Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-09-30
RED CROSS NEEDS
MORE FOR RELIEF
s3,357,5eo Collected, but
Task in Porto Rico Be-
comes More Difficult.
Still lacking more than s1,643,OOO of

! Still lacking more than 81 $4,000 Of
] the $5000,000 fund estimated as the
minimum needed for the relief of vic.
TINS of the West Indies hurricane, the
American Red Cross reported las
NIGHT in the first official resume Of
its relief operations that more than 9
half million persons yet are in help
less state, dependent upon the Rec
! Cross for daily sustenance.
The Red Cross is facing far greater
task of relief and rehabilitation II
Porto Rico alone than it confronted
at any one period during the f1ooo
disaster in the Mississippi Valley in the
Spring and Summer of 1927, according
to a report received at headquarters
here Yesterday from Henry M: Baker
national director of disaster relief, now
in Porto Rico.
Money Still Comes In.
The stream of contributions con-
tinues to come in from all sections OF
the country, however, and the last
tabulation of funds showed the total
had reached $3,357 $50. go,
The District of Columbia, while still
below its quota of $4,000, is making
a good showing and is climbing Steadily
toward the needed total, according to
a report last night by Victor B. Dey-
her. chairman of the District relief
fund committee. At the last tabulatlon
a total of $40, 40457 had been received
Additional funds for the relief work
amounting to SITS were deposited with
the cashier of The Star yesterday
bringing thsi total to $6,987.12.
I Since the appeal for funds was made
10 days ago, reports OF the devasta-
ton, ruin and poverty Of the victims
have become increasingly serious, the
Red Cross states.
In Porto Rico the number of fami-
lies under Red Cross care-that is, pc
ing fed. sheltered and clothed-lS So
mi families. or between 100000 and
600 900 persons, Mr. Baker reported to
Red Cross headquarters. In Florida
1922 persons are under Red Cross
care in refugee camps or in temporary
homes where they are being fed and
clothed, it is reported to A. L. Schater,
disaster relief director in that area.
Epidemics Threatened.
The resume of Red Cross relief opera
tions states that the organization has
sent 1853 of it's staff workers, including
doctors, rurses and executives, into
the field to direct relief work.
The greatest danger now threatening
victims of the disastrous storm is said
to be the possible spread of epidemics,
and already 10000 Porto Ricans have
been reported as suffering from inf1u-
enza, malaria or typhoid. To meet
this situation, the Red Cross has as
patched five doctors, twelve nurses ana
a sanitary engineer to the Island: IN
Florida the health problem is said to
be chiefly one of inoculating refugees
against typhoid, small pox and other
contagions which might break out
During the emergency period in the
Mississippi Valley the Red Cross fed
and otherwise cared for more than
GOT 900 persons =, Today in Porto Rico,
according to Director, Baker. between
100000 and 100000 individuals are
entirely dependent upon the generosity
of American people. -,
"A greater proportion of the popu-
lation has been affected in this hurrl-
cane disaster in Porto Rico than in
anv other disaster in which we have
been called upon to serve" Mr.. Baker
reported. "A similar disaster within
the United States, proportionate to this
one, would have affected not less than
30,Q00,000, of our people.
1.-The relief task here IS made vastly
more difficult by the lack of such trans
portation facilities as we had at oul
command in the Mississippi Valley
Here we have no fast trains, no air.
planes Trucks and passenger auto
mobiles are our main dependence fol
transportation. with travel on horse
! back and on foot necessary in many re-
mote mountain sections.
Sufferers Helpless.
at is a significant fact that large
majority of the sufferers here are alb
solutely helpless without real or poten-
tial assets or resources, which means
that if the Red Cross relief machinery
should break down for "a hours the
sufferers would be without food.
Il believe it will be necessary to con-
tinue mass feeding of the refugees fol
at least 80 days"
The Red Gross now is using from
900 to 1900 tons of food a week to
feed homeless refugees. Food supplies
received from the United States were
I practically exhausted Friday and fur.
ther distribution is proceeding from
local purchases,
President Emilio del Toro of the In
sular Executive Committee of Super
vision and Relief, cooperating with
the Red Cross, yesterday issued a cal
to all cities and towns in the island
declaring that Porto Rico must do al
that it can to aid its own people.
Director Baker reported that Health
Commissioner Ortez stated that relief
agencies are getting control of the
health situation and that the people
of Porto Rico express deep apprecia-
ton for the assistance which Is COM
ing to them from the United States
Statistics Given.
A statistical resume made public by
the Red Cross shows the following:
known dead in Florida, from l 500 to
5000, with no possibility of an accu-
rate check ever, being made.
In Porto Rico, 2l0 reported dead.
In ST. Croix,~ Virgin Islands, six re-
ported dead p, ~ :
Homeless, in Florida, $4,000; in Porto
Rico, 100000. Ink ~. - il.
Injured, IN Florida, 70; in Porto Rico,
2,771. ID. :. n.
10000.
In the seven counties of Florida
where the storm caused great damage
1880 persons have registered with the
Red Cross as desiring assistance IN some
| form in order to'rehabilitate themselves
Several boxes of clothing donated by
members of the headquarters staff OF
| the National Education Association here
were sent to Miss Maria Machin of the
University of Porto Rico for, distribu-
ton to the homeless in the island.
The relief fund being collected
through the cashier, The Evening Star
last night stood as follows: Acknowl-
edged, $6,812.l2; Dorothy Clapp. ST.
Anna c. Reinhardt $3.50; friend, IS
Busy Bee Club SIS; T. r. r., So; Police
mems Association Widows Mite, $50
Miss NJ. Violet Lyles So; j. v. S., SIS
A. A., 81; Richard J. Harden Camp
No 2. United Spanish War Veterans
| $50. Mary E. Guide S35: Gertrude NJ