ITALIAN EARTHQUAKE RELIEF

From Mr. Lloyd Griscom and Lieutenant-Commander Belknap final reports have been received of the American Red Cross Relief work in Italy. A printed report of Mr. Griscom’s American Relief Committee in Rome, together with all the vouchers and correspondence of this Committee, have been sent to the American Red Cross at Washington for permanent filing in its archives. The vouchers for all expenditures have been revised and certified to by the Banca Commerciale Italiana at Rome. The vouchers for all the expenditures connected with the American Red Cross Relief ShipBayernare already on file at Washington.

VITTORIO EMANUELE, KING OF ITALY.

ELENA, QUEEN OF ITALY.

Captain Belknap, on the 10th instant, consigned the completed work at Messina to the Ministry of Public Works, who then assumed charge.

Ensign Robert W. Spofford, U. S. N., remained to direct the work in general until it had become well organized under the new direction. He will also supervise the completion of certain work being done by contract not yet completed.

Mr. Griscom says: “The report of Captain Belknap is worthy of careful study. Its only fault is that it does not do justice to his work. I feel that it is incumbent upon me to endeavor to express to you the admiration I have for the manner in which Lieutenant-Commander Belknap has performed his duty. The magnitude of the task could only be appreciated by one who has been on the spot and seen the difficulties as they arose and witnessed the courageous and adroit manner in which he overcame all obstacles and carried to successful conclusion a work which is truly remarkable. The departure of Lieutenant-Commander Belknap from Messina was a veritable personal triumph. All the highest military and civil authorities were present at the steamship landing, together with a military band, and he was given full military honors and received a remarkable and spontaneous public demonstration of admiration. He and several of his assistants were formally made citizens of Messina. To-day he has been formally received by their majesties, the King and Queen of Italy, and had extended to him their majesties’ personal expressions of gratitude.”

Before closing this report, I beg to mention those who have labored so energetically and faithfully to bring about results which have been kindly commended by all who have visited the camps.

The special prominence of the services rendered by Tonente di Vascello Alfredo Brofferio stand apart from all else. He worked unremittingly in the closest association with us, his duties touching every feature of the work, and it would be impossible to place too high a value upon his far-seeing, conscientious, and self-sacrificing devotion to our success.

The Italian authorities’ cordial attitude toward us and hospitable care made away with innumerable difficulties. To their magnanimity and their earnest devotion to their own duties was due their sincere appreciation of our efforts and their frank and grateful acknowledgment of our gift to their cities.

Commander Harry P. Huse, U. S. N., commanding the U. S. S.Celtic, established us on a living and working basis in our camp at Messina, theCelticserving as our base until the first group of houses were ready for us, and he was most felicitous in all that he did to promote a genuine feeling of cordiality in our relations with the authorities.

Lieutenant-Commander George Wood Logan, commanding the U. S. S.Scorpion, gave his most cordial support and interest in the undertaking from the first, and placed every facility at our disposal.

Lieutenant Allen Buchanan, U. S. N., was the mainstay in the executive work, and I was always able to rely on his good judgment on the frequent occasions when taking counsel was necessary. He discharged his duty with unremitting industry and exemplary zeal, and he left behind him in Messina and among the members of our organization a feeling of the most uniform good will and admiration for his character and ability as an officer.

Ensign John W. Wilcox was in charge of the Reggio division of the work, which he managed with exceptional skill. He had many difficulties to contend against, but solved them with an ease and discernment that an officer of long experience might envy.

THE ORIGINAL MEMBERS OF THE EXPEDITION, MESSINA.

Ensign Robert W. Spofford, U. S. N., had charge of the unloading of steamers. He has done excellent work and is left in charge of the work being completed at Messina. To Assistant Surgeon Donelson, U. S. N., for medical supervision of the camp, and to Pay Inspector J. A. Mudd, U. S. N., for the care taken in the shipment of the building materials from America, Captain Belknap gives high praise. The enlisted men of the Navy performed their work most faithfully, and Captain Belknap mentions many of them by name. This country may well be proud of the splendid work of the officers and men of our Navy so far outside their regular duties. Captain Belknap says also that thanks are due to Mr. John Elliott, who was a most devoted worker, and left his beautifying touch on every part of the work. Mr. H. W. C. Bowdoin and Mr. Charles King Wood were among the other tireless and efficient volunteer workers to whom our thanks are due. And finally, many of the master carpenters sent from America gave most satisfactory and valuable service under difficult conditions.

Of this committee Mr. Griscom says: “As you already know, after consultation with his excellency, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Signor Tittoni, I placed the sum of 256,250 lire (the equivalent of $50,000) in the hands of a committee appointed by Mr. Tittoni, of which his wife, Donna Bice Tittoni, was Chairman. This committee has to-day handed to me its report and accompanyingvouchers, which are transmitted to you herewith under separate cover. I am satisfied that this committee carried out some of the best rehabilitation work which has been done since the earthquake. It was done in a rapid and businesslike way.”

Signor Bruno Chimirri, Chairman of the Committee on Orphans, called the “Patronato Regina Elena,” reports: “Being desirous of expediting the plant of the colony before the departure of the Ambassador from Rome, and not wishing to touch one single lire of the American capital, the Patronato voted 200,000 lire (about $40,000) for the building of the colony. This depended upon us, and it has been done. As to the choice of a site upon which it will be erected, it is not a question of choosing any piece of land, but a ground within the jurisdiction of the Itinerant Chair of Agriculture, in order to secure not only gratuitous teaching but also the very best obtainable. With this end in view, two months ago I addressed myself to the Minister of Agriculture, upon whom depends the Itinerant Chair that has to choose a suitable locality. I have finally brought the matter before the House of Deputies. Nor is this all. In order to facilitate the negotiations for the purchase of the land, since the Ministry would not consider the price of the proprietor, I have induced the municipality of Nicastro to contribute to the expense by paying the difference, as you will see by a copy of their decision appended hereto. As soon as we receive an answer we shall send the Professor of the Itinerant Chair to visit the proffered land, and, if his report is favorable, we shall hasten to secure possession and lay the cornerstone before Mr. Griscom’s departure.”

The Italian government consented to pay $4,800 for the land, and the District of Nicastro voted to contribute the balance of the $6,000 which was asked.

In regard to this Orphanage there is given an open letter to the American Red Cross from Mr. Anthony Matre, Secretary of the American Federation of Catholic Societies. This letter was published in some of the prominent Roman Catholic papers before it even reached the hands of the officers of the American Red Cross, an act that can hardly be considered courteous. It was referred by the Chairman of the Executive Committee of the American Red Cross to our Ambassador at Rome, and his reply is embodied in an answer to Mr. Matre. As the Roman Catholic Church made appeals for the Italian sufferers, and the offerings it received in reply were sent to the Pope, it is probable that but a very small percentage of the contributions received by the Red Cross, possibly 5 or 10 per cent, came from members of the Roman Catholic Church. The receipts show many contributions from Protestant Churches and Sunday Schools, but none from any Roman Catholic institution, and yet, according to Mr. Matre’s figures, some 97 per cent, and, according to Mr. Griscom’s letter, 99 per cent, of these contributions must have been expended in Italy for the people of this faith. Of the funds sent to our Ambassador, a generous contribution was made to the Pope for the relief work in which he was interested, and other moneys were placed in the hands of bishops and priests in the stricken district to aid them in their work for the earthquake sufferers. The Red Cross considers neither race nor creed; its mission is to mitigate, as far as lies within its power, the sufferings of the sick and wounded in the misfortune of war or of the victims of fire, flood, famine, earthquake, pestilence, and other great disasters.

The following copies of correspondence will be of interest:

St. Louis, Mo., March 22, 1909.

To the President, Secretary, and Officers of the American Red Cross Association:

Gentlemen: The American Federation of Catholic Societies, representing millions of American Catholics, desire official information regarding the dispatch published in the papers of the United States on February 8th, and referring to an appropriation made by your society. The dispatch reads:

“Rome, Feb. 7.—It is officially declared that the American Red Cross, through Ambassador Griscom, has put $250,000 at the disposal of the committee organized by Queen Helena, which has undertaken the establishment of an orphanage to be devoted to the care of children left homeless and without parents by the earthquake disaster.”

THE ENLISTED MEN OF THE UNITED STATES NAVY, MESSINA.

Under date of February 6, 1909, theCivilta Cattolica, published at Rome, states that a national patronage of orphans, under the name of “Queen Helena,” has been erected by decree of the 14th of January, and to it has been granted all legal rights for the protection of orphans who have suffered by the recent calamity or who will need protection on account of any future disaster; that the direct administration of this orphanage is committed to a council, half of whose membership shall be appointed by royal authority and the other half by election or choice of those contributing annually to its support.

In the same paper, theCivilta Cattolica, of February 20, 1909, appears the following: “There has been appointed to the Presidency of the National Committee the Mayor of the first city of Italy, Erneste Nathan, a Hebrew, a very bitter enemy of Catholicism.” The same issue states that the National Committeehas appointed three women to take charge of “Patronato Nazionale Regina Elene,” namely, Turin, an unknown woman, a Socialist and Freemason; Labriola, a Protestant woman (a Valdensian Protestant), and Levi, a Jewess. To them was confided the care of all orphans brought to Naples from the scene of the disaster. This charge was taken from the Nepolitan authorities because they were good Catholics.

TheCivilta Cattolicastates: “It is evident from the entire policy of the National Committee that the Pope was refused all voice in the disposition of the orphans. He never entered into the committee’s consideration, except that it is trying and succeeding in hampering his efforts everywhere, for instance:

1. The government,i. e., the National Committee, refused to send any of the wounded to the hospital of Santa Marta in Rome, so that the Knights of Malta have to make up a train themselves to go to Naples in order to get the wounded.2. The Catholic officers of the Spanish shipCatalunawere hampered in the gathering of the wounded and orphans at Messina to take them to Rome for disposition of the Pope. This ship has been placed under direct control of the Pope by the Count of Comillas, the owner.3. The Pope was interfered with in placing orphans in the care of the French priest, Santol. (The Pope has offered to care for 2,000 earthquake orphans, one-half of whom were to be put in charge of Father Santol.)”

2. The Catholic officers of the Spanish shipCatalunawere hampered in the gathering of the wounded and orphans at Messina to take them to Rome for disposition of the Pope. This ship has been placed under direct control of the Pope by the Count of Comillas, the owner.

3. The Pope was interfered with in placing orphans in the care of the French priest, Santol. (The Pope has offered to care for 2,000 earthquake orphans, one-half of whom were to be put in charge of Father Santol.)”

From the above it appears that part of the money contributed by our fellow-citizens, irrespective of creed and nationality, is being used by missionary societies and others against Catholicity. Some of our Catholic fellow-citizens feared that such would likely be the case, but they nevertheless contributed liberally, thinking that in such a crisis and such distress haste was necessary and bigotry would not be allowed to have part. But from the above statements it is evident that their fears were well founded, and if it turns out that the statements are true, the Red Cross Society, though splendid in its aims, will never be trusted again by the 15,000,000 of Catholics in this country, nor by the 270,000,000 Catholics the world over.

Your organization is no doubt aware that all civilized countries now acknowledge the right of the child to be educated in the religion of its parents, and though the Red Cross Society of America may not have anything to do with the education of these children without religion, it has the right and duty to protest against funds sent from America being used in such a way as to outrage justice.

It will not be amiss to show you how few Protestants there are in Italy:

Last summer at the International Congress of Religious Liberals, held in Boston, Rev. Tony Andre, of Italy, gave these statistics: “Italy is essentially a Catholic country. Out of the 32,475,253 inhabitants enumerated in the census of 1901, 31,539,863 declared themselves Catholics; that is, 97.12 per cent of the population. All told there were 65,595 Protestants, 20,538 of whom were foreigners. At the same time, 795,276 were unwilling to say to what religion they belonged, and 36,092 declared they were of no religion.” This will show that practically all the children to be cared for are Catholics.

We address this open letter to your society and expect that you will give the matter referred to therein immediate investigation and consideration.

Very respectfully, yours,

THE AMERICAN FED. OF CATH. SOCIETIES.

ANTHONY MATRE,National Secretary.

July 9, 1909.

Mr.Anthony Matre,Secretary, American Federation of Catholic Societies, St. Louis, Mo.

Dear Sir: The American Red Cross is in receipt of the expected reply from the American Ambassador at Rome to an inquiry of the Embassy adverted to in my letter to you dated April 12, 1909.

Mr. Griscom states that there was no true basis for the statement published in theCatholic Transcriptin Rome and quoted by you in the open letter, whereby you charged the American Red Cross with grave wrong to the Italian children made orphans by the earthquake of December 28, 1908, the offense consisting in the assignment of the control of the American Red Cross Italian Orphanage, and the instruction and rearing of these orphans to non-Catholics, such as Hebrews, Masons, and Socialists.

AFTER WORKING HOURS, MESSINA.

Mr. Griscom, to whom I sent a copy of your attack upon the Red Cross, brought the matter to the attention of Countess Spalletti Rasponi, the President of the Queen’s Orphanage, who, as such, has general supervision over the branch of the same known as the American Red Cross Orphanage, and for which latter Mr. Bruno Chimerri is Chairman of the Executive Committee.

The following is a translation of a quotation from a letter from the Countess Spalletti to Mr. Griscom, the American Ambassador, dated Rome, April 19, 1909:

“After reading the article published in theCatholic Transcriptof March 25, 1909, I consider myself, as the President of the Queen’s Orphanage, bound to reassure your excellency, and send you some information regarding the system pursued by those placed in control of the orphans in choosing a place for theorphans and abandoned minors, with the tutelage of whom we have been charged by the royal decree, dated January 14, 1909.

“The number of wretched creatures left destitute of any support and guidance being considerable, we have undertaken to take the place, as far as possible, of the parents in their education and start in life. We have proceeded in accordance with this principle, and have decided that the minors should be, as far as possible, brought up in the religion of their parents, and educated in conformity with the conditions in which their families were, with the only tendency to ameliorate those conditions. We consider it to be our duty to bring up these children in the religion of their parents.

“Referring to the article published in theCatholic Transcript, I have to point out that the Mayor of Rome, Mr. Nathan, is not the President of the Queen’s Orphanage. He has no connection with it whatever, but is President of the Executive Board of the Central Relief Committee for the earthquake sufferers, of which committee his royal highness, the Duke of Aosta, is the President....

“It is, moreover, to be noted that the President of the Palmi Subcommittee is the Bishop of Milito, Monsignor Morabito. Our representative in Messina has been another most worthy Catholic Priest, the Rev. Luigi Orione.

“I am confident that this summary will be sufficient to remove from the souls of American Catholics all apprehensions.”

In forwarding this letter, Mr. Griscom, our Ambassador to Rome, remarks in substance:

“You will observe that the governing body of the Queen’s Orphanage have exercised the greatest care to place Protestant orphans in Protestant hands and Catholic orphans in Catholic hands. I am satisfied that this wise policy has been consistently carried out. American Protestant Missions have received the tutelage of the children of the members of their missions in cases where there were no surviving relatives to assume the burden. I am satisfied theCatholic Transcriptwould not have published such an article had they been in possession of the full facts....

“You will be interested in knowing that long before I heard from you on this subject the head of one of our American Protestant Missions in Rome stated to me that he understood our orphanage was to be governed and managed by Catholic priests, and that the Protestant contributors of money in America would never tolerate such a thing. When I explained to him the policy of those in charge of the Queen’s Orphanage in regard to orphans, he seemed thoroughly satisfied. It is interesting that we should have received a protest from the Protestant Church that the Catholics are being favored, and then that the leading Catholic papers in America should publish an article implying that the Catholics are receiving unfair treatment.

“The very nature of the organization and the legal status of the orphanage work under the Queen’s patronage makes it impossible that it should be governed in the interest of one denomination....

“In my opinion, the Queen’s Orphanage is entitled to our admiration and respect for the very just and liberal policy adopted to solve the very delicate questions raised by the different religious denominations of the orphans. During the whole of this trying period I have not received a single complaint from any of the American Protestant Missions with regard to the dispositionof the orphans belonging to their denomination; nor has any complaint from a Catholic source been brought to my knowledge until you forwarded me the clipping from theCatholic Transcript. I am extremely disappointed that such a fair-minded paper should have failed to do justice to the perfectly correct course of the Italian authorities with regard to the religion of the earthquake orphans.

“It goes without saying that a great part of the moneys which came from America through the American Red Cross and otherwise went to the assistance of Catholics. The money received by Protestant Italians would be a minute fraction of 1 per cent. It seems strange that there should be any expression of discontent from any Catholic source.

MOVING-IN DAY. ONE OF THE FIRST FAMILIES TO OCCUPY AN AMERICAN COTTAGE, MESSINA.

“On the other hand, I am most happy to say that we have the most gratifying expressions of appreciation from such persons as Archbishop Ireland, the Archbishop of Messina, the Bishop of Milito, and other distinguished prelates of the Catholic Church.”

The Red Cross has no method of knowing how much or what part of the amounts received for Italian earthquake relief (about $1,000,000) was contributed by Catholics. Assuming that the proportion this part bore to the whole was the same as the ratio of the Catholic population of the United States to the whole population, then the funds of Catholic origin, so to speak, received by the Red Cross must have been one-seventh or one-sixth of the whole.

It seems to be established as a fact that there was no sufficient basis for your charge that the American Red Cross had adopted a course that would or did result in the perversion of faith of the Catholic orphans. Those appointed by the King to the solemn trust of rearing these orphans are discharging their duty conscientiously. The prelates of the Catholic Church on the spot arethoroughly familiar with what was ordered to be done and with what is being done in this regard, and they will be careful to note and call attention to any deviation from conditions imposed by royal warrant and by justice.

Your letter to me of March 22, 1909, was given to the press before it reached me, and before you had taken pains to inquire into the proofs relied on to support the assertions which were the basis for your arraignment of the Red Cross.

I have sent copies of this letter to the Catholic press of the United States, in the belief that the readers of the original charge are entitled to know what are the actual facts respecting the measures taken by those applying the generous contributions of American Catholics and non-Catholics to insure the rearing and instruction of the earthquake orphans in the faith of their fathers.

The American Ambassador in Rome is a member of the permanent Executive Committee of the American Red Cross Italian Orphanage.

Yours, very sincerely,

GEO. W. DAVIS,Chairman, Central Committee.

As the American Red Cross was desirous of bringing to an end its Italian relief work, an inquiry was made of our Embassy in Rome as to the best use to be made of a small balance of funds still in hand. It was advised to contribute this amount to the Queen of Italy for the benefit of her relief work in the model village of Regina Helena, built for the refugees near Messina, and in which her majesty is deeply interested. In acknowledgement of this gift of $5,000 the following letter was sent to the American Ambassador:

Court of Her Majesty, the Queen, Rome, July 3, 1909.Excellency: Her majesty, the Queen, has charged me to request you to thank the American Red Cross for the relief it has so generously given to the refugees of the Sicilian disaster.COUNT P. DI TRINITA.

Court of Her Majesty, the Queen, Rome, July 3, 1909.

Excellency: Her majesty, the Queen, has charged me to request you to thank the American Red Cross for the relief it has so generously given to the refugees of the Sicilian disaster.

COUNT P. DI TRINITA.

On June 19 the American Red Cross received from the Italian Red Cross a beautiful gold medal and diploma as tokens of appreciation of the assistance rendered by America after the earthquake in Sicily and Calabria.

Cuts of the medal are shown herewith, and below are printed the letter of the President of the Italian Red Cross transmitting the medal and diploma, and the letter of the President of the American Red Cross in acknowledgment.

Rome, Italy, April 19, 1909.Illustrious Sir: In the never-to-be-forgotten calamity by which she was overcome Italy has found but one solace. It was to feel, to know, that the sorrow was universal, and that the heart of the world throbbed in unison with hers.Touching evidence of human solidarity came to us from every part of your glorious Republic, but every burst of charity was outdone by the Red Cross, over which you preside, sir, and which assisted her Italian sister with a supreme munificence of relief.May you find the medal and diploma we now send you as tokens of our gratitude, of which, however, they are but a modest outward sign, acceptable. More durably than in the metal is our gratefulness engraved in the hearts of the Italians, whose mindful blessings will stand as the sacred heritage of the generations to come.R. TAVERNA,President, Italian Red Cross.To thePresident of the American Red Cross,Washington, D. C.

Rome, Italy, April 19, 1909.

Illustrious Sir: In the never-to-be-forgotten calamity by which she was overcome Italy has found but one solace. It was to feel, to know, that the sorrow was universal, and that the heart of the world throbbed in unison with hers.

Touching evidence of human solidarity came to us from every part of your glorious Republic, but every burst of charity was outdone by the Red Cross, over which you preside, sir, and which assisted her Italian sister with a supreme munificence of relief.

May you find the medal and diploma we now send you as tokens of our gratitude, of which, however, they are but a modest outward sign, acceptable. More durably than in the metal is our gratefulness engraved in the hearts of the Italians, whose mindful blessings will stand as the sacred heritage of the generations to come.

R. TAVERNA,President, Italian Red Cross.

To thePresident of the American Red Cross,Washington, D. C.

Washington, D. C., June 22, 1909.Sir: I have received your courteous communication of April 19 last, with which you transmit a gold medal and diploma, presented by the Italian National Red Cross to the American National Red Cross, as testimonials of gratitude for the contributions furnished by the latter for the sufferers from the earthquakes in Calabria and Sicily.As President of the American National Red Cross it affords me great pleasure to accept these testimonials in behalf of the association, not only because of their beauty and intrinsic worth, but as tokens of the humanitarian spirit which joins the world in fraternal kinship in times of great distress.Not less valued that they are the sentiments of generous appreciation on the part of the Italian Red Cross, to which you give expression in your communication.I beg you to be so good as to convey to the Italian Red Cross the thanks and appreciation of the American Red Cross for their considerate action, and am,Very cordially, yours,WM. H. TAFT,President, American National Red Cross.Count R. Taverna,President, Italian Red Cross.

Washington, D. C., June 22, 1909.

Sir: I have received your courteous communication of April 19 last, with which you transmit a gold medal and diploma, presented by the Italian National Red Cross to the American National Red Cross, as testimonials of gratitude for the contributions furnished by the latter for the sufferers from the earthquakes in Calabria and Sicily.

As President of the American National Red Cross it affords me great pleasure to accept these testimonials in behalf of the association, not only because of their beauty and intrinsic worth, but as tokens of the humanitarian spirit which joins the world in fraternal kinship in times of great distress.

Not less valued that they are the sentiments of generous appreciation on the part of the Italian Red Cross, to which you give expression in your communication.

I beg you to be so good as to convey to the Italian Red Cross the thanks and appreciation of the American Red Cross for their considerate action, and am,

Very cordially, yours,

WM. H. TAFT,President, American National Red Cross.

Count R. Taverna,President, Italian Red Cross.

Inscription of the circle around the medal: To the well deserving of the Italian Red Cross.

Inscription on medal: To the American National Red Cross: most generous cooperation in the relief of the sufferers of the earthquake in Calabria, Sicily, 1908.

ITALIAN RED CROSS.Under the high patronage of their Majesties, the King and the Queen, and of her Majesty, the Queen Mother.Association incorporated by law of May 30, 1882. No. 768, Side Series.Under Articles 115 and 116 of the Organic By-Laws, upon the motion of the Honorable President of the Association of the Central Committee, in its deliberations of the 3d of April, 1909, has been awarded the Diploma of Honor to the American National Red Cross. Rome, April 3, 1909.R. TAVERNA,President of the Association.A Token of Gratitude from the Italian Government.

ITALIAN RED CROSS.

Under the high patronage of their Majesties, the King and the Queen, and of her Majesty, the Queen Mother.

Association incorporated by law of May 30, 1882. No. 768, Side Series.

Under Articles 115 and 116 of the Organic By-Laws, upon the motion of the Honorable President of the Association of the Central Committee, in its deliberations of the 3d of April, 1909, has been awarded the Diploma of Honor to the American National Red Cross. Rome, April 3, 1909.

R. TAVERNA,President of the Association.

A Token of Gratitude from the Italian Government.

On May 17 Miss Boardman received a letter from Baron Mayor des Planches, the Italian Ambassador at Washington, of which a translation is given below, with Miss Boardman’s reply:

Washington, D. C., May 17, 1909.Dear Miss Boardman: Have you seen theLiterary Digestof the 15th, which betrays an official secret? The Minister of Foreign Affairs, M. Tittoni, has written me that the government of the King desired to send you a decoration, but unfortunately the statutes of our chivalresque orders do not permit the decoration of women. Our gratitude toward you will be testified by an artistic gift, which we hope you will accept as a souvenir of the benefits you have rendered.Believe me, dear Miss Boardman, very sincerely,E. MAYOR.

Washington, D. C., May 17, 1909.

Dear Miss Boardman: Have you seen theLiterary Digestof the 15th, which betrays an official secret? The Minister of Foreign Affairs, M. Tittoni, has written me that the government of the King desired to send you a decoration, but unfortunately the statutes of our chivalresque orders do not permit the decoration of women. Our gratitude toward you will be testified by an artistic gift, which we hope you will accept as a souvenir of the benefits you have rendered.

Believe me, dear Miss Boardman, very sincerely,

E. MAYOR.

Washington, D. C., May 17, 1909.Dear Mr. Ambassador: I have not seen theLiterary Digestto which you refer. Permit me to express my deep appreciation of the intention of his majesty’s government to present to me some testimonial in recognition of the American Red Cross work in Italy.It has been for some time the intention of our society to take under consideration the question of permitting members to receive gifts or testimonials because of any special work of relief in which they have taken part. Therefore, should the plan of his majesty’s government to present to me some testimonial be as yet not so advanced as to cause any embarrassment if not carried out, I would be glad to have it held in abeyance until the question is decided.But as there exists no regulation of this nature at present, if this plan has been so advanced that my not receiving this testimonial would cause any embarrassment to his majesty’s government, or to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, please take no action in the matter.Permit me to again express to your excellency my sincere appreciation, and to say whatever should be decided I shall always value the intention of suchkindly recognition of the American Red Cross and its work on the part of the Italian government.Please accept, Mr. Ambassador, the expression of my highest esteem and my heartiest good wishes for the return of prosperity to Sicily and Calabria.Yours, sincerely,MABEL T. BOARDMAN.

Washington, D. C., May 17, 1909.

Dear Mr. Ambassador: I have not seen theLiterary Digestto which you refer. Permit me to express my deep appreciation of the intention of his majesty’s government to present to me some testimonial in recognition of the American Red Cross work in Italy.

It has been for some time the intention of our society to take under consideration the question of permitting members to receive gifts or testimonials because of any special work of relief in which they have taken part. Therefore, should the plan of his majesty’s government to present to me some testimonial be as yet not so advanced as to cause any embarrassment if not carried out, I would be glad to have it held in abeyance until the question is decided.

But as there exists no regulation of this nature at present, if this plan has been so advanced that my not receiving this testimonial would cause any embarrassment to his majesty’s government, or to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, please take no action in the matter.

Permit me to again express to your excellency my sincere appreciation, and to say whatever should be decided I shall always value the intention of suchkindly recognition of the American Red Cross and its work on the part of the Italian government.

Please accept, Mr. Ambassador, the expression of my highest esteem and my heartiest good wishes for the return of prosperity to Sicily and Calabria.

Yours, sincerely,

MABEL T. BOARDMAN.

To this letter the Ambassador replied that the testimonial had already been completed, and he begged that no action against its acceptance be taken.

THE ELIZABETH GRISCOM HOSPITAL AT VILLAGIO DE REGINA ELENA. IN PROCESS OF CONSTRUCTION.

A beautiful reproduction in yellow gold of the ancient civic crown of Rome, sent in a most artistic leather jewel case, was later presented to Miss Boardman, in the name of the Italian government, by the Marquis Montagliari, the Italian Charge d’Affairs, in the absence of the Ambassador. On a plate in the case is engraved:

To Miss Mabel BoardmanOf the American Red Cross Society.The Italian Government as a Token of Gratitude.1908-1909.

A translation of the graceful letter of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Signor Tittoni, which accompanied the gift, is given below:

Rome, June 16, 1909.Illustrious Lady: The royal Ambassador has already expressed, and will reiterate, to you the sentiments of our gratitude for the highly generous work inspired by you, and accomplished with such intelligent love, during the terrible disaster which overwhelmed our country at the end of the last year.Now I desire to address you personally, offering to you, in the name of the government and the Italian people, an object which is inspired by our artistictraditions, and which will serve to recall to you the benefactions rendered and the memory which we preserve thereof.We have wished to see in the action, so prompt, so efficacious, so vast, and so enduring of the American Red Cross, something more than a simple evidence of human fraternity. We love to consider it a fresh proof of the spiritual ties by which the United States feel themselves bound to the Mother Italy; therefore this action has been doubly dear to us. To you belongs so large a share of the merit, allow us to see personified in yourself all the feminine grace of the institution which has known how to give expression to these ties in the form most acceptable to the grateful beneficiaries.With the most cordial regards, yours, most devotedly,TITTONI.

Rome, June 16, 1909.

Illustrious Lady: The royal Ambassador has already expressed, and will reiterate, to you the sentiments of our gratitude for the highly generous work inspired by you, and accomplished with such intelligent love, during the terrible disaster which overwhelmed our country at the end of the last year.

Now I desire to address you personally, offering to you, in the name of the government and the Italian people, an object which is inspired by our artistictraditions, and which will serve to recall to you the benefactions rendered and the memory which we preserve thereof.

We have wished to see in the action, so prompt, so efficacious, so vast, and so enduring of the American Red Cross, something more than a simple evidence of human fraternity. We love to consider it a fresh proof of the spiritual ties by which the United States feel themselves bound to the Mother Italy; therefore this action has been doubly dear to us. To you belongs so large a share of the merit, allow us to see personified in yourself all the feminine grace of the institution which has known how to give expression to these ties in the form most acceptable to the grateful beneficiaries.

With the most cordial regards, yours, most devotedly,

TITTONI.

Your Excellency: Permit me to express, through you, to the Italian government and to the people of Italy my most profound appreciation of the honor conferred upon me by the presentation of the beautiful reproduction of the civic crown of Rome, as a token of gratitude for the sympathy and assistance of the American Red Cross after the terrible disaster in Sicily and Calabria.It was with a sense of the greatest sorrow and the sincerest sympathy that the people of the United States, through their Red Cross Society, found means to express in tangible form these heartfelt emotions. To many of our people Italy is the motherland, and to many others she has given so rich a treasury of art and literature that we must remain forever in her debt. Stricken by one of the great and mysterious forces of nature, thousands of her people were destroyed and thousands were left homeless, suffering, and in dire distress. Our people, overwhelmed by her misfortune, were glad, in the spirit of brotherly love, to take some share in her assistance.That the Italian government selected as a token of gratitude an object around which clusters the great traditions of ancient Rome moves us deeply, and will be an inspiration for our Red Cross to continue constant in its efforts to conquer suffering and be worthy of such recognition.Permit me to express my own gratitude, and to say that what little I have been able to do personally has been done with sincere affection for Italy and her people, and because of the sympathetic and hearty support of our people and Red Cross officers.With earnest wishes for the prosperity of your country, and for the speedy rehabilitation of the stricken communities, and with cordial regards and many thanks for your excellency’s most kind communication, I amYours, sincerely,MABEL T. BOARDMAN.SenatorTittoni,Minister of Foreign Affairs, Rome, Italy.

It was with a sense of the greatest sorrow and the sincerest sympathy that the people of the United States, through their Red Cross Society, found means to express in tangible form these heartfelt emotions. To many of our people Italy is the motherland, and to many others she has given so rich a treasury of art and literature that we must remain forever in her debt. Stricken by one of the great and mysterious forces of nature, thousands of her people were destroyed and thousands were left homeless, suffering, and in dire distress. Our people, overwhelmed by her misfortune, were glad, in the spirit of brotherly love, to take some share in her assistance.

That the Italian government selected as a token of gratitude an object around which clusters the great traditions of ancient Rome moves us deeply, and will be an inspiration for our Red Cross to continue constant in its efforts to conquer suffering and be worthy of such recognition.

Permit me to express my own gratitude, and to say that what little I have been able to do personally has been done with sincere affection for Italy and her people, and because of the sympathetic and hearty support of our people and Red Cross officers.

With earnest wishes for the prosperity of your country, and for the speedy rehabilitation of the stricken communities, and with cordial regards and many thanks for your excellency’s most kind communication, I am

Yours, sincerely,

MABEL T. BOARDMAN.

SenatorTittoni,Minister of Foreign Affairs, Rome, Italy.

On June 10, 1909, the Executive Committee adopted the following resolution:

Whereas, It has sometimes occurred that members of the American Red Cross, engaged in some special work, have been presented with gifts because of appreciation of this work; and,Whereas, The Executive Committee of the American Red Cross considers that this is an unwise custom to permit to continue; and,Whereas, The American Red Cross itself provides a medal of merit for recognition of especially meritorious relief work;Be it resolved, That hereafter no member of the American Red Cross shall be permitted to receive any valuable gift in recognition of special relief work in which he or she has taken part, and that no testimonial or medal shall be accepted without authority of the Executive Committee.

Whereas, It has sometimes occurred that members of the American Red Cross, engaged in some special work, have been presented with gifts because of appreciation of this work; and,

Whereas, The Executive Committee of the American Red Cross considers that this is an unwise custom to permit to continue; and,

Whereas, The American Red Cross itself provides a medal of merit for recognition of especially meritorious relief work;

Be it resolved, That hereafter no member of the American Red Cross shall be permitted to receive any valuable gift in recognition of special relief work in which he or she has taken part, and that no testimonial or medal shall be accepted without authority of the Executive Committee.

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