Evening star., 1946-04-05

condemnation. In the defense re-
Gently given to the press for this
agreement by various departments
of the Red Cross I have yet to
see, any defense not based wholly
on the grounds of expediency.
This agreement was in existence
some two years before it was pub
licized 1t was then publicized in
such a manner that neither the
rank and file of labor, nor the rank
and file of Red Cross workers fully
understood it. That this is a fact
is proved by the thousands of in
dignant letters which have been re-
ceived at national headquarters
from not only active workers and
contributors in the Red Cross, but
from members of these two labor
organizations, who resent the fact
that their groups are the only ones
being paid for their services to the
Red Cross. They rightly regard it
as a slur on their patriotism-when
their country was at war.
For the foregoing reasons, I re-
gard this agreement as equally det-
rimental to the American Red Cross
and the two labor unions involved,
and as the agreement definitely
states that it can be terminated by
either party concerned, on reason
able notice, 1t is my hope that such
an agreement will never be re-
newed."
Files Opened to Star.
(The Red Cross, which opened
its files to The Star, said that
since last October, 724 letters
protesting, or wishing informa-
tion about the agreement, have
been received at national head
quarters. Another $50 letters
were addressed to area offices. A
negligible" part of the whole
came from persons in labor, Red
Cross added)
Some members of the 3,754 Red
Cross chapters and 5000 chapter
branches were not happy after
reading charges by Columnist
Frank Kent that union treasures
were fattening from a Red Cross
kickback." Red Cross has denied
that single penny has gone into
a union treasury and has said only
bare campaign fund expenses have
gone to the labor committees.
When some 20 Red Cross chan
ters adopted resolutions against the
agreement, certain critics wished to
know why they had not heard of
/ it earlier.
Counters Charges.
To answer these charges of "se.
crecy" and suppression" the Red
Cross countered with evidence that
" Every chapter in the United
States received copies of the agree
ment in 1912 and each succeeding
year it was renewed; t2) general
news releases were issued: (3) The
agreement was discussed at each
Red Cross regional meeting, and, "a
LABOR gave extensive publicity to the
agreement in its combined nress
reaching 100000 readers.
II this was secrecy, said Guy Em-
erson, the Wall Street banker who
fostered the agreement, then it was
a secret closely guarded by 10 900 :
600 people"
The question has arisen as to whv
the AFL and CIO were selected for
special consideration by the Red
Cross when there are no agreements
with other groups. The answer, saws
Eed Cross, is that other groups long
mad been familiar with the aims and
purposes of Red Cross, whereas the
education of labor had Jagged.
Then, too, in the DAYS of mass
production for war, when labor was
strained for time, it appeared likely
chat Embarrassing committees made
up OF union members could do a iob
That would appeal to union workers
with quicker results than a paid Red
Cross staff.
The United Mine Workers and
the Railroad Brotherhoods also were
considered for similar labor agree
ments, but both pointed out that
their more closely knit groups al
ready were equipped for maximum
fund-raising results.