Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-02-21
SEEDS ARE SHIPPED
TO DROUGHT AREAS.
Supplies From Red Cross
Will Give Victims 0pportu-
ity to Help Feed Selves.
BY GRETCHEN SMITH.

Enough seeds to provide provender
sufficient to feed 100000 families-200
carloads of embryonic foodstuffs-has
been shipped into the drought-ridden
States of the South and West by the
American Red Cross, 1t was announced
today.
The shipments, which are dead
headed" into the drought section by the
railroads as their contribution to the
work that the Red Cross is doing toward
relief of suffering in the drought sec
tions, are going forward steadily and
are expected adequately to supply the
entire drought section before they cease.
Already the shipments have gone into
806 counties in the drought area.
This method Of extending self-help,
by providing vegetable seeds, will sup
plement the feeding which the Red
Cross has carried on since the drought
relief program was started last Fall.
With the rainfall, which has helped
break the unprecedented drought, and
the supply Of seeds and implements to
those in need, farmers are beginning
to look forward to better things during
the approaching Summer. particularly
in the States in the far South.
Mental Attitude Better.
having JuSI returned from b TWO
weeks visit to drought areas in Mis-
sissippi and Louisiana, Stuart Goodwin
OF the publicity division of the Amer
lean Red Cross, reports that, despite
the increase since the first of the year
in families asking assistance from the
Red Cross. there Is a notable improve
ment In the mental attitude of farmers
throughout Louisiana and Mississippi
There was particularly a very def
mite feeling of optimism in Mississip-
pi,' said Mr.. Goodwin. And as I passed
through Tennessee and Kentucky a
Few nights ago, heavy rain was fall
ing. and had been falling for a day"
The saying, ut Is an Ill wind that
blows no good" may with time be ap-
plicable to the drought, as by means
OF the food orders supplied to sufferers
hundreds OF persons are learning the
use OF healthful foods hitherto I'M
known to them.
THE Red Cross has been giving food
orders to every family in drought areas
who are in need" said Mr.. Goodwin.
The order not only helps the sufferers.
but also the local merchants, as the
food order Is used In stores of the COM
munities. AS the order is for foods
which have been found to contain the
pest health giving properties by author
ltles OF the Department of Agriculture
who have co-operated with the Red
Cross, there is quite variety Of food
stuf1s contained in the order"
Given New Foods.
Mr.. Goodwin declared that not onlv
the food orders of the Red Cross, but
the seed supply which has been sent for
the past two weeks will give to hum
dreds Of people foods which they have
never before known.
Through certain sections where the
people have been living on the three
ms" he said, meat, meal and mo-
lasses they are now learning to eat
tomatoes and other fresh vegetables,
which are new to them"
1t was pointed out that Spring gar
den packets contain beans, beets, cab
bage, carrots, corn, lettuce kale, mus
tard. okra, onions. peas, spinach, toma-
toes, turnips. collards and SQUASH"
The Red Cross relief work has been
OF particular benefit to school children.
1t was said. Mr. Goodwin reported that
IN some OF the most deeply affected
areas, children had been found carving
In their small lunch tins nothing but
hard cakes of cornmeal, made by mixing
crude meal and water. In some cases
the food was so inedible that the chill
dren had thrown 1t away.
FIVE thousand pounds of sun-dried
Cor1nthian currantS were sent by chill
dren Of the Greek Junior Red Cross. to
the American Junior Red Cross. The
currants were turned over to domestic
science classes in schools throughout
the country and members of the classes
USED them for cookies to send to the lit
tie ones in the drought States. The
cookies were sent in lots Of from so
to 300 dozen.