The Washington times., 1924-10-07
CAS! OF
| R|IG
URGED
James Fieser Speaks 10
Convention Reviews
Disaster Work

I 4 s s
Snobbery has no place IN the
American Red Cross, and II any
exists therein, it must get out,
the fourth annual convention Of
that organization, in Memorial
Continental Hall. was told today
BY James L. Fieser, vice chair
man, ii charge Of domestic cper-
ntions.
II have heard charges that the
Red Cross is not democratic, &
MI Fieser declared. Il have
heard that chapter meetings are
not sufficiently advertised and
that elections are held in ! star
chamber am satisfied that
this is not generally true.
Causes Comment.
The statement caused 4 murmur
" excited comment. which died out
~ the speaker continued, with
emphasis:
Il the American Red Cross Is an
@rastocracy, let il be an aristOcracy
Of service, and not one Of wealth
or Of social position. Let nur3
chapter meetings be real get-togeth-
He reminded his Iisteners, who
represented every section bf the
United States, that cast and pocket.
book were forgotten lii the war.
time period Of need. He urged that
this breadth Of view be klven
continuance and perpetuity.
Mr.. Fieser warned against the
danger Of throwing too much work
and responsibility upon the wheel.
horse" Of chapter, citing an IN.
stance wherein chapter meetings
were held in the home Of an ardent
member. where attention centralized
Tor while. eliminating in the COM
plete dissolution Of an organization.
Sums Up Disaster Work.
The speaker offered q recapituIa-
ton Of the reports given earlier In
the session by national directors Of
the Red Cross. He summed up the
important phases OF disaster work
IN three periods:
The first" said he, rs the poetry
period, In which the prominent citi-H
zen Is willing to carry mattress
on his back to some poor, afflicted
person; the second is that OF criti-
cism, when everything goes wrong,
and everybody. Is blamed for 1t, and
the third period Is that Of mature
judgment. when good organization,
supported by earnest, skilled and
intelligent workers carries through
the prograIn OF relief"
Miss Mabel 4 Boardman, secre-
tary OF the organization, In report
ing as director OF volunteer serv.
Ice, urged the delegates to ''bring
In the young women" for such
work. She advocated g volunteer
service in every chapter, referring
briefly 70 the need for canteens,
motor services, surgical dressing
ties and other branches Of Red
Cross endeavor.
Arthur Dunn Reports.
Arthur w. Dunn, director Of the
Junior Red Cross, reported that
more than 5,50O.000 children are
now enrolled. representing an in.i
crease of 10000 over the 1928
total.
Other speakers were Robert q.
Bondy, director. OF war service;
Henry M. Baker, disaster relief:
Miss Clara p. Noyes, nursing
Miss Elizabeth G. Fox, public
health nursing; Mrs. Isabelle w.
Baker, home hygiene and care Of
the sick; Miss Clyde B. Schuman,
and life saving, and Douglas
Griesemer, public Information
service and roll caIl.
Among the facts presented to the
convention were, that municipal
authorities IN many parts OF the
country are constantly taking over
public health nursing from the Red
Cross, and were being guided for
the first year by that organization
"a regard to this service; that cam.
paignS, for lifegliards to accompany
each Boy Scout troop during the
bathing and boating season were
needed: that Red Cross work must
be given word-of-mouth advertise
ment by the members, and that the
Red Cross first-aid car has done ex-
cellent work Ii its tour Of 10000
miles throughout the country.
Following the reports. the dele.
gates were invited to discuss the
problems Of the various services
that the chapter should assist to-
ward . solltlon.
Diplomats IN Attendance.
Members Of the diplomatic CORPS
attended In large numbers the meet
ing last night. when international
activities Of the Red Cross were
taken mp.
Senior Doctor DON Rafael II. Eli.
RaIde, minister from EcuadOr,
praised the work OF the organlza.
ton and Of the United States in the
world war.
II have seen how the people Of
the United States rose up like one
mar" he said. ito put an end to
the most frightful catastrophe in
history. The United States was
then before the whole world. axbiter
81 psaca and war;