New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-08-03
Red Cross Misunderstood
Its Powers and Duties Dictated bv
the Government
To the Editor Of The Tribune.

To the EDITOR OK Inc Tribune.
Sir; note the intensity Of the feeling n
garding the late actions Of the American
Red Cross, and believe It arises from q laek
of understanding Of the constitution sut
workings Of the American Red Cross Do ths
writer's who refer to 1t as q trust and An
autocracy know that II IL an independsn,
department Of the United State govern.
ment, with special duties and powers imposed
on 1t by laws Of Congress, Just az the De-.
partment Of Justice or Of wari Consreu
made It's rights and powers 70 coincide with
those Of the Red Cross organizations Of all
nations Of the Geneva Conference, and then
left it to the people Of our nation to main.
tain and work 1t.
The American Red Cross stands without
a peer in its duty Of succoring American dis.
tress just as the Navy Department stands
pre-eminent in the prosecution Of war on
water There was q time when "letter, Of
marque and reprisal" were granted to pri-
vate enterprises to operate privateers, but
even that was done under the Navy Depart.
ment and in the large present enterprise Is
obsolete.
The 1915 Reorganization
The trouble has been that the American
Red Cross has not assumed Its proper sphere
until Of late. Till 1916 it had been called on
for what were worthy but almost insignia.
cant tasks compared with the present opera
tons, and when we entered war the field was
so wide and the organizations so small that
they could not hope to All it. They had too
much to do themselves and too great hearts
to discourage any one who would break
into the field. Hence many organisations, all
working TO the alienation Of some form Of
human misery, sprang up--scms as straight
and stalwart as oaks, others as soft and sb.
sorbing as sponges.
In those days there was no time to invest-
gate. The business was to aid the distressed
in all ways possible. Few II any understood
that they were assuming duties laid by Con-
gress on the Red Cross. The Red Gross must
do IL. The other agencies were not prohib-
| tied from anything except the use Of the in.
sigma, and IL followed that they would have
no standing as protected non-combatants on
the field of battle. Even the Red Cross
! found itself relying for the transportation Of
| its material on the War Relief Clearing
! House, a wonderful organization OF mush-
room growth that was empowered by the
French government 70 perform duties which
would naturally fall to the Red Cross. But
thu American Red Cross was not there, and
those who were there did not understand the
scope of the American Red Cross, so that
Red Cross supplies fell, one might say, into
! hands not protected by the Geneva treaty.
| So from its very newness the field became
! filled and honeycombed with bodies doing
Red Cross work generally, without any in.
/ tent to invade and with not only no objee.
| ton 10. but in most cases acknowledgment
of, proper endeavor by the Red Cross author
tiles, who recognized their own limitations
They had no time or funds or membership
for a campaign Of education. The work must
be done; they were thankful for workers
under any legitimate banner.
But now things have had time to form
themselves. 1t is found that the lack Of
early supervision has given rise to organi-
cations duplicating each other, others which
make no reports Of their receipts or expendi'
lures, and others which are probably plain
leeches. Things must be coordinated giveu
protected, the largest possible percentage OF
receipts turned over to the intended destna'
ton. carrying space used to best advantage
I ana supplies equaUIy NASNA'
To Grow Up to Its Work
This is a very great business, and we are
only lust getting a view of what is still 70
come. The department Of the government
to which this duty is assigned must assume
its responsibilities. The Red Cross must
move. 1t has increased its brain power, its
purse power and its muscle power to where
J it can assume its load, and 1t Is the duty Of
every right-minded relief auxiliary 70 ae-
cept the lead Of the government, with us
Red Cross department, to help solve the
weighty problems ahead, just as II Is the
duty Of the Red Cross to acknowledge the
not only glorious but timely work Of the
men who have made the suxilaries so potent
and take every advantage possible OF their
experience and energy and enthusiasm, so that
all can and will work together TO get every
dollar and every member possible, and then
make every dollar and every member count
GEORGE n. COLE.
| New York, Aug. /, 1917.