Evening star., 1922-01-19

Seated in tho room at 532 18th
street that was occupied by Gen
Grant as Secretary of War, the Prln.
cess Cantacuzene. his granddaughter
who Is chairman OF the board of di.
rectors of the American Central Com.
mittee for Russian Relief. has above
her desk a portrait. of the great wa,
President.
Around the frame is draped a
wreath of green, placed there by the
colored janitor of the building, who
thus testified to the veneration with
which he and his race look upon the
memory Of Gen. Grant.
The janitor Is Stanley II. Shackel-
ford. whose father was a slave. When
the Princess Cantacuzene recently
moved into the historic old office on
the second floor of the building and
established the national headquarters
OF the American Central Committee
here, she hung the portrait In place.
! Finds Frame Wreathed.
One day, when she came down to
work, she found a beautiful wreath
of green around the frame.
"Who did that?" she asked
Research brought out the fact that
1t was the janitor Of the kailding who
was responsible for the tribute.
SNACK slford, who was horn at Rich
monu. Va. believes that his peo-
pie ought to celebrate the emancipa-
tion proclamation :Iiore than they do
anJ that above all they should never
fttEet the memory of Gen. Grant.
whose, hammer-like blows actually
gave them their freedom.
Princess cantacuzene was much
a. sod NJ ~
and the wreath still adorns the por-
trait of hAr ancestor. While she is
devoting Ter efforts toward succoring
the Russian refugees in foreign
lands. driven from their own land by
the bolsheviki. shc is not unmindful
of this unsought tribute.
She is cooperating with the
Washington Chapter OF tho American
Central Committee for Russian Relief,
while at the same time directing the
committee in q national way. in order
not only to feed the refugees. but
also to transport these helpless
people from tho congestion In Con-
stantinopie. where many Of thenr are
Mrs Robert Lansing is chairman OF
the local chapter. Miss Mary Sheridan
is treasurer, Mrs. Sherman Miles is
secretary and Mrs. Robert Woods Bliss
vice chairman. The chapter headQuar-
ters are at 532 18th street. 1t is inter-
esting to note, in connection. with the
name Of Princess Cantacuzeno. that
In the above list the names Of two
other great American generals are to
be noted-Gen. Sheridan and Gen.
Miles.
THE Russians we help gave all
they had to the allied cause" states
They are now dying from cold and
hunger-refugees from bolshevism.
Exiles Live in Destitution.
One million exiles are now living
in extreme destitution and misery
in various countries along the entire
Russian border, 1T was stated atathe
headquarters today. They are real
Russians. the business, professional
and scientific elements. together with
thousands of skilled workmen who
cannot live under the bolshevist rule
and it is declared that upon their
preservation rests the economic
reconstruction of their native land.
The American Central Committee is
non-political, and extends aid to ref
ugees outside OF Russia, it is to be
remembered. 1t was organized and
incorporated in the autumn of 1918
for the purpose of "affording relief to
the Russian people, victims of the in
human bolshevist tyranny, and the
resultant general breakdown of all
civil and democratic government in
Russia
1t was founded by a group of friends
of Russia in the United States, in
Guiding the civilian members of the
mission to Russia. headed by Senator
Root, with the object of demonstrat-
ing, in the only way practicable at
the time. the friendship of the Ameri-
can people for Russia and Russians.
Location of the national headquar-
ters here this winter was effected be-
cause of the steady growth of the
movement. and in order to bring the
work in direct contact with that OF
other national organizations. Charles