The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-04-05
Chairman of Relief Com
mittee Reports on Flood
Conditions
NECESSARY TO
AID INDIVIDUALS
Merchants in Many Flooded Districts
Are Financially Ruined-How
Society Is Aiding to Re-
pair Conditions

Washington, April Allow the American
Red Gross has undertaken the reha bill
tation OF home and business life In the
flood stricken districts OF the middle west,
and In what manner that organization
inet the first call for relief for the suf-
serers in this disaster-probably the great
lest with which 1t ever had been called
henslve statement issued tonight by Miss
Mabel Il. Boardman, chairman of the Red
Gross national relief committee.
Rehabilitation of the individual sufferer,
s1eclared Miss Boardnan. is what is neces-
Bary to restore normal conditions TO
continue merely to give out food and
clothing, she said, ''will mean the con-
tinuation of the paralysis of the all i'm
portant business life of the community
In many of the flooded districts the mer-
chants have lost all their stock and have
no insurance as In case of fire. Unless
an effort is made to aid them to make a
start again, unless the people are assisted
In such way as to enable them to re-
sumo the normal condition of buying,
the business of the community will re-
main in a hopeless condition. 10 accom-
pish this the Individual must be consid-
cred, and his or her rehabilitation will
mean that of the whole city, town or viii
]age
while factories are closed for repairs
men can be given work for which they
will be paid for the clearing away of the
immense amount of debris, such cleansing
being necessary for sanitary and other
reasons Thus a purchasing power will
be given them again. They may be aided
in the repair of their houses and thus
employment provided for others.
To Re-Employ Staff
'The re-establishment of his market will
enable the merchant to re-employ his staff
and thus again Others can return to a
normal existence. Where men or women
have been paying for their homes by
monthly installments they can be assist
ed in such payments for a time so as TO
prevent the loss Of their homes and pos
siby the failure of mutual building asso-
Citations. which would be disastrous to
many Of the working people. All this
great work the Red Cross, with the gen.
erous contributions of the American peo-
pie, is undertaking.
This work of individual rehabilitation
tire community and the setting again in
motion OF the wheels of normal life will
be the greatest help that can possibly be
given to the unfortunate victims of the
flood. So many thousands have suffered.
SO many cities, towns and villages in
Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky and Illinois have
been affected that there will be need of all
the generous contributions received.
with the courage of the American peo-
pie on the side of the disaster and on the
other hand with the generosity of our
sympathetic public. the Red Cross believes
this can and will be accomplished"
Emergency Relief Work
Telling of the emergency relief work of
the Red Cross, Miss Boardman said:
so rapidly and almost completely was
Dayton cut off from connection with Co
\ lumbus that the first intimation that the
governor of Ohio received of the calam-
ity there came from the Red Cross at
Washington. Immediately the first flood
relief measures were set in motion by
the state, rescue work and police pro-
lection. largely by the National Guard.
Sanitary matters under state and federal
officials with the aid OF the army physi-
cials next were in order. About one hum
dred Red Cross trained nurses were inn
mediately sent to the flooded country
and are assisting not only in caring for
the sick but in cooperating with the
sanitary inspectors in house to house
visiting. Mai. Charles Lynch, U. S.
A., of the Red Cross first aid department.,
IS giving assistance In this sanitary work
to Surgeon General Hall of the National
Guard of Ohio. Where necessary, small
emergency hospitals were established.
Food, clothing, blankets and cots, with
medical supplies, were rushed to the de-
= wasted districts by the war and navy de-
rartments under experienced competent
officers. Later, without notice from the
Red Cross, other supplies came from more
remote localities. Kitchens were put into
action and later from relief stations in
schools or other suitable places food
and clothing We're distributed. These
were constantly replenished from the car
loads coming in from all parts. Coal
also was given out. I saw one or two
carloads dumped at the side of a street
in the flooded district of Columbus for
any ones use but as yet little or no In
road had been made upon it,
Immediate Aid Given
1.-THE Red Cross Immediately upon in
formation of the disaster sent kilograms
to both the governors of Ohio and Indiana
offering assistance and began to move into
the field It's personnel of trained agents,
as we'll as the nurses. These agents are
men connected with various philanthropic
associations and who have had special ex-
Ierience and training in disaster relief
director. Ernest p. Bichnell. on his way
10 Omaha for the cyclone relief. was
recalled, as the Red Cross agent sent
from Chicago and st. Louis reported the
work there we'll in hand
Governor Cox. acting as president of
the Ohio State Red Cross board, ap-
pointed special relief committee of such
members of the board as were in the
state and others as substitutes for two
who were absent These are all well
known and representative citizens.
"In Ohio, where the flood had SUBJ
sided, the first needs have been met
and the matter of sanitation is being
given careful consideration Now fol-
lows the vital question Of rehabiita-
ton
Major Normoyle, at the head Of the
army relief forces In the flood district
reported today that he was confident that
he had the situation well In hand. An
swering a query concerning the possibility
OF starvation in Marietta, o., the officer
Responded:
Il will feed them with spoon if neces-
sary."
Surgeon Evans reported to Surgeon Gen.