The American National Red Cross Bulletin (Vol. I, No. 3, July 1906)

Chapter I: Part 1

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The American National Red Cross Bulletin (Vol. 1, No. 3)

The American
National Red Cross

Chartered by Congress January 5, 1905
+
Bulletin No. 3

Issued by the Central Committee, July, 1906

Office of the Corporation
ROOM 431 WAR DEPARTMENT
Washington, D. C.

CONTENTS

Preface 2

Japanese Famine Fund 3

Condition of Famine Districts, by Baron T. Ozawa, Vice-President
of the Japanese Red Cross 7

Vesuvian Disaster Relief Fund 12

California Relief 14

Invitation to Red Cross Congress 26

Abuse of the Red Cross Insignia 29

Notes 31

Addresses of Branch Secretaries 40

Applications for Membership 41

THE AMERICAN NATIONAL RED CROSS

=OFFICERS=

_President_,
HON. WILLIAM H. TAFT.

_Treasurer_,
HON. CHARLES HALLAM KEEP.

_Counselor_,
HON. JAMES C. McREYNOLDS.

_Secretary_,
CHARLES L. MAGEE.

_Chairman of Central Committee_,
BRIGADIER-GENERAL ROBERT M. O’REILLY,
Surgeon-General, U. S. Army.

=BOARD OF CONSULTATION=

BRIGADIER-GENERAL ROBERT M. O’REILLY,
Surgeon-General, U. S. Army.

SURGEON-GENERAL PRESLEY M. RIXEY,
U. S. Navy.

SURGEON-GENERAL WALTER WYMAN,
U. S. Public Health and Marine Hospital Service.

=CENTRAL COMMITTEE, 1905-1906=

Brigadier-General ROBERT M. O’REILLY, Surgeon-General U. S.
Army, War Department, Washington, D. C.

Hon. ROBERT BACON, Assistant Secretary of State, Department of
State, Washington, D. C.

Major JEFFERSON R. KEAN, Assistant Surgeon-General, U. S. Army,
Washington, D. C.

Medical Director JOHN C. BOYD, U. S. Navy, U. S. Naval Museum
of Hygiene and Medical School, Washington, D. C.

Hon. JAMES C. MCREYNOLDS, Assistant Attorney-General,
Department of Justice, Washington, D. C.

Hon. CHARLES HALLAM KEEP, Assistant Secretary of the Treasury,
Treasury Department, Washington, D. C.

Judge W. W. MORROW, San Francisco, Cal.

Mr. SAMUEL MATHER, Western Reserve Building, Cleveland, Ohio.

Miss MABEL T. BOARDMAN, Room 341 War Dept., Washington, D. C.

Hon. JAMES R. GARFIELD, Commissioner of Corporations,
Department of Commerce and Labor, Washington, D. C.

Hon. A. C. KAUFMAN, Charleston, S. C.

Mr. CHARLES G. WASHBURN, Worcester, Mass.

JOHN C. PEGRAM, Providence, R. I.

General CHARLES BIRD, Wilmington, Del.

Col. WILLIAM CARY SANGER, Sangerfield, N. Y.

Judge LAMBERT TREE, 70 La Salle St., Chicago, Ill.

JAMES TANNER, Commander-in-Chief, Grand Army of the Republic,
Washington, D. C.

Surgeon-General WALTER WYMAN, U. S. Public Health and Marine
Hospital Service, Treasury Department, Washington, D. C.

PREFACE

A little more than a year ago the American National Red Cross, just reorganized, consisted only of its sixty-five incorporators. Since then it has not only organized Branches in twenty-six States and Territories, but it has justified the claim that there is need for such an organization in times of peace as well as war “to continue and carry on a system of national and international relief in time of peace and apply the same in mitigating the sufferings caused by pestilence, famine, fire, floods and other great national calamities,” as stated in its charter, by the assistance it has rendered after the typhoon of September 26, 1905, in the Philippines, in the relief of the famine sufferers in Japan, to a limited extent by the contributions sent for the victims of the Vesuvius eruption, and lastly by its relief work after the great calamity that has befallen San Francisco and its vicinity. Reports in regard to some of this relief work are contained in this third Bulletin.

The Central Committee proposes later to issue to the officers of Branches a circular letter recommending the appointment in all cities and towns of Emergency Relief Committees consisting of representative citizens, and of which the Mayor should be ex-officio chairman, which will be called into active service only at times of great national calamities.

A translation is given in this Bulletin of the invitation extended through the International Committee of Geneva by the British Red Cross to all other Red Cross Societies to attend a Red Cross Congress to be held in London, June, 1907.

The European Red Cross Societies have tens and hundreds of thousands of members, and the Japanese has a membership of 1,035,000. The United States, so long delayed in the creating of a great national Red Cross, must make up for lost time by its activity and energy. To increase the membership of the American Red Cross and thereby its efficiency and strength the individual personal efforts of its members must be depended upon. A national pride should be felt in the American Red Cross, and all Americans, men, women and even children, who are able to pay the dollar a year dues or twenty-five dollars for life-membership, should become members of our National Red Cross. Application blanks will be found in each Bulletin with the addresses of the Branch Secretaries to whom such applications can be sent.

JAPANESE FAMINE FUND

The American National Red Cross has forwarded to the Japanese Red Cross for the famine stricken provinces in northern Japan a total of $265,855.67, of which $200,000.00 was received from the _Christian Herald_; being contributions made to that paper. A list of the contributions received from the _Christian Herald_ from the Red Cross Branch Treasurers and those made directly to the National Treasurer from the different States is contained in this Bulletin.

On March 31st when $100,000 had been received by the Japanese Red Cross the following letter was sent to the American National Red Cross:

TOKYO, March 31, 1906.

MISS MABEL T. BOARDMAN, _The American National Red Cross
Society, Washington, D.C._

DEAR MADAM:

We have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your esteemed
favor under date of the 22d, February.

A generous appeal for our famine sufferers in northeastern
provinces in Japan done by your President Roosevelt, whose
sympathy with Japan and her people we have highly appreciated
has echoed to our shore, when our own people have been throwing
their effort in relieving the distressed, whose conditions are
beyond imagination terrible. From the date when you mailed
the letter up to this day the monies you sent to us in cable
remittances amount to $100,000.00 in gold, which we lost no
time, in compliance with your desire and under the direction
of our Government, in distributing to relieve the immediate
necessities of the most needy sufferers by forwarding a certain
amount of money to each President of our Red Cross Branches
in those provinces, who are Governors and, at the same time,
we have had them conveyed to the sufferers all the kindness,
good-will and sympathy that have ever been extended to us by
the American people.

For the time being, we take pleasure in sending you an account
of the monies thus distributed to this date and will submit you
a more accurate account of the relief work later on.

We shall be greatly obliged to you if you kindly send us a list
of those donors’ names and addresses, who have contributed over
$5.00.

Thanking you for your effort in collecting donations and for
the practical sympathy extended by your President, we are,

Yours obediently,

S. HIRAYAMA,
_The Red Cross Society of Japan_.

The above letter enclosed the following financial statement:

ACCOUNT OF FAMINE FUND RECEIVED AND DISTRIBUTED TO DATE

Date Name of Sender American Japanese Jap. Money Name
Received Money Money Distributed Provinces

Feb. 22, A. N. Red Cross $10,000.00 $20,050.13
Feb. 27, “ “ “
Collected by
_Christian Herald_ 10,000.00 20,050.13 Prefecture.
$20,050.13 Miyagi.
12,030.08 Fukushima.
8,020.05 Iwate.
Mar. 5, A. N. Red Cross 5,000.00 10,050.25
Mar. 15, “ “ “ 5,000.00 10,050.25
Mar. 15, “ “ “
Collected by
_Christian Herald_ 10,000.00 21,100.50
20,100.49 Miyagi.
12,060.31 Fukushima.
8,040.20 Iwate.
Mar. 16, A. N. Red Cross 5,000.00 10,075.57
5,037.78 Miyagi.
3,022.67 Fukushima.
2,015.12 Iwate.
Mar. 22, A. N. Red Cross 5,000.00 10,050.25 Now being
Mar. 22, “ “ “ 50,000.00 100,502.51 distributed.
Collected by
_Christian Herald_ ----------- ----------- -----------
Total $100,000.00 $200,929.59 $ 90,376.83
Balance 110,552.76
----------- ----------- -----------
$100,000.00 $200,929.59 $200,929.59

_March 31, 1906._
The Red Cross Society of Japan.

In concluding a report made to the State Department in April on the famine conditions Mr. Huntington Wilson, Charge d’Affaires, says:

“Americans may well feel pride in the splendid work done by the foreign committee at Sendai of which the great majority, Dr. DeForest, Mr. W. E. Lampe, the Rev. C. S. Davidson, Mr. M. B. Madden, and Mr. William Axling, are citizens of the United States. The work of these men, and the donations from the United States collected by the _Christian Herald_ and through the Red Cross Society, are like the President’s humanitarian appeal, highly appreciated in Japan.

“While the prompt assistance rendered has doubtless been of great value in alleviating suffering, and as a fine example of humanitarianism there is no doubt that the Japanese Government and people can now themselves readily cope with the needs of the final months of the famine.”

As the American people were ready and glad to aid Japan in the day of her trouble so promptly has she turned to our help when calamity came to us in the disaster in California and as will be noted in the report of the work done there the Japanese Red Cross has sent to the American National Red Cross one hundred and ten thousand dollars ($110,000.00) for the California sufferers, and for this generous contribution the American people and especially those of California are most grateful and appreciative.

On May 25th the following letter was received from the Japanese Ambassador:

DEAR MISS BOARDMAN:

I take pleasure in informing you that I have been advised from
my home Government to the effect that the condition of the
famine stricken people in the Northern Provinces of Japan,
towards the relief of whom generous contributions from foreign
sympathizers have been received, has now improved to such a
favorable extent as to allow them to announce that, with the
harvest of the coming summer crop, there will be no more need
of receiving outside contributions.

Yours sincerely,

VISCOUNT S. AOKI.

Baron Ozawa’s report on the famine conditions in northern Japan sent to the American National Red Cross is given in full in this Bulletin.

TABULATED STATEMENT OF THE JAPANESE FAMINE FUND

Up to and inclusive of the date of the last remittance to the Japanese Red Cross, June 5, 1906.

----------------------+--------------+------------------+-------------
| Amount rec’d | Amount rec’d | Total Amount
Name of State | through Red | direct by |received from
| Cross Branch |National Treasurer| each State
----------------------+--------------+------------------+-------------
Alabama | | .50 | .50
Arkansas | | 10.00 | 10.00
*California | 228.00 | 238.61 | 466.61
Colorado | | 31.00 | 31.00
*Connecticut | 3,542.67 | 154.76 | 3,697.43
*Delaware | 598.26 | 5.00 | 603.26
*District of Columbia | 392.25 | 1,937.50 | 2,329.75
Florida | | 10.50 | 10.50
Idaho | | 3.00 | 3.00
*Illinois | 1,710.15 | 939.19 | 2,649.34
*Indiana | 80.50 | 1,011.31 | 1,091.81
Indian Territory | | 5.00 | 5.00
Iowa | | 183.54 | 183.54
Kansas | | 124.41 | 124.41
Kentucky | | 2.00 | 2.00
Louisiana | | 256.35 | 256.35
*Maine | 173.50 | 19.05 | 192.55
*Maryland | 1,600.00 | 180.50 | 1,780.50
*Massachusetts | 12,440.22 | 1,771.91 | 14,212.13
*Michigan | | 80.30 | 80.30
Minnesota | | 354.00 | 354.00
Mississippi | | 125.09 | 125.09
Missouri | | 46.64 | 46.64
Montana | | 2.50 | 2.50
Nebraska | | 1,147.29 | 1,147.29
New Hampshire | | 22.50 | 22.50
New Jersey | | 225.75 | 225.75
*New York | 19,356.56 | 2,489.89 | 21,846.45
North Carolina | | 248.20 | 248.20
North Dakota | | 8.00 | 8.00
*Ohio | 1,427.11 | 224.75 | 1,651.86
Oregon | | 5.46 | 5.46
Pennsylvania | | 8,741.42 | 8,741.42
*Rhode Island | 1,393.98 | | 1,393.98
*South Carolina | 750.00 | 32.00 | 782.00
South Dakota | | 48.50 | 48.50
Tennessee | | 24.00 | 24.00
Texas | | 169.80 | 169.80
Utah | | 5.00 | 5.00
*Vermont | 24.00 | 12.00 | 36.00
Virginia | | 702.07 | 702.07
Washington | | 29.25 | 29.25
West Virginia | | 52.00 | 52.00
Wisconsin | | 190.50 | 190.50
Unclassified | | 267.43 | 267.43
----------------------+--------------+------------------+-----------
Totals | $43,717.20 | $22,138.47 | $65,855.67
Received from the _Christian Herald_, N. Y. |$200,000.00
+-----------
Grand Total |$265,855.67
Total amount transmitted to Japan |$265,855.67
+-----------
Balance on hand June 5, 1906 | 0.
--------------------------------------------------------+-----------

* These were the only States having organized Red Cross Branches
at the time the appeal was issued.

NOTE.—Since the above table was compiled the Treasurer has
received from the South Carolina Branch, a remittance of
$59.24, and from the Connecticut Branch a remittance of $27.50;
also a few small miscellaneous contributions, amounting in all
to less than $100.00.

NOTE.—Of the amount contributed by the State of Pennsylvania,
$5000.00 was given by the Citizens’ Permanent Relief Committee
of Philadelphia.

NOTE.—The amount contributed by the Connecticut Branch includes
$1755.03 collected by the Hartford _Courant_.

THE PRESENT CONDITION OF THE FAMINE-STRICKEN DISTRICTS IN THE NORTHERN PART OF JAPAN

BARON T. OZAWA, Vice-President

The Red Cross Society of Japan

_To the American National Red Cross_:

Having been fully occupied in looking after all the affairs
relative to the relief work of the late war-victims, some of
whom are still left behind in our hospitals, I could spare
no time otherwise up to this very day, when, nevertheless, I
found a few days to be squeezed out in order to have realized
my earnest desire of inspecting the present conditions of
the famine stricken districts in the Northern Provinces in
Japan and, besides, it was a proper time to be had for that
purpose. Leaving Tokyo on the 13th instant by a night train,
in company with our Mr. Masatake Togo, Honorary Secretary, and
Mr. Kow Isobe, one of our clerks, and arriving at Fukushima at
4 o’clock in the next morning, I started for another journey
escorted by Gov. Arita, President of the Fukushima Red Cross
Branch, and several other officers, and visited as many
counties, towns, and villages as possible meeting, at the same
time, their head men and officials, and dropping, once in a
while, into the huts of suffering peasants and telling them,
upon every opportunity, how generous and sympathetic President
Roosevelt, members of the American National Red Cross Society,
proprietor of _Christian Herald_ and its readers had been in
practically rescuing the famine stricken people from the verge
of starvation.

Before distributing the money, which you sent to us, however,
we had very carefully investigated the best methods, by which
no peasant there should laze away his time simply relying upon
such helps. With this in view, we instructed each Branch of
our Society at those districts to provide the poorest with
foodstuffs.

An official instruction, No. 146, given by the Governor of
Fukushima Ken (Prefecture) on the 10th of March, 1906, to the
head men of counties, towns, and villages may be of interest to
you. It runs as follows:

“The President of the United States has extended his sympathy
to Japan so deeply that he appealed to Americans in behalf of
our famine stricken provinces to raise a Relief Fund. As a
result, we have now received a certain amount of money as a
part of contributions from America which reached here through
the channels of the Red Cross Society of Japan, the Department
of Home Affairs and the American National Red Cross Society.
I wish you would convey to your sufferers the kindness and
sympathy so practically shown to them by Americans. This money
should only be used to provide the sufferers with food....”

The amount of money we sent to Fukushima Prefecture was up to
the 13th of April distributed among counties as follows:

THE AMOUNT OF MONEY DISTRIBUTED AMONG COUNTIES OUT OF
AMERICAN CONTRIBUTIONS.

NAME OF COUNTY. AMOUNT.
Shinobu Yen 4,943.00
Date 5,244.00
Adachi 5,364.00
Asaka 4,642.00
Iwase 3,315.00
Minamiaidu 1,508.00
Kitaaidu 1,084.00
Yama 2,070.00
Kawanuma 1,265.00
Onuma 1,265.00
Higashishirakawa 2,267.00
Nishishirakawa 4,521.00
Ishikawa 2,268.00
Nakamura 5,847.00
Ishijiro 4,452.00
Futaba 3,375.00
Soma 5,847.00
Wakamatsu 1,000.89
---------
Total Yen 60,277.89

The methods of helping that have been adopted by proper
authorities in co-operation with local officers of the Red
Cross Society of Japan are in general similar with those in
other two Prefectures, and are applied quite scientifically, if
I could use such an expression. In classifying the sufferers,
for instance, the authorities have carefully inspected every
family in order to find to what extent and how its members
should be helped. The following is an example given to me by
the President of Iwate Red Cross Branch:

NAME of the head of the family, Wutaro Rai.
Address, No. 334 Nakamura, Ishikawa Co.
Business, Tenant farming, Age 46.
Health, Suffering at present, Rheumatism.

NAME. AGE. HEALTH.
Grandfather, Nil
Grandmother, “
Father, Taro 75 Unable to work.
Mother, Hana 72 “ “ “
Wife, Chika 40 Able to work in the house.
Two daughters,
Kuni, age 25, married.
Yasa, 18, serving as maid in a remote; sends a little
money to help.
Amount of taxes, Yen, 1.20.
Property, mortgaged.
Beddings, quite insufficient.
House, bad.
Condition of living in the past, lived pretty well
comparatively.
Remarks: Entire help is at present needed.

Thus, persons, men or women, who are quite unable to work,
are fed and clothed with contributions that have been made
at home and abroad towards the sufferers, whilst those who
are able to work outside of the house, are furnished by the
local Governments, for measures of relief, with wage-earning
works such as those in rearranging public roads, paddy
fields, in opening new fields for mulberry trees, and those
in the house with materials for straw-works, bamboo-works,
fishing-net-works, etc., which are bought up afterward by the
authorities dearer than ordinary prices. Besides, to those
sufferers, who own themselves even a little bit of land or
who are tenants, are furnished with seeds of various kinds of
vegetables without charges whatever. The wages they earn in
these ways run from 12 sen (6 cents) to 30 sen (15 cents) per
day in accordance with the degree of their laboring power.

Foodstuffs, which we purchased with the money you sent to us,
consist mostly of imported rice, wheat and flour.

The number of sufferers or paupers in Fukushima Prefecture is
altogether 174,573, out of which 86,196 persons are helped in
such a manner as to be furnished with manual labor and 88,377
directly with foods, which had been partly purchased by the
authorities with the money contributed from individuals to the
amount of Yen 235,322.00 up to the end of March and partly sent
by them in the form of provisions in a good quantity.

In Iwate Prefecture, there are 78,588 sufferers, out of whom
35,211 are altogether helped being totally unable to work. The
total amount of money, which we sent to this district out of
your contributions, is up to the 22d instant, Yen 58,276.37.
Foodstuffs, worth Yen 24,619.08, had already been distributed
among the sufferers and at present some more foods are being
purchased. The total amount of money that has been contributed
by the natives and expended is to the same date Yen 147,933.60.

In Miyagi Prefecture, there are 475,135 persons, who have
needed help either directly or indirectly. Those who have been
furnished with foodstuffs number 51,058 and those with the
manual labor number 424,077. The total amount of money, which
we sent to this district out of your contributions is up to the
15th instant Yen 100,464.78 and that consisting of donations
made at home is Yen 448,892.70.

It may well be to state that, in consequence of the famine,
there have been established several societies in aid of the
sufferers in these three districts. The Ladies’ Relief Society
in Fukushima, for instance, has ever been collecting new and
old clothes and distributed them among the sufferers. The
Society for the Protection of School Children, which was
established under the auspices of the authorities in each
Prefecture of those districts since the number of pupils had
been found to be daily decreasing, has done a great deal of
work in helping and brightening them. At present, as a result,
the number of pupils who every day go to school is figured out,
on the average to be 95 per 100, whereas before the famine, its
percentage was about 85. All the text books, pencils, pens and
other necessities have now been pouring into their hands from
such children as are under different circumstances entirely.
Such articles, being in general second-handed, are disinfected
thoroughly before distributing them.

Thus the authorities have been taking much precaution against
epidemic that may likely spring up in the coming Summer as
often should be the case with famine. As the sufferers’ huts
are apt to become more filthy and unhealthy than used to be,
policemen are frequently sent to such houses for inspection.
Moreover, on those who keep their own houses clean are at
present conferred prizes in the shape of money.

School-children, in addition, get free luncheons at the
school, which are served by the Society for the Protection of
School-children. “I am very hungry. Oh no! I am not hungry”
is a spirit of Bushidoism or Samurai. It may be of interest
to state here that there had been at first some children, who
refused free luncheons notwithstanding they ate nothing for
more than two days and some fathers and mothers who refused
gifts from others.

In order to encourage the education of children in these
districts, the Central Government made allowance of Yen 300,000
for them, Yen 120,000 for Miyagi Ken (Prefecture), Yen 110,000
for Fukushima and Yen 70,000 for Iwate Ken being respectively
assigned.

The following, however, is the other side of society
indispensably resulted from the famine:

CRIMINALS.

-----------------+---------+--------+---------+-------
Comparative Time | No. of |No. of | No. of |
| Robbers |Thieves |Swindlers| Total
-----------------+---------+--------+---------+-------
Sept.-Nov., 1905 | 5 | 833 | 99 | 937
“ “ 1904 | 5 | 123 | 36 | 163
Dec. 1905 | 1 | 363 | 70 | 434
“ 1904 | 1 | 69 | 36 | 106
Jan. 1906 | 1 | 266 | 27 | 294
Jan. 1905 | 0 | 80 | 0 | 80
Feb. 1906 | 1 | 211 | 51 | 263
“ 1905 | 1 | 46 | 22 | 69
-----------------+---------+--------+---------+-------

In Sendai City, at the beginning of the famine, all rice
dealers constituted a trust in order to enhance the market
price of rice. Mayor Hayakawa determinedly imported rice
from Tokyo at his own risk to the amount of about 102,600
bushels to check the trust, which was, in consequence, almost
panic-stricken and had to bring down the price lower than
before. Currency being scarce at the time in this district,
he issued temporary notes to be used for paying wages only on
public works. These notes could be exchanged for foods only,
not for wine or liquor nor for tobacco, and are even to-day in
circulation among wage-earning people there. I enclose herewith
their samples.

Speaking generally, all sufferers have now been rescued from
starvation throughout these three famine stricken districts.
It is not any exaggeration to say that many lives have been
saved through the generosity of American people, and that every
peasant, rich and poor, or wise and ignorant, has more than
highly appreciated the kindness and sympathy you have extended
to him so practically.

In Sendai City, at my request, Hon. Kamei, President of Miyagi
Red Cross Branch, introduced me to foreign missionaries living
there, whose names, it gives me great pleasure to mention here,
were:

Mr. W. E. Lampe, Mr. C. S. Davison, Mr. C. Jacquet, Dr. J. H.
DeForest, Mr. M. B. Madden.

I dined with them and enjoyed the party to a full extent.
Scarcely need be said that these missionaries have played
a great part especially by this critical time in helping
the sufferers. I have no doubt that the former’s effort in
enlightening, in addition, the latter in every respect together
with all classes of people must have been and will be more than
the whole Japan can repay.

At the close of this statement, I take great pleasure in adding
that all foodstuffs purchased with your contributions have
been distributed among the sufferers separately from others
stating at each time to the effect that those articles were the
gifts of American people, to whom the President Roosevelt and
_Christian Herald_ appealed for the alleviation in behalf of
the famine stricken districts. All the head men of counties,
towns and villages whom I met while on my trip requested me to
convey to you their heartfelt gratitude for all the kindness
you have tendered them. Enclosed is one of the letters of
thanks, which has been addressed and forwarded to our Count
Matsukata from the representatives of the sufferers, asking him
to convey to you their highest appreciation.

Thanking you in anticipation for your kindness in reading this
report, which I now have the honor to submit to you.

I remain to be, dear sirs,

Yours obediently,

BARON T. OSAWA,
_Vice-President, Red Cross Society of Japan_.

* * * * *

MEIJI 39th year, 4th month ....day.

_The American Red Cross Society_,

Your Society having felt pity at the distressed condition
of the people occasioned by the famine last year in this
district, has expressed deep sympathy and collected extensive
contributions for the purpose of affording relief, to be
distributed through the proper authorities.

We immediately bought rice with the money and distributed it
among the poor people of this village, fully explaining the
philanthropic spirit in which you sent it. The people, who were
in extreme poverty and could not follow their occupations, were
deeply impressed by your kindness, and felt ashamed at their
lazy habit, swearing that they would rise and exert themselves
in future. They received the gift with tears of gratitude and
bowed heads.

I hereby have the honor to express the sentiments of gratitude
on behalf of the people of this village.

It is desired that your Society will kindly communicate the
foregoing to the President.

Village of Niita, Adachi county, Fukushima district, Japan.

(Seal) SHOZO YENDO,
_Village Magistrate_.

THE VESUVIAN RELIEF FUND

The reports contained in the press of the suffering, and privation caused by the eruption of Vesuvius determined the Executive Committee of the Red Cross to issue an appeal to the public for the unfortunate victims of this calamity. Therefore, on April 12th the Secretary of the National Red Cross sent to all the Secretaries of the State Branches the following telegram:

“Please announce in press Red Cross will forward contributions
to Italian Red Cross for Vesuvian disaster. Name local
Treasurer.”

The work of securing contributions for this purpose had only just begun when there occurred the great calamity caused by earthquake and fire in California so that all the energies of the American people were turned to render aid to their unfortunate countrymen at home, and thus only a small amount was secured to be forwarded to the Italian Red Cross for the relief of the Vesuvian victims.

The Secretary and Treasurer of the Berkshire Division of the Massachusetts Red Cross Branch received the following letter from Italians resident in Pittsfield:

PITTSFIELD, MASS., April 30, 1906.

DR. ALFREDA B. WITHINGTON,

MADAM:—Enclosed you will find check for $80.75 in behalf of
the suffering Italians who are victims of the Mt. Vesuvius
eruption. We all have the best of respect for the American
Red Cross Society, and have only thanks to offer you as their
treasurer of the Berkshire Division for the interest this
division has thankfully offered their aid to our people.
If this collection had been made when all were working the
cash amount would have been larger, but under the fact that
all laborers have not been employed during the winter, they
responded to the call for aid the best they could. Your
committee wishes to thank you personally for your efforts for
suffering humanity.

Signed,

JOHN SUTTY,
JAMES LIBIZZI,
ANTONIO CHIODE,
JOHN F. COSTER,
_Committee_.

Thus at the time of any great foreign calamity the natives of the country in which the disaster has occurred and now residents of the United States may feel that the American National Red Cross provides a medium through which all contributions they may desire to make for the benefit of the sufferers from such calamity, can be forwarded to the Red Cross of their former country for administration without any expense to the contributors.

The following are copies of telegrams sent by the Department of State transmitting to the Italian Red Cross the contributions received by the American Red Cross for the relief of the sufferers in the vicinity of Mount Vesuvius:

_May 7, 1906._

AM. EMBASSY, _Rome_:

Six thousand three hundred dollars received from American Red
Cross for transfer Italian Red Cross, account relief sufferers
vicinity Mount Vesuvius, being contribution citizens Boston and
Massachusetts. Draw Secretary State, forward receipt Italian
Red Cross to Department.

BACON, _Acting_.

* * * * *

_June 6, 1906._

AM. EMBASSY, _Rome_:

Eleven hundred fifty-one dollars additional received from
American Red Cross for transfer Italian Red Cross account
relief sufferers eruption Mount Vesuvius. Draw Secretary State,
pay as before and forward receipt Italian Red Cross.

BACON, _Acting_.

* * * * *

_June 18, 1906._

AM. EMBASSY, _Rome_:

Fourteen hundred twenty-seven dollars twenty cents additional
received from American Red Cross for transfer Italian Red
Cross, account relief sufferers from Vesuvius disaster. Draw
Secretary State, pay as before and forward receipt Italian Red
Cross.

BACON, _Acting_.

* * * * *

_June 19, 1906._

AM. EMBASSY, _Rome_:

Twenty-two hundred fifty-two dollars sixty-two cents additional
received from American Red Cross for transfer Italian Red
Cross, account sufferers Vesuvius disaster. Draw Secretary
State and pay as before.

BACON, _Acting_.

TABULATED STATEMENT OF THE VESUVIAN FUND

Contributed by the Connecticut Red Cross Branch $126.50
“ “ “ Delaware Red Cross Branch 20.00
“ “ “ District of Columbia Red Cross Branch 192.00
“ “ “ Maryland Red Cross Branch 22.00
“ “ “ Massachusetts Red Cross Branch 6,658.75
“ “ “ New York Red Cross Branch 247.00
“ “ “ Ohio Red Cross Branch 1,135.20
“ “ “ Rhode Island Red Cross Branch 283.00
“ “ “ South Carolina Red Cross Branch 114.25
“ “ “ Miscellaneous contributions 79.50
“ “ “ _L’Opinione_ (Italian paper of Phila.) 2,252.62
----------
Total amount contributed $11,130.82
Transmitted to the Italian Red Cross $11,130.82
-----------
Balance on hand 0.

NOTE.—The entire amount for this fund from Ohio was collected by the Cincinnati Sub-division.

CALIFORNIA RELIEF

On the morning of Wednesday, April 18th, before ten o’clock, the news of the earthquake in California was received at Red Cross Headquarters from the War Department. Immediately the following telegram was sent to Judge Morrow, President of the California Red Cross Branch, and a meeting of the Executive Committee was called for that afternoon:

WASHINGTON, _April 18, 1906_.

_Judge W. W. Morrow, President of California Red Cross, U. S.
Circuit Court, San Francisco, Cal._:

Have just been advised of disaster. Can Red Cross be of
assistance?

CHAS. L. MAGEE, _Secretary_.

Somewhat later in the day the following telegrams were sent to Judge Morrow, the Honorable Horace Davis, Treasurer of the California Red Cross, and to the Mayor of San Francisco:

WASHINGTON, _April 18, 1906_.

National Red Cross ready to aid San Francisco. Please confer
with Mayor as to best means of assistance. Reply care of War
Department.

CHAS. L. MAGEE, _Secretary_.

* * * * *

WASHINGTON, _April 18, 1906_.

_To the Mayor of San Francisco_:

National Red Cross ready to aid San Francisco. How can most
effective service be rendered? Please confer with Judge Morrow
and Hon. Horace Davis of California Red Cross. Reply care of
War Department.

CHAS. L. MAGEE, _Secretary_.

As it was found impossible to obtain a prompt reply to these dispatches because of the condition of the telegraph service, it was decided at the Executive Committee meeting to send to the Secretaries of the Red Cross Branches the following telegram:

WASHINGTON, _April 18, 1906_.

Make Red Cross appeal for San Francisco. Name local Treasurer.

CHAS. L. MAGEE, _Secretary_.

On Thursday, April 19th, no word having been received from any of the officers of the California Branch, the Hon. William H. Taft, President of the Red Cross, appointed as special Red Cross Agent, Dr. Edward T. Devine of New York, who had had experience in such relief work at Johnstown and Baltimore. Dr. Devine being instructed to proceed immediately to San Francisco, started Thursday afternoon. General Funston, Judge Morrow and Mayor Schmitz were sent telegraphic notice of his appointment.

Judge Morrow reported by letter later that directly after the disaster he sent several dispatches to the National Red Cross, none of which were ever received.

A large number of telegrams were received at Red Cross Headquarters asking to whom car-loads of provisions donated for San Francisco were to be consigned. Before Dr. Devine had started instructions were returned to ship such supplies to General Funston. As soon as Dr. Devine had started all further contributions of supplies of which the Red Cross was notified were consigned to him as Special Red Cross Agent. A report of these contributions will be given in a later Bulletin when a fall report of contributions of money, food, clothing and other supplies received by the Red Cross will be made.

April 25th, Dr. Devine telegraphed to the Red Cross that a consolidation of the Finance Committee with the California Red Cross Branch had been effected, which was entirely satisfactory to Judge Morrow, President of the Branch. The new committee was called the “Finance Committee of Relief and Red Cross,” Mr. James D. Phelan being chairman. There was great local desire to have this consolidation recognized. An immediate reply was sent as follows:

_Dr. Edward T. Devine, Red Cross Agent, San Francisco, Cal._:

Executive Committee gladly recognizes Committee of Relief and
Red Cross. Will forward funds to credit of James D. Phelan.
Law requires Red Cross accounts to be audited by the War
Department. Please keep accounts so that this may be done.

ROBERT M. O’REILLY,
_Chairman Red Cross Central Committee_.

On April 23d, the following telegram was sent to the Secretaries of the Red Cross Branches:

WASHINGTON, _April 23, 1906_.

Appoint Committee of women to collect, sort, pack summer
clothing, blankets, linen, etc., to await further orders for
shipment.

CHAS. L. MAGEE, _Secretary_.

This was succeeded on April 24th by the following instructions:

WASHINGTON, _April 24, 1906_.

Sort and pack contributions of clothing. Ship to Dr. Edward T.
Devine, Red Cross, San Francisco. Indicate as far as possible
on outside nature and contents of each box. Wire Dr. Devine of
shipment. Report Red Cross Headquarters by letter amount and
character of shipment.

CHAS. L. MAGEE, _Secretary_.

On April 19th a request was made by the Maryland Red Cross to have a contribution of $5,000 immediately forwarded to San Francisco. As even the U. S. Treasury Department was as yet unable to get into communication with the United States Mint there was no way of transmitting these funds, and the President of the Red Cross telegraphed to General Funston to inquire if relief funds would be of use there and received word that such funds were not then required. The business portion of the city had been so largely destroyed by fire there was nothing to be purchased in the way of supplies.

Very shortly after the relief work for California began, the Western Union Telegraph Company, the Postal Telegraph Company and the Long Distance Telephone Company gave to the Red Cross the free use of their wires for all communications connected with this relief work. The railroads and express companies throughout the country were most generous in providing for the free transportation of supplies of various kinds that the Red Cross Branches received for California. A more complete acknowledgment of this will be made later when fuller data are obtained from the reports of the Branch Societies.

The response made throughout the country to the appeal for the sufferers from the great disaster was most generous and sympathetic, finding expression in the children’s pennies as well as the checks for thousands of dollars, and many interesting incidents were reported in the letters from the State Branches. A Chicago letter says: “Little girls are even bringing in dolls and dolls’ dresses for the little girls in San Francisco who have lost theirs in the fire. Some of the incidents occurring in the Armory where the ladies are receiving, packing and sending off clothing, are most touching. Yesterday a boy about eleven or twelve years of age came in, sat down on the floor and pulled off his shoes. He was asked what he meant by doing that and he said: ‘Well you see it is nearly summer time now and I can go bare-footed, so you can just take them shoes and send them to one of them boys who is getting his feet burned in them hot streets.’ It was with difficulty the little fellow could be persuaded to put on his shoes again and go away.” In many cases garments were brought in the giving away of which must have meant serious deprivation to the givers and yet there was evident joy at the opportunity of helping those even more unfortunate.

Only a brief general statement can be made in this Bulletin of the contributions from the various Branches for San Francisco, the more detailed report will be given later when the returns are all received. In this Bulletin the receipts from the Branches for the Japanese Famine Fund and for the Vesuvian Relief are reported.

The prompt sympathy that was shown outside our own country for the California sufferers manifested itself in several cases by generous appropriations by foreign governments and by contributions from firms and individuals. These were generally sent to the State Department. As the President felt that the liberality of our own people would meet the required aid and, moreover, if accepted by the Government from one country others might feel a necessity of also making relief appropriations, it seemed wise to decline with most sincere expressions of thanks such contributions.

Acting under the apprehension that the President deemed it best that no foreign contributions be accepted, two generous contributions made directly to the Red Cross, one from the Canadian Pacific Railroad and one from the Chinese Diplomatic and Consular Service in this country, though deeply appreciated, were declined. In the case of the money offered by the Chinese Legation and Consuls, the Chinese Minister, at the suggestion of the Red Cross, placed the contribution in the hands of the First Secretary of the Chinese Legation, Mr. Chow Tszchi, who was sent by him to the Pacific Slope with a letter from the Red Cross to Dr. Devine, requesting the latter to assist in every way possible Mr. Chow Tszchi’s work for the Chinese sufferers.

On May 5th the following letter was received by the Honorable Wm. H. Taft, President of the American National Red Cross:

JAPANESE EMBASSY, WASHINGTON, _May 5, 1906_.

_Honorable Wm. H. Taft, President of the American National Red
Cross_:

SIR:—I beg to inform you that the Red Cross Society of Japan
has solicited contributions from the general public in Japan
for the relief of distress caused to the population of
California by the recent earthquake, and transmitted to me by
telegraph as the first installment the sum of 50,000 dollars
with the request that it be applied to the above named purpose
through the kindness of the American National Red Cross.

Will you kindly inform me at your earliest convenience whether
you can use your good offices in the premises or not?

Yours sincerely,

VISCOUNT S. AOKI.

As information was received that only such contributions as were made directly to the Government were to be declined, this generous expression of sympathy consisting of voluntary contributions made through the Japanese Red Cross to the American National Red Cross for the purpose of this relief work was accepted by the President of the Red Cross in the following letter:

WASHINGTON, D. C., _May 8, 1906_.

_Your Excellency_:

I beg to acknowledge the receipt of your favor of the 5th of
May, in which you inform me that the Red Cross Society of
Japan has solicited contributions from the general public in
Japan for the relief of distress caused to the population of
California by the recent earthquake, and has transmitted to
you by telegraph the sum of $50,000, with a request that it
be applied to the above-named purpose through the American
National Red Cross. Your Excellency asks that I advise you
whether I can use my good offices in the premises.

In reply I beg, on behalf of the American National Red Cross,
to express its gratitude and that of the people of California,
for the generosity of the Japanese Red Cross and the people
of Japan, and to say that I shall be glad, on behalf of the
American National Red Cross, to receive the contributions
mentioned, and to expend them for the purposes mentioned in
Your Excellency’s letter.

I have the honor to be, Your Excellency,

Very sincerely yours,

WM. H. TAFT,
_President, American National Red Cross_.

His Excellency, VISCOUNT S. AOKI, _Ambassador Extraordinary and
Plenipotentiary_, Japanese Embassy, Washington.

On May 21st a second installment was received from Japan and accepted in the following letter:

WASHINGTON, D. C., _May 21, 1906_.

_Your Excellency_:

I have the honor to acknowledge receipt of your favor of the
21st of May, enclosing a check for $30,000, which the Red Cross
Society of Japan has raised as the second installment from the
general public of Japan for the relief of distress caused to
the inhabitants of California by the recent earthquake.

On behalf of the Red Cross, I beg to thank you and your people
for the generous contribution.

I have the honor to be, Your Excellency,

Very sincerely yours,

WM. H. TAFT,
_President, American National Red Cross_.

His Excellency, VISCOUNT S. AOKI, _Ambassador Extraordinary and
Plenipotentiary_, Japanese Embassy, Washington, D. C.

That, after the great expense incurred by the late war and the need of relief at home on a large scale for the famine stricken provinces, so generous an expression of sympathy for the sufferers in California was made by the people of Japan, is most deeply appreciated by the American National Red Cross and the American people.

Up to the date of going to press the Red Cross has received from the State Branches and from other sources $2,275,489.56. Four hundred thousand dollars of this amount has been transmitted to Mr. James Phelan, as Chairman of the Finance Committee of the consolidated Relief Committee and Red Cross, and the remainder is subject to the call of this committee, any sum being at its request immediately forwarded by telegraph to San Francisco through the U. S. Sub-Treasuries, and placed to Mr. Phelan’s credit.

As the general principle of the Red Cross is that money is most wisely expended as far as possible, near the scene of disaster so as to stimulate the somewhat paralyzed business-life, and expended by those, who—taking part in the actual relief work, best understand the needs, the Red Cross Executive Committee made no purchases save one carload of condensed milk and ten thousand blankets. In both cases these purchases were made with the kindly assistance of Army Officers who pronounced on the prices and inspected the articles before they were shipped, transportation having been given. The Commissary officers of the U. S. Army throughout the West kindly consented to act as Purchasing Agents for the Red Cross, and Dr. Devine who with Mr. Pollok of the Relief Committee was appointed on a purchasing committee, was notified of their names and addresses.

On April 26th the following telegram was received from Judge Morrow, President of the California Branch:

HON. W. H. TAFT, _President Red Cross, Washington, D. C._

Have arranged for full historical record of all matters
connected with disaster for Red Cross purposes.

WM. W. MORROW, _President_.

The distinguished historian, Professor H. Morse Stephens, is on this historical committee and associated with him are some of the most capable young men who were intimately connected with the relief work from the first.

This record will be published later and will not only prove of historical interest, but of great value in any future relief work of a like nature.

The importance of having the accounts of the expenditures of Red Cross money contributions so kept as to render auditing by the War Department possible, as required by law, was fully realized, and General A. E. Bates, Retired Paymaster-General of the U. S. Army, kindly volunteered his services to proceed to San Francisco and arrange some simple plan for the keeping of these accounts. His offer was accepted, and at the request of the President of the Red Cross he left for San Francisco, and on May 9th the following telegram was received by the President of the Red Cross:

_The Secretary of War, Washington, D. C._:

Arrived Monday evening and yesterday had an interview with
the Finance Committee by whom I was most pleasantly received.
Examined their system of auditing which I approve. Suggest an
addition to their system by which the Red Cross funds will
be treated like an appropriation for a specific purpose and
accounted for to you by vouchers and accounts similar to money
of Army appropriation. My suggestion approved and adopted
by Committee and Dr. Devine with thanks. Relief work here
is perfectly organized and organization apparently working
effectively and smoothly. Expenses being reduced daily. This
morning I appeared by request before the full Committee and
explained my position here. Shall remain here until system is
working and one set of accounts is forwarded.

A. E. BATES, _Major-General, retired_.

The following communication was received by the Secretary of the Red Cross from Judge Morrow, enclosing the literature referred to:

CALIFORNIA BRANCH, SAN FRANCISCO, CAL., _May 12, 1906_.

MR. CHARLES L. MAGEE, _Secretary, American Red Cross_:

DEAR SIR:

The distribution of food to the nearly three hundred thousand
sufferers in San Francisco has been a difficult problem for
solution, but we think a system has been adopted that will
make the distribution as nearly perfect as possible, and as
the subject may be of some interest to the National Society, I
enclose herewith the plan of registering of persons desiring
food, the directions for registering applicants at relief
stations; also a registration card and a food card.

You may, perhaps, find it interesting, and I would suggest
that you show it to Mr. President Taft. The plan was devised
by Professor C. C. Plehn of our State University, and we think
it would be well to have it made a matter of record for future
reference. The plan goes into effect immediately.

_Very truly yours_,

WM. W. MORROW,
_President, State Branch Society_.

A reproduction of the registration and food cards are given and it is especially interesting to note that in the Japanese Famine Relief work, as seen by Baron Ozawa’s report contained in the Bulletin, that the Japanese Red Cross also used a system of registration.

NATIONAL RED CROSS

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Membership in (1) fraternal orders; (2) churches; (3) clubs:

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Address of friends to be communicated with:

--------------------+---------------+----------------------------------
Present employment: | Is it steady? | Is applicant owner of real
| | estate? If so, where?
| |
--------------------+---------------+----------------------------------
Plans for future:

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Relief supplied (other than rations, including transportation):

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Remarks:

Food Card Issued.

-----+-----------------------------------------------------------------
No. | Date.
-----+-----------------------------------------------------------------
|
|
|

===============================================================
Data as to adult bread winners in family or party (not the
applicant named on face of card).
---------------------------------------------------------------
|_m._ _f._|_m._ _f._|_m._ _f._|_m._ _f._
-----------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------
Name and sex | | | |
-----------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------
Age and nationality | | | |
-----------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------
Trade or occupation | | | |
-----------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------
Union | | | |
-----------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------
Former employer | | | |
-----------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------
References | | | |
-----------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------
Present employment | | | |
-----------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------
Future plans | | | |
-----------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------
Remarks:

1 | NATIONAL RED CROSS. |
----+ |
2 | FOOD CARD. |
----+ |
3 | +--------+ |
----+ | | |
4 | | | |
----+ | | |
5 | +--------+ |
----+ |
6 | C. No. ......... R. S. No. .............. | (See other side.)
----+ |
7 | This card is issued on.................... |
----+ (date) |
8 | |
----+ |
9 | It will be good for 10 days ending........ | 31
----+ (date) +----
10 | | 30
----+ +----
11 | ......................................... | 29
----+ (Signature of Issuing Officer.) +----
12 | | 28
----+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+----
|13|14|15|16|17|18|19|20|21|22|23|24|25|26|27|

TAKE NOTICE.

This card must be presented whenever rations are drawn. When drawing rations keep it always in plain sight.

This card is _not transferable_, and will be honored only when presented by the person to whom it is issued, or by some member of his family or party.

Good only for 10 days.

Renewable after 10 days at the discretion of the registration officer.

Good only at the Relief Station of issue.

If any fraudulent use of this card is attempted it will be taken up and no rations will be issued to the offenders.

“AMERICAN NATIONAL RED CROSS

“Instructions for Registering Applicants at Relief Stations

“The primary purpose of this registration is to provide a record that will show how many persons are applying for relief from the National Red Cross. Since relief is granted through a large number of sub-stations, it is necessary not only that each station should keep a register of its own applicants, but also that the headquarters should have complete records for all stations.

“When any one applies for relief, therefore, a Registration Card should be at once made out showing so far as pertinent and ascertainable the information asked for concerning the applicant. When rations are issued to a family or party both the Food Card and the Registration Card should be made out at the same time. Registration may—and in many cases will—be done by the canvassers who visit each family. These canvassers may be: (1) officers of the Relief Station; (2) workers of the Associated Charities; (3) representatives of the Central Registration Bureau. The utmost care should be exercised to see that the persons registered for relief are within the district assigned to the station issuing relief. If any question as to boundaries arises refer the same to the Central Registration Bureau.”

Among the directions for making out the Registration Card are the following:

“(1) Surname and initial of applicant.

“Write legibly the name of the head of the family or party applying for relief.

“(5) Present location.

“Give the best possible indication of where applicant can be found on visit or by letter.

“(6) Former address or home on April 17th.

“What is wanted is the address that will be most useful in tracing the applicant or his family in case inquiry is made by distant friends or others.

“(7) Trade or occupation.

“In case the applicant has a recognized trade enter it; otherwise give best indication possible of how he made his living.

“(13) Address of friends to be communicated with.

“Enter here any names and addresses of people to whom applicant desires the National Red Cross to write in his behalf.

“(17) Plans for future.

“State any plans applicant says he has for future work, for leaving town, etc., and any fact which may help in putting him on his own feet again.

“Treat all applicants with the utmost consideration. The relief afforded is not a charity and is needed most by respected and honorable citizens. More than nine out of every ten of the applicants will be self-supporting in a few weeks. The few lazy imposters will be speedily detected and dealt with separately. Assume every one to be entitled to relief until clearly proven unworthy.”

Under the directions for the issue of Food Cards the purposes for which Food Cards are issued are stated to be:

“(1) To make sure that every one entitled to draw rations secures an amount proportionate to the size of his family or party.

“(2) To prevent imposters from drawing more than their proportionate share of rations.

“(3) To furnish a record of the number of persons being fed at the several relief stations, for the use of stations, and of the central distributing authorities.”

In connection with the Food Cards the following cards have been issued to provide for the giving out of other supplies:

FOOD CARD No. ......... DATE ..................

TO SUPPLY STATION:

Give bearer the number of Articles punched out below.

FOR MEN.

Hats 1 2 3 4 5 6
Shoes 1 2 3 4 5 6
Shirts 1 2 3 4 5 6
Undershirts 1 2 3 4 5 6
Drawers 1 2 3 4 5 6
Socks 1 2 3 4 5 6
Stockings 1 2 3 4 5 6

FOR WOMEN.

Waists 1 2 3 4 5 6
Skirts 1 2 3 4 5 6
Under Skirts 1 2 3 4 5 6
Under Vests 1 2 3 4 5 6
Diapers 1 2 3 4 5 6
Drawers 1 2 3 4 5 6

HOUSEHOLD ARTICLES.

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The American National Red Cross Bulletin (Vol. I, No. 3, July 1906)Chapter I: Part 1

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