid
plans, in our mind, but when 1t comes to
getting out IN the midst Of q vast multi
s
women and helpless children, and super
wishing the relief. work, one encounters
innumerable difficulties, exigencies grow
Ing out of the demoralized state Of at
fairs, that positively must be met
promptly to- alleviate the hardshtps and
do the great test. amount of good with the
means at hand. The, rushing of train
loads of flour to the stricken city was an
act or thoroly wise and practical charity
that will ever stand AS a monument to
the generosity of the Minneapolis millers
but a. little reflection ought to satisfy
anyone, Of the fact that a multitude, Of
starving people, with no facilities for
using the -four, could be benefited more
by selling a part, Of the flour and pur-
chasing bread and other provisions bet
ter adapted to fill their needs. "1A e
AS to the effort; to arouse sentiment
against the Red Cross, Mr.. Edgar advises
us to kill an Organization because an In
| dividual has been, as he says. guilty Of q
breach of trust. 70 - : 800 = 1-.."
For the Red Cross, we wish to say that
the members OF that great organizati ton
are risktng their lives in every part Of
the world where war, famine or pesti-
lence calls for prompt and tireless relief
work. While many of us are busily en-
gagged in selling flour and provisions to
warning natlops,. the tRed' cross are out
on. the battlefield, drawing the sword and
bullets, helping to bury the dead and
carrying the bleeding and mangled vic
Tins Of inhuman war to places Of safety
and where their wounded and bruised
bodies can be patched up ,
| In view Of all that has been done In the
| past by that society, and what they
stand ready to- undertake now, It is q
rather strong statement to make, when
| one says the Red Cross is not worthy of
our support and ATS record, in the past Is
such that we cannot safely trust, then,
with money or provisions for the relief of
suffering humanity. ;.ir~1s r. D. r.
Tulare, S. D.: July 90 'v-~~' e.