There is an official Red Cross report to Congress, made in 1903, said report on file in House Document No. 552, Vol. 49, 58th Congress, statements of historic interest relating to the status of Red Cross affairs about that time. _In re_ the proposed annuity of $2,500 and the Honorary Presidency for Life, should Clara Barton consent to permit the minority membership _thereafter to control the Red Cross_, and other matters relating thereto, appear the following in that report:
Since the filing of their (the remonstrants) Memorial in Congress, at least two thousand newspapers, in the country and out of it, have openly published these damaging statements, without the slightest knowledge of the facts.
The memorial includes an ex parte statement.—It is greatly to be regretted that such action should have been taken—without giving a hearing to the majority of the organization, or to Miss Barton herself.
From a photograph taken at St. Petersburg, Russia, July, 1902, at the time the Decoration of the Red Cross was conferred on Clara Barton by the Czar and Empress Dowager. ]
From a photograph taken in 1904, at the time when occurred the so-called “investigation” of Clara Barton, at Washington, D. C. ]
From a photograph taken in Washington, D. C., in 1878. ]
From a photograph taken in 1897, just before leaving the United States for her work among the Reconcentrados in Cuba. ]
From a photograph taken in 1882, just after Clara Barton had completed the organization of the American Red Cross. ]
While there were seven States represented by members actually present (at the meeting), the entire list of signers to the Memorial (by the remonstrants), with one exception, were residents of Washington, D. C.
With one exception, not one of the twenty-five members has ever taken part in Red Cross Field work for a single day;—and she valuing her services, however, at $50.00 per week for two weeks, making a sum of $100, which was allowed and paid by the board; nor were there any records to show that, aside from their membership fees aggregating about $160, they have ever contributed to the funds of the Red Cross, while individual signers of this Memorial have drawn from it more than 500, in aggregate amount.
