In the RED CROSS MAGAZINE for January, 1913, appeared an illustration
of the beautiful building which the Red Cross hoped to obtain through
the combined generosity of the New York Commandery of the Loyal Legion
and the Congress of the United States. The proposed building was to be
a memorial to the loyal women of the Civil War and was to become the
permanent headquarters of the American Red Cross.
The Loyal Legion offered to donate $300,000 toward the memorial on
condition that Congress would give a suitable site in the City of
Washington. A bill was accordingly introduced in Congress to carry the
plan into effect by appropriating $300,000 for the purchase of ground.
Everybody was favorable and all conditions seemed auspicious.
Those who have had opportunities to observe legislation in the making,
are familiar with the fact that the only certain thing about it is its
uncertainty. A resume of the career of this particular measure affords
a shining example in point. The bill was introduced in both Senate and
House in the spring of 1912, and was referred to committees in the usual
manner. The Senate committee gave prompt consideration to the bill, and
of its own accord increased the amount of the proposed appropriation
to $400,000, after which it reported it to the Senate, which passed it
without opposition. The Committee on Public Buildings and Grounds of the
House, after hearings, submitted a unanimously favorable report to the
House on the last day before adjournment for the summer of 1912.
When Congress met in December, 1912, the status of the Red Cross
building bill seemed most fortunate. It had passed the Senate without
opposition carrying an appropriation of $400,000. The House Committee
had unanimously accepted the Senate bill and had recommended it for
passage. All that remained was for the House to pass it and the President
to attach his signature. The road looked straight and easy and not very
long, with a bright blue sky overhead.
And then something interfered slightly with the forward movement. Many
other bills with many active congressmen behind them crowded into the
foreground. There seemed to be no opening for the Red Cross bill to slip
through. Big bills for the support of the vast governmental departments
had to be given precedence. Time flew and congressmen began to refer
to the fact that it was a short session with much to be done. Also the
leaders began to urge economy in appropriations.
It was found impossible to get a definite place or date set for a vote on
the Red Cross bill. At one time it was proposed to try to call it up by
unanimous consent, but nothing came of that. Then those in charge thought
better to abandon it as a distinct measure and insert it as an item in
the big Public Buildings and Grounds Bill, which contained appropriations
for many buildings. Later the cry of economy became more strident and the
plan for the Red Cross bill was again changed. Now it was decided not to
bring it forward in the House but instead to pass the Public Buildings
and Grounds Bill in the House without it and let it be inserted by the
Senate when the big bill reached that body.
It is customary for the Senate to add numerous items to bills of this
character after the House has passed them. Then the bills as amended
by the Senate must go back to the House for the House to accept the
Senate amendments. If the House declines to accept the Senate amendments
a committee is appointed from each side to confer and try to agree
on the items in dispute. Usually both Senate and House accept the
recommendations of the conference committees.
So the House passed the Public Buildings and Grounds Bill without the
Red Cross item and the Senate was asked to insert that item. It did so.
Then opposition arose because the Red Cross building was a memorial to
the _loyal_ women of the Civil War. It was argued that the Confederate
women were just as brave and devoted and self-sacrificing as the women
of the North; that no memorial should perpetuate sectional feeling.
The proposition was made that the word _loyal_ be eliminated and that
the building be a memorial to _all_ the women of the Civil War. This
could not be done, however, because the gift of $300,000 by the Loyal
Legion was conditioned upon the retention of the word _loyal_. A sharp
discussion followed with the result that the Red Cross item was entirely
stricken out. A little later the subject was reopened and the Red Cross
item was again inserted and remained there when the Senate passed the
bill.
The House refused to accept the Senate amendments and a conference
committee was appointed. Several important Senate amendments, among them
the Red Cross item, became the subject of prolonged discussion. Congress
must adjourn on March 4th. It was now March 3rd and it became imperative
that an agreement should be reached. Finally the dispute had narrowed
down to this:
The House conferees would consent to the passage of the Red Cross item
if the Senate would abandon the item for the purchase of the Rock Creek
Valley in Washington for park purposes. The Rock Creek Valley purchase
was of the utmost importance to Washington. It had been urged for years
and there was no question that it was of greater public value at this
time than the provision of a Red Cross building. The Senate forced to
this hard choice wisely held on to the Rock Creek Valley item and the Red
Cross item was lost.
Perhaps this story of high hope, of keen suspense, of alternating
optimism and despair is not worth the space here given to its relation.
It is, however, a tale of a gallant fight in which the Red Cross won many
friends and made no enemies. Shall it fare better in Congress another
year? Who so faint hearted as to doubt?