The Marietta journal. (Marietta, Ga.) 1918-1944, 1919-10-10
Relief Work

The relief work of the American
Red Cross in Corpus Christi has
again brought to the public mind the
fact that this organization has been
on the heels Of disaster nearly 40
years now When the smoke clears
away-and often before-when the
roar of the explosion has passed;
when the waters begin to subside, the
Red Cross is to be found on the job.
The recent storm disaster at Cor
pus Christi, Texas, calls to mind
plenty of other instances of the
swiftness and efficacy of the Red
Cross disaster relief service. Train
load after trainload Of Red Cross
supplies; detachment after detach-
ment of Red Cross personnel-and
steamer bearing both along the coast
to towns not reached by rail-were
on their way while across the land
people unfolded their papers and
raised shocked eyebrows at the star
ing headlines of the Texas calamity.
| In an amazingly short time a gene
ralRed Cross committee was created
for the entire devastated area, with
local committees organizing on every
side. The Texas governor asked the
Red Cross to appraise the property
loss in all districts and to administer
all money sent through him for re-
lief purposes. Refugees were shell
tered and fed by the Red Cross, and
very little illness was reported-due
to the promtpness of efficacy of the
relief measures.
And the Red Cross worked with
the speed of a city. fire department.
for in disasters like that speed means
as much as efficiency; perhaps more,
in a crises.
Everybody knows pretty well what
the American Red Cross did in the
war. 1t is even a matter of common
knowledge how the Red Cross served
and is serving the stricken countries
of the near east.
But how many persons stop to re-
member-if indeed they have the
data at all in mind-more than $50
terrific disasters since 1900, in which
the Red Cross has taken the role of
an angel of mercy and the quick
agens of relief?
And many before 1900, too. Did
you know that since 1881 and prior
to 1917, the year of our entry into
the war, the Red Cross had expend-
ed approximately $18,900,00 in allie
waiting human suffering under the
stress of sudden catastrophe?
| Even the enormous sums expended
by the Red Cross during the war
period leave that amount looking
trespectably impressive.
1t is interesting to note that in the
records of the American Red Cross,
under the general classification of
disaster relief, are to be found the
Charleston Earthquake of 1886; the
Florida Yellow Fever Epidemic of
1886; the Johnstown Flood Disaster
of 1889; Relief of the Cuban Recon
centrados of 1898: the Galveston
Flood of 1900; the Philippine Ty-
phoon of 1905; the San Francisco
Earthquake and Fire of 1906; the
Chinese Famine of 1907; the Messine
Earthquake in Italy, 1908; the Paris
Flood of 1910; the Manchurian Pla-
que of 1911; the Washington Place
Factory Fire in New York, 1911; the
Titanic Wreck, 1912; the Mississippi
River Flood of 1913; the Ohio Val
ley Storm and Flood of 1918; the
Balkan War Relief of 1914; the
Eastland Steamship Disaster, Chica-
ga, 1915; and the Mexican Famine
of 1915.
All these, and many more, before
the war period. And in 1917 and
1918-to quote the records bit far
ther-such huge relief operations
were necessitated as the Halifax EX-
plosion; the New Albany Tornado in
Indiana; the great Atlanta Fire; the
Illinois and Kentucky Tornado; the
San Salvador Earthquake and the
China Flood In 1918 alone there
were 27 severe disasters involving a
total of II 500 families and property
losses estimated at more than $780,
100000. For the relief of victims
in these disasters, ranging from Por-
to Rico and Tien Tsin, China, to
South Amboy, N. j., and Lock Ha-
ven, Pa, the Red Cross appropriated
or expended about 100000.
And the Red Cross was always on
the job.
Perhaps the Halifax Explosion,