Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1922-05-18
APPEAL FOR
HOMELESS IN FLOOD
STRICKEN AREAS
Thifty-O One Thousand OF The Home
less Being Fed By the Red Cross
in the State of Mississippi.

An appear IOT p0UU,UUU TO De uScu
for relief work among the $4,000
homeless and hungry refugees in the
flood stricken areas of the Mississippi
Valley was made Thursday by Judge
John Barton Payne, national chair
man of the American Red Cross. This
appeal, with the endorsement of
President Warren G.. Harding, hon
orary chairman of the Red Cross,
has been made necessary by the high
est waters ever flooding the states
near the mouth of the Mississippi,
which have confronted the Red Cross
with one Of the most serious relief
situations it has faced since its organ
iZation. This sum is in addition to
the 100000 which the ARC has al
ready appropriated for relief work.
In a letter to all BED Cross chap
tiers i'm America chairman Payne
saws: "Floods in the valley OF the
Illinois, Ohio and Mississippi rivers
have caused death and great loss OF
property and thousands of families
to be without shelter, food or proper
clothing. Thirty-one thousand of the
homeless are 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 Illi-
nois and on the Mississippi river
south of st. Louis, particularly in the
states of Arkansas, Mississippi and
Louisiana. The first needs have been
met by the national headquarters
with an appropriation of approx
mately one hundred thousand dol
lars.
"There is great work to be done
until the stricken people who have
lost their all can be reestablished in
home life. At least 100000 will be
required by the Red Cross. There
should be generous assistance for
these struggling communities and the
health and comfort of destitute men,
women, and children should have
every possible attention.
"The chapters are requested to
solicit Immediately contributions to
be administered by the national or
ganization of the American Red
Cross through state and local COM
mittees which it has organized or
through which it is discharging re-
sponsibility for relief work.
Contributions may be made for
use at any designated place or in
any specific territory, or for distribu-
ton according to actual necessity for
help at the discretion of the national
organization. Chapter officers will
report and forward the money which
they collect to the respective division
officers"
Upon being informed of the cam
paign by the Red Cross for the flood
stricken sufferers President Harding
sent a letter to Chairman Payne
praising the work the Red Cross has
alreday done in the water covered
areas and endorsing Chairman
Payne's appeal for funds to carry on
the great task.
"My dear Judge Payne" Presi-
dent Harding wrote, 81 have observ-
ed with much interest and pleasure
the prompt and effective work which
the Red Cross is doing for the relief
Of acute need in the flooded areas
of the Mississippi valley and l con-
graduate you upon this splendid
public service. The country, | am
sure, will warmly appreciate this
service of the Red Cross and will
respond 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-
tons in the stricken areas have con-
stantly grown worse Red Cross Of
ficials are taking this opportunity to
let the people of America contribute
toward the relief of their stricken
fellow citizens in the flooded regions
through their local Red Cross chap
ters.
The 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
alone nearly 10000 people
have been driven from their homes
and the larger portion of them are
being cared for by the Southern Di-ll
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