Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 95, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 30 April 1918 — CAN’T GIVE MONEY TO THE RED CROSS [ARTICLE]

CAN’T GIVE MONEY TO THE RED CROSS

Carroll County Citizen. _ County chairmen of the local Red Cross organizations have been informed that under a decision of the Attorney General of Indiana, appropriations made directly to Red Cross organizations can not be sustained. That such appropriations should be made to the council of defense. This decision vitally afffects the jecent appropriation of SIO,OOO made ,to the local Red Cross for its local needs by the county council. Several days ago a dispatch was printed in the Indianapolis News that appropriations for „ reasonable amounts could be made directly to the council of defense organizations, but that no appropriation could be authorized directly for the Red Cross; that the money would have to be appropriated to the defense council and the money paid out by them. It Was stated that Carroll county would be allowed $3,000 fbr all emergency war purposes. Late Monday afternoon the county auditor received an official letter from the state board of accounts, calling his attention to the decision of the attorney general. In this letter, .the chief of accounts board stated that the attorney general had prepared an opinion giving his interpretation of the federal law, and in conformity therewith, had also given his interpretation of the general statutes of the state providing for war emergency aid by the county councils. The attorney general holds that reasonable appropriations may be made by county councils of defense when it is shown that such appropriation is necessary. He further holds that such an appropriation can not 'be made for the Red Cross, and that any assistance rendered the Red Cross must come through local councils of defense or through local subscriptions. It is understood that under a calculation of the attorney general, the sum of $3,000 would be a reasonable appropriation for emergency war work in Carroll county. The announcement came as a great surprise to Red Cross workers and the entire Red Cross organization in Carroll county which has accomplished so much splendid work in recent months; an organization which has made thousands of dressings and garments. . _ Recently the county council of Carroll county, responding to the immediate and vital needs of the local organziation, and in line with what was believed to be the sentiment of the people who have whole heantedly endorsed the Red Cross work here, appropriated the sum of SIO,OOO for the Red Cross, exclusively for the local needs, for the balance of the calendar year. This money was needed as an emergency and on it depended the one vital fact—Will the Red Cross work in Carroll county, the local work, be continued? It is suggested that the council of defense can appropriate a part of the money allowed it under the attorney general’s ruling to Red Cross purposes and this may be done, and probably will be done. There is more or less misunderstanding on the part of some people about the local and national needs of the Red Cross organization. In a word the local organization receives one-fourth of the money which is raised in the national drives, which supplies just about one-third of the actual funds used locally in paying the running expenses and in equipping the shops with the thousands and thousands of yards of material.