The Cordova daily times., 1920-10-18

SIUll CldlIIlldu Ol lue CbUlTdl committee of the American Red Cross has returned after a month spent in Paris, Geneva and London, conferring with Red Cross representatives and reviewing reports from the various countries in Eastern Europe in which the Red Cross has been and is active
 Accurate figures are necessary not to be obtained in the present confu- sion," said Dr. Farrand, but at the same time certain broad facts stand out. Economic reconstruction is pro ceering slowly but is evident when compared with the conditions which immediately followed the armistice in 1918. In general food supply is i'm proving and is no longer the over Whelming problem it was year ago It is Clear, however, that in Poland and Austria the coming winter will find a marked shortage and wide spread suffering is certain.
 General relief must be continued in these countries and at certain other points until further stability is reached. There is, however, one prob lem that overshadows all others and which the world must be brought to realize That is the problem of the children of Europe. Red Cross esti- mates, which are necessarily uncer- tain, but extremely conservative, in dicate at least eleven million children in Europe, fatherless from war and who face the next few years without hope of adequate care unless assist ance is given.
 "The national governments con cerned are necessarily devoting their chief attention and the bulk of theil resources of fundamental political and economic reconstruction. As a cOnse- quence not less than three to five mil lions of these war orphans will be without decent shelter, medical care, education or kindly treatment. When
 
 lions of other children undernourished and undeveloped physically and men tally, the dangerous situation is ob- vious. It is this generation, devital- ized and neglected, upon which in a | few years the stability of Europe must rest. To illustrate conditions the Red
 
 least five hundred thousand orphans. most of whom know no homes but camps for destitute refugees. Tn Cze- | cho-Slovakia, Austria and Hungary are one million war orphans. Recent | ly some five thousand of these were | found neglected and wandering like animals in the Ruthenian noun tains. In Jugo-Slovakia are prob ably half a million and many of these must care for themselves during the coming winter. Some have been found which all the adults have fled. The picture is appalling and the Red Cross proposes to use it's machinery to ac- quaint the people with the facts. Tt is not suggested that the Ameri- can people through the Red Cross or other philanthropic agencies can fully meet the problem, but experience has i shown that with reasonable resources fundamentally important aid can be given to help local national effort to save the situation. l am very glad to learn that the American Relief ad- ministratiOn under the leadership of MT Hoover is planning to continue it's work of feeding the children in the countries where there is likely to be food shortage. The Red Cross is now working out a plan by which medi- cal and nursing care may be provided and the most necessary material re lief given at the most critical points.
 Another all important problem is that of preventable disease. The war has created the most favorable soil demic disease and international atten- tion is now being drawn to this danger. In this field particular emphasis has been placed on typhus, which is rela- lively easily handled and with proper authority and resources can be wiped out in any district or country. It is in Poland that typhus appears most prevalent and definite plans have been laid by the League of Red Cross so- cieties in cooperation with the league of nations and Polish government to deal with that disease during the com