The Blood Red Tape of Charity is a 1913 American silent short propaganda drama film written, directed and starring Edwin August and produced by Pat Powers.

He forces a doctor to treat the Weldon's invalid daughter Alice before proceeding to rob a charity ball's attendees.

William Weldon, a telegraph lineman, is the father of a large family, and finds it a hard struggle to make ends meet on his small wages.

In each case the organization promises to make a full investigation and do what they can, but by the time all the red tape and rules are complied with, the family would starve.

After the family has recovered, through Marx's aid, the charity organizations finally send a few dollars and a skimpy supply of food.

Blake's claim that it was a single reel is the subject of dispute because the release was originally referred to as a two-reel production in publications and many advertisements.

After the film was released nationwide, advertisements for its viewing appeared in newspapers including in El Paso, Texas,[10] Chicago, Illinois,[11] Indiana,[12] Iowa,[13][14] Ohio,[15] Nebraska,[16] Kansas,[17] and Pennsylvania.

[18][19] Jon C. Mirsalis's website cites a review in Moving Picture World which states, "There is considerable strength in the offering, but it has some bad faults.

[13] Another advertisement cites the New York World review detailing the propaganda film's intent to gain public attention to incite a "regeneration" of charitable organizations.

[20] An advertisement in the El Paso Herald by the Alamo Theater described the film as "a beautiful story of love, devotion and charity.

The film provoked a response by the Charity Organization Societies because of its melodramatic and exaggerated depiction of the family's suffering due to regulation delays.