CONTENTS
The American Red Cross
President
Vice-President
Treasurer
Counselor
National Director
Secretary
CENTRAL COMMITTEE
Appointed by the President of the United States.
Elected by the Board of Incorporators.
Elected by Delegates.
FORM OF BEQUEST
ALAMEDA PARK, MEXICO CITY, SCENE OF FIGHTING IN RECENT REVOLUTION.
© Underwood & Underwood
THE AMERICAN RED CROSS MAGAZINE
Volume Eight APRIL, 1913 Number Two
Opinion and Comment
NEW NAME, NEW PAPER, NEW DEPARTMENT
Unless attention is specifically called to the fact, our readers may not notice that with this issue they receive a Magazine instead of a Bulletin. That time-tried query of the cynic, “What’s in a name?” may be flung at us, and our answer will be that the contents and character of this publication are more in keeping with the accepted idea of a magazine than of a bulletin. At any rate, we like the new name better than the old, and we hope our readers will approve our taste. But whatever may be the verdict upon the slight change of name, we feel assured that we shall hear only approval of the heavier and better paper on which the magazine is printed. We hope also that the new department of “Opinion and Comment” may prove acceptable. Furthest from our thought is any idea that the Magazine is perfect, and any concrete suggestions of improvement which readers may offer will be cordially received and given careful consideration.
MAYOR GAYNOR’S SOUTHERN FLOOD RELIEF COMMITTEE
During the Mississippi River flood in the spring of 1912, Mayor Gaynor, of New York, appointed a committee to collect money for relief purposes. Mr. Robert W. de Forest, head of the New York County Chapter of the Red Cross, was made chairman, and Mr. Robert Adamson, the Mayor’s secretary, became secretary of the committee. Among the prominent members were officers of the New York Southern Society. This committee undertook its duties with such vigor and effectiveness that it became much the largest contributor to the flood relief fund placed in the hands of the Red Cross for expenditure. The committee held its final meeting in Mayor Gaynor’s office on January 21, 1913, when the secretary presented an interesting account of the work accomplished.
Money was received from all parts of the country, although the greater part was contributed by residents of New York City. The New York Southern Society received $14,281.05. From this sum $10,000 was paid to Mr. Jacob H. Schiff, treasurer for the Mayor’s committee. The Southern Society also paid all expenses of the campaign for both itself and the Mayor’s committee, amounting to $1,612.49, and forwarded $600 directly to flood sufferers. This left a balance in the hands of the Southern Society of $2,068.56, which later was turned over to the Red Cross. Including the $10,000 paid in by the Southern Society, the Mayor’s committee received a total of $67,322.39, all of which was transmitted to the Red Cross.
Summarizing the work of both the Southern Society and the Mayor’s committee it appears that the total collections amounted to $71,601.44, of which $600 went direct to the flood district, $1,612.49 was paid for expenses and $69,390.95 was turned over to the Red Cross.
By invitation of the committee the national director of the Red Cross attended the final meeting and gave an account of the relief operations as carried on in behalf of the quarter of a million persons whose homes were affected in the 15,000 square miles of country inundated.
CINCINNATI CHAPTER WIDE AWAKE
Good news comes from the Cincinnati Chapter of the Red Cross, where Mr. Julius Fleischman is chairman and Miss Annie Laws secretary. A permanent office has been taken at 220 West Seventh street, and Miss Hilda M. Reinecke, a well known nurse, has been placed in charge. Miss Reinecke will also serve as instructor in home nursing, for which classes are now being organized. During the flood in Cincinnati in January the Chapter participated actively in relief operations in co-operation with the committee appointed by the mayor, who, by the way, is an active member of the executive committee of the Chapter. Plans are in contemplation for other important activities, and no great prophetic power is required to predict a useful career for the Chapter.
CHAPTER NEWS WANTED FOR PUBLICATION
It is hoped to devote an increasing amount of space in the Red Cross Magazine to accounts of the work and plans of Chapters. For this reason chairmen and secretaries are invited to send in reports and notes of anything of interest in which the Chapters are engaged or which they are contemplating. In this way the experience of one Chapter will be made available for the help and guidance of others. While establishing policies and strengthening other parts of the national organization the creation and upbuilding of Chapters have been necessarily retarded. It is believed the time has come for a vigorous effort to bring the Chapters into their proper place of importance in the Red Cross scheme of things. Officers of Chapters are invited to study the little handbook recently published with a view to finding suggestions for local activities of an interesting and useful character. It is to be remembered that the handbook is not intended to specify all the activities permissible to a Chapter, but is meant to define in a broad way the legitimate field for Red Cross activities, with a few suggestions of specific lines of work which are consistent with the purposes of the society. The national director will be glad to correspond with Chapters which contemplate embarking in new work. Reports or items of Chapter news intended for the Magazine should be sent to the national director.
