South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1918-11-26
DIRECTORS WILL
FL n DS
AS THEY CHOOSE
Trustees of Patriotic and Civic
Relief Fund Say Red Cross
Directors Lack Public
Confidence.

Due TO the interlocking director
ate that has until recently controlled
both the st. Joseph Red Cross chap
ter. and the Patriotic and Civic
Relief (War Chest) fund. some of
the members OF which inteClocking
directorate resigned or were retired
at the annual meeting Of the Red
Cross Chapter. saturday, resentment
found its way into the War Chest
management at its last meeting Mon
day night, when 1t was decided that
the new directorate Of the Red Cross
be not recognized. at least until II
can show that it has the public
confidence"
Payments to the national Red
Cross are to be made, according to
resolutions adopted, directly TO the
national headquarters, instead Of
through the local chapter, under the
new MANAGEMENT, and there is to be
nc money from the WAR Chest"
for local support. 1t is asserted in
statement given out Tuesday, that
a large number of the War Chest
subscribers are peeved over the fact
that the Red Cross directors were
elected by less than so members out
of several thousand though that so
was all who took the trouble to at
tend the meeting. Many of them, It
is said, are threatening TO make no
more War Chest" payments. Ii is
not mentioned in the reports of the
meeting that the war Chest" di-
rectors. and quite like them. the old
directors of the Red Cross. were
elected quite exclusively by the di-
rectors themselves, through the in
strumentality of a dummy nomi-
mating committee, the mass of sub
scribers to neither the Red Cross nor
the War Chest having ever had a
vote, or a chance TO vote. on the
personnel of the management be-
fore.
Meet Behind Closed Doors.
The War Chest meeting was
held behind closed doors, and all
that is known of the operations is
that given out by the directors Tues
day morning. The statement fol-
lows
Under new business. several
members of the board spoke at
length of the probable effect on the
work of this association because Of
the dissension. strife and lack of
harmony which had developed at the
annual meeting of the st. Joseph
County Chapter American Red Cross,
and which had been given wide pub
liCity through the press. A. r.
Erskine gave a short statement of
the occurrences Of the meeting be-
fore his withdrawal therefrOm.
After a discussion in which all
members present took part, it was
the concensus of opinion of the
board Of directors that this associa-
tion does not take issue with the
character and personnel Of the new
executive committee Of the South
Bend Chapter American Red Cross,
but only with the methods of tho
men engineering the election and up
setting the management OF the chap
ter: that the directors Of this assO-
citation feel greatly embarrassed by
reason Of this action taken at the
annual meeting OF the St Joseph
County Chapter. A. r c, especially
because Of the fact that they have
received information that many Of
I the subscribers TO the war Chest
have indicated their intention 10 dis
continue their payments TO the War
Chest. and there are outstanding
Appropriations of money made by
! this association which il will not be
able 10 meet unless such subscrip-
/ tions are paid IN full That as di-
rectors Of the War Chest move
Inent. it is the duty Of this board
4 to prevent any detection in the pay
ments pledged 20 the Patriotic Re-
lief fund and 10 see that the money
paid 70 this association is properly
/ dispensed: that this attitude on the
part of the association applies not
Ionlv TO Red Cross requirements but
Ito the requirements OF all other or
Examinations. whether local. national
lor international. which are partici-
Ipants in the distribution Of its
funds. That this association in or
der 10 protect the funds it now
has and 10 assure its members that
their future subscriptions TO this
fund will be properly dispensed,
/ /cCN-rTN-rrEn oN- pACE. FoT-p ,