Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-01-28
BITTER CONFLICT.
ARISES ON RELIEF
Payne's Statement Opposing
Federal Fund Releases
Storm in Senate.
CONTINUED Prom First Page)


relief to the hungry and suffering for
. political reasons instead OF dragging In
the Red Cross" said Senator CaraWay
Senator Copeland of New York in
. terrupted, declaring that he could not
believe that the Red Cross would &c
''such q thing"
II know that the action of this Cen
trail Committee does not represent the
sentiment of the millions who have
contributed to the Red Cross, SAID
Senator Caravan. THE organization
ought to rid itself of these men
Senator Copeland insisted that 1T was
most unfortunate and that there must
be some mistake about II"
Protest Letter Cited.
The New York Senator added that he
had recently received letter from q
man In New York who expressed resent
Ynent because the Senate had put
through an appropriation to relieve SUI
fering instead of permitting the Red
Cross to carry on through voluntary
contributions.
This man wrote me that because Of
his resentment he had contributed
$4,000 to the Red Gross" said Senator
Copeland. IT am glad that he DID.
I exuect to contribute myself to the
Red Gross. I hope that If this action
was really taken by the Red Cross as
reported here today it will be repudiated
at once"
senator TrammelI Of Florida demand
ed that Congress put through legtsla-
ton without delay to pay in cash the
soldiers bonus. He declared that 1t Is
appalling that the Government has not
come to the rescue Of suffering in this
country long ago"
Senator Harrison of Mississippi said
that he believed the Senate Finance
Committee, which is holding hearings
on the cash bonus for the World War
veterans, would report favorably some
measure for the payment OF a cash
bonus
Hoover Attitude IncOmprehensible.
At this point Senator Bingham of
Connecticut sought to have placed In
the record a statement made by Sec
rotary Mellon before the Senate FL
nance Committee today attacking the
urouosed cash bonus. Senator Robin
son of Arkansas, who had the floor,
objected, however, wishing to address
the Senate at this point
THE President Of the United States
Is the president Of the American Red
Cross" said Senator Robinson. The
announcement has been MADE tnat
President Hoover has said that no funds
shall be provided through appropria-
lions of. a general character to aid the
whole country in the drought-stricken
areas. The attitude of the President
Is incomprehensible to his most init
mate friends.
Before Mr.. Hoover became President,
he was recognized as a leader OF relief
movements throughout the world. At
the time of the close of the World War
he came to Congress and asked for
10 raa Cd m fnaH
Europeans who were in great distress.
He came again in the name of mercy
and asked for $40. 900 900 to be .appro-
priated to feed hungry Russians. AT
that time the committee Of Congress
raised the question whether it would
not be- better to provide the funds
through voluntary contributions to the
Red Gross and other charities. Mr.
Hoover at that time called attention tc
the fact that the resources of many
citizens were depleted because OF their
contributions during the war and to
Community Chests in this country
His Judgment was that the money
should be taken out of the Federal
Treasury. The Congress accepted this
view of Citizen Hoover and approprl-
ated 500, O00, 900 and Citizen Hoover
distributed it and his name became
known throughout the world.
"The country then was in better posi-
ton to make contributions than it is
today" continued Senator Robinson.
To-day local Community Chest drives
have almost exhausted the resources OF
the people and the Red Cross is having
difhculty In raising the 100000 fund
for which 1t has asked"
Senator Robinson insisted that the
SOS, 0O0.0 900 which the Senate has pro-
posed to appropriate to relieve suffering
Is not SUFFICIENT.
Senator Copeland declared that
Chairman Payne of the Red Gross
when appearing before a Senate Com
nnittee recently, had been asked
whether the Red Cross would handle
funds provided by Congress and had re-
piled that 1T would do what Congress
wanted done.
Mcclellan Makes Criticism.
Senator Mcclellan of Tennessee. and
Senator Helm of Alabama, both sharp
" criticized the Red Gross for saying
now that it could not accept the ad-
rninistration of the funds for relief
provided in the bill as passed by the
Senate.
at is a crying shame" said Senator
Mcclellan, that we do not put aside
every other business before the Con-
gress and see that proper relief is pro-
Vided. The people are hungry and by
all dictates of humanity the Congress:
should see that they are FED"
ut Is a serious and remarkable sit
uation," said Senator Hefiin," that
the Red Gross should take this atti'
fude." The Alabama Senator said that
the failure to provide prompt relief IL
enough to make bolsheyiks and commu.
nists" out of the people. ~
Testifying before the House Appro-
priations Committee on the Senate pro-
posal, Payne said ordinarily the Rec
Cross could raise $1O,00o,o00 in ar
emergency drive within 10 days.
It was not until President Hoover
former President Coolidge and former
Gov. Alfred z. Smith and others made
their national appeal for the Red eros!
over the radio that contributions Ii
substantial quantities were received, III
said.
Answer 10 Woods.
This testimony was given in Response
70 a question by Chairman Woods o.
the committee for such information.
The belief that the $10,000.000 fund
along with $5,000,000 set aside for re-
lief work from its treasury, would NEE
the acute drought situation was ex
pressed by Judge Payne.
1.-THE amount" he testified, which
the Red Cross set aside from its treas
ury of $5,00O,000 (of which there nov
remains S2,741, 575) plus the 100000
fund will meet the needs. Re
gardless of the helpful considerations
our conviction Is that the 100000
fund will enable us adequately TO NEE
the situation
He said TO date collections on tn
100000 fund amounted to $3,869, 99i
Has Spent s2,S6O,9S4
s'The Red Cross" he said, has eX
pended through January 81 $4,000, go
for drought relief, of which 1929, l6
was from the Fall seed program, an
1881 1872 for food and other items, In
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