The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1922-01-22

V'iE talk made by Charles N.
Crane. sometime our minister TO
China. before the members Of the
local chapter OF the American Cen
trail Committee for Russian Relief
stands out as one OF the high lights
of the week. Mr.. Crane spoke on
Friday morning at the Russian en-
bassy to an appreciative audience.
which crowded the great ballroom;
and after his address he announced
his willingness to answer questions.
an Illuminating give and take en-.
suing.
1t was all very interesting. for Mr..
Crane learned much OF present-day
conditions In Russia in travelling
clean across the country on his way
home from China and his informa-
ton is backed up by deep study OF
Russian politics and history and by
twenty years OF intimate acquaint-
ance with Russia and the Russians.
Princess Cantacuzene was present
you know she organized the Amer
lean Central COMMITTEE. and Is head
of the national organizalion-also
Mrs. Robert Lansing. who Is chair
man Of the Washington branch. The
French Ambassador and Nine. JUS
serand were there and not only
drank In Mr.. Cranes talk with in.
terest, but asked a number Of
thoughtful questions. One noted
also the Russian ambassador, NJ.
Bakhmeteff and his sister. Nine.
Bazavoff. while others in the audi
ence were Mrs. Nicholas Longworth.
Mrs. Robert Woods Bliss. Mrs. Fred.
erick Dent Grant. Mrs. James Brown
Scott. Miss Mabel Boardman. Mrs.
Adolph Caspar Miller. Mrs. Charles
DENLY, Mrs. James r. Mann. Miss
Julia MATHS, Mrs. Victor Kauff-
mann. the Rev. DR.. and Mrs. Charles
Woodruff why 60 on. There are
names there. certainly, to give social
importance to any meeting.
Under the direction OF Mrs.
Lansing. the Washington branch
Of the Central Committee for Rus
sian Relief has done a notable
work, but It has been done SO
quietly that few besides the men,
bers Of the organization have
known very much about II. How
ever. since Princess Cantacuzene
transferred her headquarters from
New York to Washington she has
drawn the attention of a much wider
audience to the work Of the or.
ganization of which she is the ma
ational head and incidentally to
what the Washington branch has
accomplished.
The princess IL q decided sue
cess as a Nspeaker. She is simple
and direct. has a knowledge Of her
subject born Of study. thought and
experience, and In blessed with a
magnetic personality At present
one Of her chief aims is to explain
to those interested in the rehabili-
tation Of Russia-and who 10 not?
that the relief work now going
on under the direction OF Herbert
Hoover, Secretary Of Commerce.
does not relieve the central COM
mittee of the necessity for carry
ing on.
When Congress made an appro-
priation for Russian relief. It was
expressly stipulated that the money
should be spent for Russians In
Russia, whereas the American CEN
trail committee for Russian relief
works entirely among the refugees
who were driven out Of their
country during the revolutionary
period. The work Of the central
committee does not conflict with
Mr.. Hoover's work, but rather sup
plements II.
LIVERY class is represented among
the refugees at Constantinople,
in Switzerland, in Paris, In Berlin.
in half dozen other places
peasants, artisans. the old nobility,
and, most numerously, the profess
sional classes. They represent,
Princess Cantacuzene states. the
intelligensia-forgive q word which
has been rubbed into the ground
Of Russia. And therefore she sees
in them the seed corn" Of Rus
sian reconstruction.
The aim of the central committee
is to help these people to help
themselves. And it is remarkable
what has been accomplished with q
modicum OF assistance by men and
women, penniless. stripped Of their
all, and turned loose in strange and
ofttimes hostile surroundings. Take,
for example, the case of q little
group of refugees in Berlin. They
wrote that they could find no work,
but that II they were given money
to buy materials they would or
,api1a THAR own ndtiatriea Some