“June 4, 1909.
“Sir: The purpose of this letter is to bring to your knowledge the facilities of the American Red Cross for conducting large measures of emergency relief or assisting in their conduct, in any part of the United States.
“Its National Director, Mr. Ernest P. Bicknell, who devotes his entire time to the executive duties of the Red Cross, has had an extended experience in the organization and direction of work of this character. Mr. Bicknell is prepared to proceed immediately to the scene of any great disaster and confer with the state or local authorities, as well as the local representative of the Red Cross, in regard to the efficient organization of relief. This service is wholly free and is quite apart from any question of the source of the relief funds.
“The Red Cross is a national organization, the only one chartered by the United States and maintained for the sole purpose of relieving the sufferings caused by war or by calamities in time of peace. In the United States, fortunately, the Red Cross has been almost entirely free from the demands of war, but has found an important and growing field in the relief and rehabilitation of communities devastated by fire, flood, storm or other disaster of an extent or magnitude exceeding local relief resources. It operates under a special charter from Congress and is governed by a Central Committee appointed in part by the President of the United States from the Departments of State, War, Navy, Treasury and Justice, and is required to submit an annual report to Congress. In the event of war the Red Cross is the only organization whose agents in the military encampments and upon battlefields will be officially recognized and authorized to maintain hospitals, hospital ships, etc.
“Should any calamity occur within the bounds of your state which requires large and unusual relief measures, you are invited to make the freest use of the services of the Red Cross or of its National Director in either an executive or an advisory capacity.
“Since the reorganization of the Red Cross in 1905 the amounts enumerated on the attached sheet have been raised and expended at the places or for the objects stated. Very respectfully,
“WM. H. TAFT, President.”
AMERICAN RED CROSS RELIEF EXPENDITURES.
From January 5, 1905, to May 5, 1909, not including value of enormous amount of supplies or expenditures of State Branches for relief work.