Evening star., 1927-10-06
LARGER RED CROSS
RELIEF FUND ASKED
ST. 100000 Increase in An.
nual Revenues Is Needed, .
Convention Told.

Convention Told.
Facing an unprecedented drain ol
f.s relief funds by reason of a never
ending stream of disa sters. the Ameri
can Red Cross in the closing session
of its convention today appealed Il
its members for an increase or a
least $1,000 900 in its annual revenues
"For safety's sake our funds mus
not be depleted warned James Is
McClintock. financial assistant to The
chair,itn of the national organization
In his report to the convention.
That the unohligated balance in the
genera, treasury was dangerously low
at the end OF the fiscal year ended
June 50 last was indicated by tota
of only SS.773.591 on hand. CnuSua
disasters the world over during the
past five years, he declared. hae
caused an expenditure Of $i3,s25,0O(
for relief purposes solely.
The total obligated and unobligatet
general funds at the end OF the hsca
wear amounted to 29,l6S,S99, the re
nnrt showed, and the budget for the
1qoS fiscal wear is fixed at $l6,a45 S31
The problem facing the Red Cross dur
ing the forthcoming year was lndl
Gated by the fact that the budget re
ouirements are approximately $4,000.
600 in excess of last year.
Cites Reserve Fund Need.
For the eight years ended June 80
last Mr.. McClintock reported. the or
ranization had collected $94.11S,ooo
but had expended $3.50 $4,000.
The Red Cross must always have
n sufficient reserve fund available over
Its General disa ster fund, so as to hegin
work Immediately in the event OF some
great disaster before 1t calls for pup
lie contributions" he warned. the
recent Smyrna disaster. when cost tne
Red Cross $3.500,000. of which only
about $350,000 was contributed, was
cited as one reason why it is so neces
sary to have a large reserve func
always at hand.
In connection with this appeal for
greater financial aid officers of the
Red Cross today urged the member
shin to put it's shoulder to the wheel
and boost the 1928 roll call over the
s, 900, 900 mark fixed by the central
committee.
Roll Call Pledges Received.
Reports from hundreds OF chapters
accepting the quotas allotted con
tinued to pour into convention head
quarters during the day. Among the
first to be received was a message
from the Arlington, Va, County
Chapter, which pledged its allotment
OF 1000 members. Some OF the chap
ters promised to quadruple their
quotas. From DIR. S. Park Cadman
president of the Council of the Fedora
ton of Churches, came a message
promising the support OF that organ
ization in the roll call campaign.
Douglas Griesmer, director of the
roll call, declared that while the organ
ization's membership was reported to
have been stationary in recent years
1t is actually on the up grade. He
predicted that the goal Of 100000
members not only would be reached In
1928, but would greatly exceed tina,
number.
Last August when the resl cal
books were totaled up" he said they
showed an increase Of $4,000 e>embers
since 1918"
Nationwide Drive OutliiWd.
Mr.. Griesmer outlined to the spnven
ton delegates ways TO put on a Ma
tion wide roll call campaign with high
powered publicity methods in every
community, no matter how small. The
first step in such q campaign, he de-
clared, was to let each Of the 5000
Red Cross chapters realize the need OF
increasing the members and the goal
that it is expected TO reach in the
campaign. There should be no let-up
in efforts to put the roll call across,
he declared.
Following the conclusion of this
mornings regular business the resOlu'
tions committee was to make its re-
port TO the convention. This after
noon the sessions were to be devoted
mainly to discussions of volunteer
service" with Miss Mabel T. Board
man. director, in charge Of the pro
gram.
Directors Of the nursing service
home hygiene, first aid and life-sayine
and roll cali services were to meet be
tween 2:15 and 5:15 o'clock in the fina
session OF the convention. While the
Junior Red Cross. which is meeting
for the first time at a national conyen
ton, will stage THE Vision Splen
did" a pageant, at the East Washing
ton Community Center, Eastern High
School, tonight. There will be a con
cert by the United States Navy BanC
Orchestra at 1:30 O'Clock, followed b,
the pageant, to which the public is in
Sited.
Hoover May Return.
Announcement was made at con
vention headquarters today that
Secretary Hoover and James l.
F'ieser. vice chairman OF the Red
Cross, probably will return again tc
the Mississippi flood area the latter
part OF November or early in Decem
Der to inspect progress and determine
the basis Of expending the remaining
balances in the food relief fund after
January J.. This balance, Mr.. Hoover
has told the convention. will be only
about $1.000,000..
The Red Cross is we'll organized ir
the seven affected areas and is de
termined TO see the task of reconstruc
ton through to the finish. Nearly
$16,000,000 will have been expended b,
the Red Cross In the stricken valley
by January ]. Mr. Fieser said. The
problem of caring for the 500 900 food
victims is difficult enough, he ex
planned, but in addition to this IL ii
necessary to care for 200, 900 head o.
work animals and cattle.
Promotes World Peace.
The work and contributions of tn.
American Red Cross in foreign coun
tries has been ONE Of the stronges
factors in convincing the world Of tn
good intentions of the United States
in the opinion of Col. Ernest r. Bick
nell. Red Cross vice chairman Ii
charge of insular and foreign opera
tions. Speaking before the conven
tion last night, Col. Bicknell declare