Cheraw chronicle. [volume] (Cheraw, S.C.) 1896-2005, 1922-05-18
RED CROSS TO HELP
REFUGEES IN FLOOD AREAS
OF THE MISSISSIPPI VALLEY,

relief work among the $4,000 home
less and hungry refugees in the FLOOD
stricken areas of the Mississippi Val
ley was made Thursday by Judge
John Barton Payne, national chai"-
man of the American Red Cross. This
President Warren G.. Harding, honor
airy chairman of the Red Cross, mas
besn made necessary by the highest
waters ever flooding the states near
the mouth of the Mississippi, which
have confronted the Red Cross with
one of the most serious relief situa-
tions it assfaced since its organla-
tion. This sum is in addition to the
100000 which the ARC has already
appropriated for relief work.
In letter to all Red Cross chapters
in America Chairman Payne says:
Floods in the valley of the Illinois,
Ohio and Mississippi rivers have
caused death and great loss of prop
erty and thousands of families to be
without shelter, food or proper cloth
ing. Thirty-one thousand of the
homeless ere being fed by the Red
Cross in the state of Mississippi alone
The Red Cross has quickly organized
relief work with the help of local
committees at many places in Illinois
and on the Mississippi river south Of
st. Louis, particularly in the states Of
Arkansas, Mississippi and Louisiana.
The first need shave been met by the
national headquarters with an ap-
preparation of approximately one hun
dred thousand dollars.
There is great work to be done
until the stricken people who have
lost their all can be re-established IN
home life. At least 100000 will be
required by the Red Cross. There
should be generous assistance fol
these struggling committees and tl
health and comfort of destitute men.
women and children should have ev-
cry possible attention.
"The chapters are requested to So
licit Immediately contributions to be
administered. by the national organi
zation of the American Red Cross
through state and local committees
which it has organized or through
which it is discharging responsibilit!
for relief work.
Contributions may be made for u.s.
at any designated place or in any spe-
cific territory, or for distribution ac-
cording to actual necessity, for chip
at the discretion Of the national or
ganization. Chapter officers will re-
port and forward the money which
they collect to the respective division
officers"
Upon being informed of the cam
patgn by the Red Cross for the tloGd
stricken sufferes President Harding
sent a letter to Chairman Payne prais-
ing the work the Red Cross has al
ready done in the water covered areas
and endorsing Chairman Payne's ap-
peal for funds to carry on the great
task
my dear Judge Payne President
Harding wrote, 81 have observed with
much interest and pleasure the
prompt and effective work which the
Red Cross is doing for the relief O.
acute need in the flooded areas OF
the Mississippi valley and l congrat-
ulate you upon this splendid public
service. The country, am sure, vii!
warmly appreciate this service of the
Red Cross and will respond to any
appeal which it may make for this
great work"
The Red Cross, according to Judge
Payne, at first believed that the flood
situation could be cared for with
funds available but since the condi-
tions in the stricken areas have con-
satntly grown worse Red Cross Off
cials are taking this opportunity to
cit the people of America contribute
toward the relief of their stricken fel-
low citizens in the flooded regions
through their local Red Cross chap
ters.
TIE flood began with large break
in the levee at Ferriday, La, smaller
breaks at other places, and with high
backwater from the Red, Black and
Yazoo rivers. In Louisiana and Mis-
sissippi alone nearly $4,000 people
have been driven from their homes
and the larger portion of them are be-
ing cared for by the Southern Division
of the Red Cross in tent colonies at
Natchez, Harrisonburg, Rhinehart and
Jackson Barracks in New Orleans.
Another tent colony will soon be OPP
ened in Redwood, ten miles north 0i
vicksburg, and refugees now living
in garretts and box cars will be placed
in this camp by the Red Cross.
The most serious aspect of the sit
uation is the crop failures OF recent
years which have rendered many OF
the homeless practically destitute =
is estimated that more than $SOoOOO
will be neede for food alone before
ai.;o.r honnn,n nnr1mnl and the