Clara Barton: A Centenary Tribute to the World's Greatest Humanitarian: Founder of the American Red Cross Society, Author of the American Amendment to the International Red Cross Convention of Geneva, Founder of the National First Aid Association of AmericaYoung, Charles Sumner
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Clara Barton: A Centenary Tribute to the World's Greatest Humanitarian: Founder of the American Red Cross Society, Author of the American Amendment to the International Red Cross Convention of Geneva, Founder of the National First Aid Association of America
Young, Charles Sumner
Barton, Clara, 1821-1912
In Cuba, Clara Barton had a perfect business system, such as I have
never seen equalled.—LEONARD F. ROSS, Brigadier-General, Civil War;
Superintendent of Red Cross Warehouse in Cuba, 1898, under Clara
Barton.
General Ross is one of the most gracious, courteous gentlemen I have
ever known.—CLARA BARTON. See page 359.
]
[Illustration:
REDFIELD PROCTOR
I especially looked into Clara Barton’s business methods, as to
system, waste and extravagance. I found nothing to criticise, but
everything to commend. She could teach me on these points.—REDFIELD
PROCTOR, Colonel in the Civil War; Governor of Vermont; member of
the U. S. Senate, 1891–1908; Chairman Red Cross Proctor Committee to
“investigate” Clara Barton.
See page 359.
]
Secretary: “Well, Miss Barton, we are going to an awful scene of death
and destruction.”
Miss Barton: “Yes, but what are we going to; we are going to nothing,
aren’t we?”
Secretary: “I suppose we are, Miss Barton.”
Miss Barton: “Why, at Johnstown I hunted a half day and couldn’t find a
thimble with which to do some sewing. Here, General, take these keys and
go through the house and whenever you find anything that can be used
_where there is nothing_, you pack it up.”
The secretary took the keys, went through the house of thirty-eight
rooms and seventy-six closets. He found carefully stored away supplies
of every description. He found packing-chests, trunks, valises and
telescopes all ready for use—everything imaginable at hand. Miss Barton
and her secretary worked all night. The next morning two great
dray-loads of goods were _en route_ to the railway station, and
Galveston. Arriving at Galveston she asked: “Mr. Mayor, have ward
committees been organized?”
Mayor Jones: “No, Miss Barton.”
Miss Barton: “How many wards are there in the city?”
Mayor Jones: “Twelve.”
Miss Barton: “Do go at once and organize strong committees in every
ward; provide ward headquarters, and a store-room where every ward
committee can take charge of supplies furnished. Have your ward
committees canvass every ward thoroughly and get the name of every
person and what he needs—the food necessary and in case of clothing the
exact size of the clothing. Then have your committees make requisition
for what is needed on the Red Cross at its headquarters. My corps of
helpers will see that these requisitions are promptly filled, and the
goods sent to ward headquarters for distribution.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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