The San Francisco Home for the Aged, Infirm, Poor and Helpless Refugees, built and equipped by the Relief Corporation of that City at an expense of $377,000 was on August 5th, 1908, formally transferred to the City of San Francisco. This institution is dedicated “TO THE NATIONAL RED CROSS AND THE PEOPLE OF ALL NATIONALITIES WHO, BY THEIR GENEROSITY, RELIEVED SUFFERING AFTER THE GREAT FIRE OF 1906.” It has a capacity for the accommodation of 1,200 persons.
October 1st.
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.