Evening star., 1945-10-10


war the Red Cross in every cam
paign for funds has paid large
sums, ranging from 100000 to $780,
900, into the treasures of the two
big labor organizations, the CIO and
the AFL, to reimburse" them for
Expenses" incurred in aiding the
Red Cross.
1t is fair to say that though there
is plenty of criticism of Mr.. Basil
O'Connor, the present Red Cross
head, this is not his fault. He has
continued it, but he did not origi-
nate it-he inherited it.
Began Back in 1912.
1T began back in 1912, when, in
the written words of a high official
making a report in 1914 on this
subject, 'the Red Cross had the
choice of taking part in labor
agreement or of refusing to take
part. If we joined, we could not
have a free ride but must pay our
share. If we did not join, we sur
rendered the field OF union and
plant organization to a combined
effort on the part Of labor and the
chests with the Red Cross work
Ing at great disadvantage"
In this same report 1t Is pointed
out that the National War Fund
and various community chests and
councils had made prior arrange
ments with the labor leaders to re
tmburse" their organizations for Eek
penses," and the Red Cross was the
last to come in. THE suggestion"
the report says, came as shock
but there seemed nothing to do ex-
cept go along
Editors Note: The Washington
War Fund and Community Chest
organizations do not participate in
the arrangement referred to by Mr..
Kent, having found it unnecessary
in view of the cooperation offered
by local labor organizations. Some
regional Offices have been estab-
lished throughout the country, it is
explained, to work with organized
labor in War Fund campaigns.
None exists in Washington)
In the year the Red Cross paid
100000 to the labor group it really
shocked a number of members of
the. central committee who heard
of it then for the first time. Pro-
tests were made by persons like Mr..
George Harrison, Mrs. Dwight F.
Davis, Mr.. Landon Thorne and
others. Mrs. Davis and Mr.. Harri-
son twice Hoted against ratification
of this arrangement" by the CEN
tral committee. Because of it, Mr..
Thorne resigned. 1t seemed to these
which labor became the one group
Reimbursed" for expenses" and
thus specially favored, was funda-
mentally bad. In a strong letter to
the chairman, one protestant asked
these questions:
rs there not danger that an
agreement with labor may lead to
demands for further special privi-
leges?" What would be our de-
fense If publicly accused of buying
the good will of labor or any other
group?' What effect would it have
on the millions of nonunion labor?"
What effect would it have on the
millions of volunteers who give
unstintedly of their time and re-
sources without thought of COM
pensation?" Would we be justified
in making a similar arrangement
with the American Bankers Asso-
ciation?"
To all this the directing head. Mr..
Norman Davis, whose character was
of the highest, and the other Off
cials who had made the arrange
ment replied at great length. They
agreed that the principle was bad,
but insisted that it was necessary.
In the aforesaid written report
the statement was made that be-
fore the agreement the labor lead
ers and much of the rank and file
had been indifferent and unfriend-
ly";; that because of the National
War Fund and the chests" the Red
Cross had no alternative; that good
results have been had that no
wrong is involved in the arrange
ment.
Results Disputed.
AS to the results, this is disputed.
There are those who insist that just
as much money could have been
collected from labor without the
arrangement" as was collected with
it-particularly when the expense"
money was deducted. AS to the
wrong, it is admitted that no crime
has been committed; but it is in
sisted that the principle is bad and
the practice dead against the Red
Cross creed and spirit.
The best proof of this is that both
the Red Cross management and la
Dor have deemed it necessary to keep
this arrangement" a complete Sc
cret. Those who protested were