Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-12-03
Pres, Taft Names an En-
dowment Committee
And Urges Raising Endowment
Fund Of at Least 100000
In Order That Society May Be
Placed on Permanent Basis.

Washington, Dec. 2.-FOr the pur-
pose of providing an organization ca
pable of administering properly the
funds received by the American Red
Cross Society for relief work Presi-
dent Taft has named an endowment
fund committee with Secretary of the
Treasury MacVeagh and his assistant.
Charles D. Norton, who is treasurer of
the Red Cross, as chairman and wee
chairman, respectively. A New York
sub committee consisting of the fol-
lowing prominent men, also has been
appointed: Robert Bacon, Charles
Hallam Keep, Lloyd c. GriscOm, H. p.
Dawson and Felix Warburg. Sub-com-
mittees in other cities will be named
shortly.
In making the appointments Presi-
dent Taft has addressed a letter, in
part as follows to each member of the
committee:
1.-The time has come when the Amer
lean Red Cross should be placed on a
permanent and efficient basis by an
endowment fund whose income will en-
BILE it to be prepared at all times to
carry out the purposes for which it
has been created. 1t is the authorized
official organization of the United
States for volunteer aid in time Of
war or great disaster.
THE funds for relief work received
by the American Red Cross within the
last five years amount to nearly $5.000,-
coo and prove the confidence the pub
lie places in the society. Public conf
dence is most important, but it is of
equal Importance that the society
should be able to maintain an organ-
cation which is capable of administer
ing such large funds to the greatest
advantage. The experience in relief
matters gained by a permanent organ
iZation is beyond question and insures
a far ADLER and wiser expenditure of
relief funds than can be secured by
temporary and suddenly created COM
mitteees.
EN- erience has shown that in cases
of great disasters. such as occurred at
San Francisco and in Italy. large con-
tributionS are received by the Red
Cross, but in the constantly recurring
disasters where smaller communities
are stricken and should receive GER
tain amount of assistance, the contri-
buttons are far too small to meet the
nee. Moreover. in the case of great dis
asters. the Red Cross should have such
o balance on hand as to enable it to
take immediate action without being
forced TO wait until contributions are
received.
The brief statement in regard to
the endowment funds of the Red Cross
compared with those of the societies of
several other nations shows how far
this country is behind in this respect
THE standing of this remarkable or
ganization throughout the world, it's
Importance to our own country, and its
beneficent influence for peace and good
will in international relief work COM
mend it to the public spirited men and
women of the United States. l believe,
gentlemen, you cannot appeal to them
in vain to aid in providing the Ameri-
can Red Cross with an endowment
fund of $2,O0O,O0O. less than the funds
of the societies of other first powers,
so that our national society may take
its proper place in this great interna-
tional institution"