Arrived Monday evening and yesterday had an interview with the Finance Committee by whom I was most pleasantly received. Examined their system of auditing which I approve. Suggest an addition to their system by which the Red Cross funds will be treated like an appropriation for a specific purpose and accounted for to you by vouchers and accounts similar to money of Army appropriation. My suggestion approved and adopted by Committee and Dr. Devine with thanks. Relief work here is perfectly organized and organization apparently working effectively and smoothly. Expenses being reduced daily. This morning I appeared by request before the full Committee and explained my position here. Shall remain here until system is working and one set of accounts is forwarded. A. E. BATES, _Major-General, retired_. The following communication was received by the Secretary of the Red Cross from Judge Morrow, enclosing the literature referred to: CALIFORNIA BRANCH, SAN FRANCISCO, CAL., _May 12, 1906_. MR. CHARLES L. MAGEE, _Secretary, American Red Cross_: DEAR SIR: The distribution of food to the nearly three hundred thousand sufferers in San Francisco has been a difficult problem for solution, but we think a system has been adopted that will make the distribution as nearly perfect as possible, and as the subject may be of some interest to the National Society, I enclose herewith the plan of registering of persons desiring food, the directions for registering applicants at relief stations; also a registration card and a food card. You may, perhaps, find it interesting, and I would suggest that you show it to Mr. President Taft. The plan was devised by Professor C. C. Plehn of our State University, and we think it would be well to have it made a matter of record for future reference. The plan goes into effect immediately. _Very truly yours_, WM. W. MORROW, _President, State Branch Society_. A reproduction of the registration and food cards are given and it is especially interesting to note that in the Japanese Famine Relief work, as seen by Baron Ozawa’s report contained in the Bulletin, that the Japanese Red Cross also used a system of registration. NATIONAL RED CROSS