Evening star., 1927-10-16
RED CROSS GIVES
REPORT ON FLOOD
Mississippi Disaster and
Florida Storm Kept
Workers Busy.

America suffered from floods almost
continuously during the past year, ac-
| cording to the annual report of the
| American Red Cross for the fiscal year
ended June 80, 1927, made public last
night.
The report shows that the Red Cross
administered relief in total of x
major disasters in this country and
rendered financial or other assistance
in 20 disasters in insular territory or
in foreign countries.
Flood conditions alone kept relief
forces of the organization almost con-
tinuously busy" the report said, BE
fore the Florida hurricane floods in
Kansas and Illinois required red Cross
aid. In the Illinois River Valley flood
water covered some of the land for the
entire Winter. Those driven from
their homes were cared fIr by the
Red Cross. This task barely was fin
ished when refugees began coming out
of lowlands flooded by the Mississippi"
Situation Different.
Indicating continuity of the service
required, the report says that from
d-September to Christmas the Red
Cross was engaged In relief operations
in southern Florida, and that in less
than four months after 1t had with
drawn from that State, relief agencies
were IN the field in the greatest task of
Red Cross history, the Mississippi
flood
"Here it faced a situation radically
different from that in Florida" the re.
port continues. "It had to operate in
the greater part of seven States for a
thousand miles north and south and
several hundred miles east and west.
With the support of the Government.
States outside the flood area and pri-
vate agencies. it created the greatest
relief organization our country has
known. Here it. faced necessity of
rescuing. sheltering. feeding, clothing
and protecting the health of more than
600, 900 men, women and children of
two races and feeding thousands of
domestic animals for many weeks: of
returning them to their home territory
with shelter, food and seed for plant
ing. and the tremendous problem of
aiding them to resume normal living
The critical period Of the disaster
continued for two months. The relief
work begun in March will continue
far into the year 1927-os. The largest
disaster relief fund ever raised in this
country was contributed approx.
mately $4,000, ,000."
Relief operations in Florida and the
Mississippi flood were the outstanding
undertakings, the report adding that
national appeals for relief funds were
necessitated by both occurrences. In
these two disasters the Red Cross
cared for approximately 65O.000 pao-
pie.
The raising of 10000, 900 in two
national appeals. the report pointed
out, was accomplished without addi-
Tion of a single worker other than
volunteers assembled by local Red
Cross chapters in various parts of
the country. 1t also pointed out the
adaptability of Red Cross forces in
swinging from one type of disaster
service to another. without loss of
effectiveness. Tribute was paid to the
thousands of volunteers whose service
made the Mississippi task possible
the report explaining that even the
large force of experienced Red Cross
workers in Florida would have been
''woefully inadequate" for the Missis-
sippi flood relief.
Expenditures by the Red Cross lin
the two outstanding disasters included
S4.477. 900 in connection with the Flor
ida hurricane. of which S3.S18 900
represented contributions received for
this disaster relief
Up to June 80, 1927, there had been
expended on emergency and recon
struction work or committed at the
close Of the fiscal year $12 400, 900 for
the Mississippi program. The total
actually expended on all disaster re-
lief was $8.2l6.S93.31 for disasters
within the country, and 1855, $685. 60 for
foreign relief
The continuing demands on Red
Cross service are urged by Chairman
John Barton Payne as reasons why an
increased membership should result
from the coming roll call, November
II to "a. inclusive. The Red Cross
now numbers 3,0S7 900 members, the
report showed.