The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1931-01-28
BAN PUT ON
CONGRESS AID
BY RED CROSS
Organization Will Refuse to
Accept rs Millions,
Payne Announces.
MERCY AGENCY FLAYED
Branded Hoover PIaything,
Charged With Playing
Politics, in Senate.
By United Press

d CNtttI EF66S
WASHINGTON, Jan. %. - The
central committee of the American
Red Cross refuses to accept the
$25,000.000 appropriation inserted
by the senate in the interior de-
paFtment appropriation bill, Chair
man John Barton Payne told the
house appropriations committee to-
day.
The refusal precipitated UMPIRE
cedented and scathing attacks on
that organization, after Payne had
stated that the $4,000, 900 for which
the Red Cross has asked the nation
would be sufficient.
Charges of playing politics, and
that the Red Cross had become a
political instrument of President
Hoover, were made on the floor
when word of Chairman Payne's at
titude became known.
Only once before in this session,
and probably never before in the
history of congress, has anything
like today's assault on the Red Cross
been approached.
Calls for Reputation
Minority Leader Robinson, who
proposed the $25,000,000 appropria-
ton, called on every senator with
a heart to repudiate this policy of
the Red Cross" He said congress
could find its own agencies to dis
tribute the fund to the hungry in
town and country this winter.
'The refusal to spend any funds
appropriated by congress has done
more" he said, ito discredit that or
ganization than anything that has
happened or can happen"
He contrasted the policies of Cit
lien Hoover" as relief director in
foreign lands after the war and
President Hoover" at the present
time.
Robinson said that in view of de-
lay in the house and the attitude of
the Red Gross, he would suggest the
$25,00000O might have to be appro-
priated for some other and better
relief agency"
Hits Hoover Attitude
''The attitude of the President Of
the United States against federai
appropriation Is incomprehensible
to his most intimate friends" Rob-
irson said. After the war, con-
gress appropriated $120,000,00O for
relief of foreigners and Citizen Hoo
yer spent it and his name became
known throughout the world. He
recommended that the money be
appropriated out of the treasury"
Senator Copeland dem, N. "
expressed the hope that ''the Red
Cross will repudiate any such cruel
decisions.
The central committees decision
was announced suddenly and dra-
matically by Payne after he had
the Red Gross entering such
a gigantic task as would be re-
CURED under this appropriation.
Our conclusion is that the Red
Cross simply can not undertake to
administer this fund.-" he said sud-
denly, and then presented to the
committee the resolution adopted
Tuesday by the central committee.
Campaign Hunt, He Says
"The Presidents proclamation
was issued on Jan. 49," Payne re-
marked. Usually we receive a mil
lion dollars a day in such campaigns
and can raise such fund in ten
days or two weeks.
1.-THE next day Senator Robinson
Of Arkansas introduced his resolu-
lion for an additional S25 5000 900.
and on that day we received a con-
tribution of $4,000"
Contributions increased after
that, he said, but were coming in
so slowly that he had to call a spe-
cial meeting to devise special meas
1res to boost the campaign. :.
Under the appropriation bill. he
said, the Red Cross would have to
set up huge and expensive organ
cation which would compete with
in cities now ade-
1uately handling relief of the I'M