The Committee secured the services of an expert in relief work, who, in
the character of National Director, is able to proceed at once to the
scene of any disaster and concert with the local relief agencies those
measures which may be deemed requisite to meet the emergency conditions.
The lack of an agent to act for the Red Cross on such occasions has often
been felt. The Committee considered itself especially fortunate in having
been able to secure the services, as National Director, of Mr. Ernest P.
Bicknell, who for several years has been at the head of the charity work
in the city of Chicago.
Mr. Bicknell’s engagement dated from October 1st, and his initial work
was a visit to Minnesota and Michigan to carefully study the situation
in the territory devasted by forest fires. It is Mr. Bicknell’s belief
that the States and local agencies may be depended upon to render such
assistance as the conditions require.
The Central Committee has given much attention to a development of an
organization so as to better adapt it to the purposes for which the
Association was created.
The preparations required for the relief of suffering caused by war will
be generally confined to the elaboration by the War Relief Board of
plans for providing the requisite personnel, apparatus and supplies and
their application under the direction of military and naval authorities.
For emergency relief the instrumentalities of the Red Cross will
unfortunately be frequently called into activity, and we should be ready
instantly the catastrophe has occurred to have our agents on the spot
with the requisite personnel, supplies and resources to undertake the
emergency work which Congress has assigned to the Red Cross of America.
It is always the case that local, state and municipal authorities are
ready to either assume entire management of relief measures within
their jurisdiction, or to co-operate with those who bring help from
abroad. Sometimes the outside aid required is many times greater in
magnitude than the localities are able to provide. For two independent
relief agencies to operate for a common purpose at any scene of want
and suffering means duplication and waste and possible friction. It
is to avoid such situations that the Central Committee plans to elect
the stronger and more efficient charity organization societies as
institutional members for the purpose of securing their trained personnel
to take charge under the National Director of the necessary relief
measure combined.
In furtherance of this general idea of better efficiency, and to provide
an authorized official channel through which the aid of the philanthropic
and charitable may flow, and be so applied as to yield the maximum
benefit, the Committee has organized an emergency relief board of fifteen
persons to be appointed by the President of the Red Cross and empowered
to study, prepare for and supervise emergency relief throughout the
States of the Union and exterior possessions.
Carrying out this general idea of specializing in work of the Red Cross,
it is expedient to commit to a separate board the study, preparation for
and supervision of relief applied in foreign countries. The organization
of such a Board at an early date is contemplated.
It was found by experience that the By-Laws adopted on February 8, 1905,
require amendment in several important particulars. Accordingly the
necessary amendments were adopted at the annual meeting December 8th.
The general membership has been somewhat increased during the year. This
is largely due to the generous co-operation of several of our members
who contributed considerable amounts to a fund from which the expenses
of a propaganda were guaranteed. Large accessions, it was hoped, would
be secured by means of printed circulars and historical data generally
distributed. While the propaganda resulted in the accession of several
thousand new members, the net result of the efforts did not justify the
hopes that had been entertained of a very large increase in membership.
The cost of this work was paid from the fund created by the donors and
without any inroads upon the resources of the Association.
At the International Conference, held in London last year, it was agreed
that the Red Cross throughout the world should assist in the campaign
against what has been aptly called “The Great White Plague,” i. e.,
Tuberculosis. Several Day Camps have been established by our Branches and
are efficiently applying with most gratifying results the curative and
preventative means for combatting this disease that have been advised by
expert practitioners.
A Red Cross Christmas Stamp has been designed and will be sold during the
holidays at one cent each, the profits thereby secured to be applied in
aiding the tuberculosis campaign in localities where the stamps were sold.
A prominent military surgeon, who is a member of the Red Cross, has
prepared a handbook for the Association on First Aid to the Injured and
this book has been placed on sale. It is hoped that the Y. M. C. A. will
adopt this work as a text book, a wish there is reason to believe may
be realized and that every family in the country will be glad to have
one. At the request of a prominent railroad official, we are preparing,
for travelers and railroad employees, to be hung up in stations, a card
containing suggestions for preventatives and remedial measures in respect
to accidents.
Special instructions of relief columns have also been commenced. A plan
is being developed through which the Federation of Trained Nurses may
become affiliated with the Red Cross so as to provide qualified nurses as
may be needed in cases of calamity, epidemics, etc.
The evidence is overwhelmingly convincing that where a great disaster has
occurred contributions of the people are willingly and generously given
to relieve suffering, but unlike the people of some foreign countries,
our own do not seem to be as ready to join the Association in great
numbers and by their annual dues supply the means for maintaining our
organization in a constant state of readiness to respond instantly on
call for help. Fortunately, the ordinary general expenses of conducting
the business of the Association in Washington are small, since we have no
rent to pay and no salaries to pay, save to the National Director, the
Secretary and Treasurer, and for one or two clerks, but the stationery,
Quarterly Bulletin, printing, telegraphing and postal charges are
considerable. The annual revenues available for administration, derived
from the half of the yearly dues, are not sufficient to properly conduct
the work entrusted to the Association. The income from the Endowment
Fund is also small because the fund is small and to the increase of this
fund it seems to the Committee special effort should be directed.
Considering to what proportion the endowments of certain public
institutions and beneficent organizations have grown through donations
and legacies, it does not seem to be an unjustified expectation that the
Red Cross Endowment should certainly reach a million dollars, yielding at
least $40,000 a year, which sum, with other income, would be sufficient
and ample to meet all administrative expenses and leave a considerable
balance for application to emergency relief, before measures could be
matured for securing gifts from the general public directly appliable to
such relief.
With respect to this matter the Committee does not ask for enlarged
powers, since the Central Committee a year since took action looking
to the appointment of a Committee on Endowment, but for reasons all
appreciate the time was not deemed propitious for undertaking the
propaganda to this end, but members of the Board of Incorporators can,
in their individual capacities, do much to forward the interests of the
Association by their suggestion and personal influence.
The statement presented by the Treasurer will show the financial history
of the Corporation for the year 1908.