The Morgan County press. (Wartburg, Tenn.) 1916-1926, 1920-11-05

It is To pr0vlde an answer to that
question that the American Red Cross
has been In existence for years and
years. 1t Is the recognized official
agency for disaster relief, and it has
lived up to its responsibilities In a
wonderful way.
That is one reason why the Red
Cross deserves the support of every
one Oh it's Fourth Roll Ca.'-to main
tain it so that. when disaster strikes,
the stricken will always have help
ing hand to turn to, the American Red
Cross.
The disaster relief part of the Red
Cross organization has been so thor
oughly perfected that it can answer
calls for help in the briefest possible
time.
People of the south well remember
how promptly the Red Cross respond
ed to the need during the West Point
flood last year. the Corpus Christi
storm and several other southern dis
asters, while fresh in the memory Of
the entire country is the fact that
Red Cross doctors and nurses were
first on the scene" at the Wall street
explosion.
In addition to furnishing such
prompt relief as this, practically ev-
cry Red Cross chapter has a per.
manent disaster relief committee,
which has made survey Of resources
in their respective communities and
is prepared to act promptly with the
means at hand when disaster occurs.
illustrative of the genuine need for
Just such preparedness as this in the
United States is the fact that, last
year alone, the Red Cross aided 3d.
900 persons in 16l communities. all
victims of 70 separate and distinct dis
asters.
In the accomplishment of this re-
lief work 140 Red Cross chapters were
called upon to assist, the sum OF $780,
OCO in cash and supplies was expend-
ed. Thirty temporary hospitals were
called into existence, twenty-odd mo.
tor corps were organized, seven spe-
cial relief trains were sent out and
ITO special representatives and nurses
were furnished in addition to the aid
given by the local Red Cross workers
In the community visited by disaster.
In these 70 disasters, including 10
tornadoes and cyclones, 2 hurricanes,
2 cloud bursts, l hail storm, earth
uuakes, l landslide, Is fires, explo'
sion, 9 floods, 10 shipwrecks, l train
wreck, riots l motor accident and
2 droughts-S50 persons were killed,
| 500 wore injured, $4,000 (approxi-
were rendered homeless
while property valued at $5,O00,0OO was
destroyed
The largest and most destructive
disaster of the year was at Corpus
Christi, Texas, in September, 1919.
Approximately 400 were killed and A.
300 made homeless. The Red Cross
division director with staff of 80
assistants administered fund of $780,.
300. giving aid to 5000 families and
tour towns and rural districts and suf-
1lcient supplies to each family to en-
able it to stand on it's feet.
Because of tornadoes, the Gulf and
Lake Divisions were called upon to
send emergency relief with trained
workers to nearly 80 communities. The
.wo droughts in Montana and North
Dakota gave abundant opportunity for
,rained workers from the Northern Di-
vision to help the Red Cross chapters
demonstrate their usefulness, whils
number of shipwreclIs proved the read
ness OF the Atlantic Division and the
New York Metropolitan Area Commit
zee to assist in that line of work.
The record of last year emphasizes
he need of abundant preparedness
along the line of. disaster relief, and
las resulted in the organization Of
Disaster Preparedn sss Committees by
about 400 chapters and the setting
aside of a special emergency fund by
he National organization of $5,O00,-
100 in addition to the regular annual
appropriation for this purpose made
n its budget.
4O0 CHAPTERS