Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-04-22
RED CROSS MEETS,
| FACING new TASKS
Disasters in Several States
+ Being Met as Past Work
~ Is Reviewed. ..ns

ing triangle whose western SanenJ
rests upon Wyoming, whose northern
tip is Minnesota and Wisconsin and
whose southeastern tip rests upon
Western Florida, the eighth national
convention of the American Red Cross
met today to grapple with a gigantic
campaign of humanitarianiSm.
I'm between this triangle are the out
standing needs of Alabama, Georgia,
Tennessee, Kentucky and Arkansas,
with many sister States to keep them
company" James L. Fieser, vice chair
man in charge of domestic relations,
told the TOO delegates at the opening
the United States Chamber Of Com
Euerce Building
""This year we meet as the curtain
goes down on successful completion of
work in Porto Rico and Florida, an en-
terprise created in the vortex of de-
structive winds of the hurricane of last
Fall, when almost 100000 victims pre-
scented themselves to the Red Cross for
repair and establishment" declared
Mr.. Fieser. Experience has taught us
there is no such thing as immunity
from disaster. Doctors everywhere are
facing this cold fact with intelligence
and courage. Before we meet again,
year from now, there will be another
crop of q hundred or so disasters, the
location and nature Of which are I'M
known to us today"
Big Year Foreseen.
He predicted that more will have
been accomplished in the matter OF
chapter and national preparedness dur
ing the coming year that in any corre-
spending period in the history Of the
Red Gross. The neWly-reviSed chapter
of hA sold
awakened such a spirit OF local stock
taking that disasters everywhere will
be met with increasing assurance and
skill.
;" Judge John Barton Payne, national
chairman Of the Red Cross, opened the
session this morning. His appearance
on the stage, after a long illness, was
the occasion of a rising ovation on the
part of the assembled delegates. Included
among the 700 delegates are approx
nately $50 juniors, ranging in ages from
- to Is years, who will take an active
part in the round-table discussion
throughout the convention.
On behalf of the District government
Commissioner Proctor L. Dougherty
welcomed the Red Cross, which, he de-
elared. each year brings new evidence
of its effectiveness to combat disaster.
Mr.. Dougherty referred to the wash
ington tornado of last year, for which
Red Cross members in this city raised
more than Sill 900 toward relief work
among the victims. He also pralSeo
the national work Of the organlzatlon
during the year past in connectlon WIN
so domestic disasters extending over
"a States, involving 100000 people ana
An expenditure Of over $1S.0OO,o00.
h Welcome Is Extended.
~ The convention opened with an in
vocation by Very Rev. G. c. F. Brate-
nahI, dean of the Washington Cathe-
dral, and also welcome from WuEam
Butterworth, president Of the Chamber
Of Commerce of the United states, VINO
|. declared that the entire business COM
munity Of the Nation shared In the
honor of being the host to the conven-
ton. Mr.. Butterworth declared, THE
world is more and more impressed with
the eternal fitness of service" which, ne
epointed out, is the dynamic motive OF
tthe Red Cross, whose emblems stand
for mercy and the token OF hope.
Chairman Is Named.
= Immediately after the opening the
convention organized by electing Rev.
T. S, McCallie of Chattanooga as chair
man and Thomas E. Green Of this city
sas secretary. The chairman has been
active in Red Cross work since the
World War and Is widely known in the
South as a Presbyterian minister.
Greetings were read to the conven-
ton from the German Red Cross IN
Berlin.
Mr.. Fieser, whose address was the
principal one before the convention, de-
:clared that the economic scars" Of the
great Mississippi flood, in whose shadow
the convention met last year, still
sTemain.
: Since that meeting Is months ago
the benevolent and healing forces of
! the Red Cross have creditably disposed
sof the problems created by the New
England food and more than 200 other
domestic disasters" he said.
; Having learned from past expert
ence, Mr.. Fieser predicted the next
: decade or two will show an even greater
constructive progress based upon agrees
ssiYe alertness and growing leadership.
ID Foreign Work Reviewed.
=" A review of work accomplished in
foreign relief was given by Col. Ernest
! p. Bicknell, vice chairman in charge Of
: inslilar and foreign operations. In the
! 10 months from July to April !, 1929,
he declared the Red Cross had rendered
|. help in II disasters, expend1ng total
! Of $3,338,962.
~ Program for Tonight.
J" Round table conferences are being
] held this afternoon by the adult and
! Junior delegates and the central COM
: nnittee met at 2 o'clock at the Red
! Cross Building.
! An international aspect will charac-
terize the session tonight at Sis o'clock
! in the Chamber Of Commerce Hall.
! Col. Paul Draudt. vice chairman Of
! the League of Red Cross Societies and
! vice chairman Of the German Red
I Another distinguished foreign speaker
! will be Amelio Del Toro, chief justice
of the Supreme Court Of Porto Rico
and honorary chairman of the Porto
! Rico chapter.
Secretary of the Interior Wilbur and
{ Judge Payne also are on the program
Sor addresses.
At tonight's session, Miss Mabel T.
Boardnan, secretary of the national
i organization, will present a silk Red
Cross nag to the State or territory
which made the record enrolment in
proportion to population in the twelfth
! annual roll call. Harry Bruce Wilson
will present a similar flag to the Junior
! Red Cross unit enrolling the largest
number of junior members. The nag is
the gift of L. o. Crosby honorary chair
. man Of the Picayune Mississippi Chap
ter.
Will Name Own Chairman.
The juniors are prepared to take an
outstanding part in the convention.
These delegates from the junior high
and high schools of the Nation, repre-
senting 6,000,000 juniors, while
accredited as delegates to the entire
convention, also hold their own round
table conferences, and will elect their
own chairman Of these conferences.
The Junior Red Cross delegates con-
vened with the adult delegates this