Evening star., 1932-04-12
RED CROSS TOLD
EXTENT OF WORK
Relief in Southeast Tornado
Zone Reviewed at An
nuaI Session.


!, 900, 900 persons, most Of them victims
Of unemployment and disasters. were
being reported today at the annual ses-
sions of the Red Cross.
In the Southeast tornado zone alone,
II was reported. the Red Cross was
administering to 10000 persons, in ad-
dltion to the $500 rendered homeless
by the recent disaster that laid waste
sections CT Alabama, Mississippi and
Tennessee.
Henry UpSon Sims, chairman of the
Birmingham Red Cross Chapter and
former president of the American Bar
Association, who told of the work being
done, declared that the efficient meth
DDS OF the Red Cross will make it pos
sible to render this aid for the mod
crate sum OF S250,0oo.
To date, the national organization
has contributed $4,000 for relief, In the
tornado zone and the remainder, he
said, is being raised by voluntary sub
scription and chapter enrollments in the
disaster area.
In meeting this disaster, Mr.. Sims
said, the Red Cross has adopted policy
IF helping the little fellows" whose
homes were damaged and live stock
killed. lsaving the well-to-do planters
10 take care of themselves. He gave a
vi id description OF the wrec.1aga done
~ the storm. which. he declared, twisted
human beings as it twisted trees and
houses.
Reviews Years Work.
IT would not maintain that the Red
Cross is today the answer to the Ma
tons problem Of relief and human
need" Robert s. Bondy, national d.
rector Of disaster relief, told the dele
gates. I do say, however, that a strik-
ing tendency Of Red Cross relief In re-
cent years is toward national sys-
tenn built upon a broad. local basis,
that results in Red Cross relief hitting
on all Is cylinders smoothly, quietly.
effectively and economically"
Exactly 2,000 out of q total Of $500
Red Cross chapters are participating
In some form Of unemployment relief,
Mr.. Bondy said. These chapters, in
their services to civilians and veterans,
ne claimed, have dealt In recent months
with fully 1,l77,000 persons.
Parallel with that development. he
declared, is the Nationwide distribu-
persons.
The substantial total of 7,400, 900 per-
sons touched by Red Gross service In
this year Of stress, he said, Is not the
significant factor. The significance, he
lies in the unity OF national
planning.
Have Add Veterans.
The Red Cross has entered upon a
service to veterans, during
recent months, when veterans, Ike
others, have felt the pinch of unena-
ployment Hundreds Of chapters, he
declared. have thought first Of the vet
eran in extending unemployment
PROBLEMS in Relief Work" were dis
cussed by Henry M. Baker, assistant
director Of disaster relief, who
said the world is confronted with more
problems now than ever before In its
history.
The Red Cross is still handicapped
dices. The result is usually measured
IN terms Of waste, overlapping and
duplication Of effort" he pointed out.
lnleSs this prejudice Is overcome In
communities where relief- is being
extended. -----'' - -
Mr. Baker also deplored the tragic
treatment Of tFansients" in many
While claiming TO hold
no brief for this class, he said the
pest thing to do, however, Is TO face
he problem squarely and follow sound
social practice which has been in sx-
stence in the large cities for many
Tears.
I'VE should try to develop q sane
1lan for these transients and IL this
involves returning them to their own
homes we should do So" he said.
How the Oakland County, Mich, Red
Cross Is meeting its obligations to ex-
ervice men was related by Mrs. T w,
its chairman, at the open ses-
ion, The chapter is carrying case
oad so per cent greater than it was
ect $685. 400 for work among the vet
rams.
The round-tahle conference ON un-
employment will be held later today.
)e Witt G. Smith, associate director Of
domestic operations, will be one of the
peakers. Others include Miss I. Ma
indie HaYey, national director of public
lealth nursing; Miss Mabel B. Board
N, national director Of volunteer seTv-
ce; j, Blaine Givin, staff assistant CT
domestic operations, and Douglas
iriesener, national director Of public
At the convention dinner tonight the
principal speaker will be Ernest p.
aicknell, vice chairman Of insular and
oreign operations, Chairman John
viii be addresses by Miss Boardman,
ecretary Of the Central Committee, and
senator Pat HARRISON Of Mississippi.
Health Work Necessary.
The delegates were told last night
" DR.. Linsly r. williams, director Of
he New York Academy Of Medicine,
hat communities must not curtafi their
anttation and public health activities
S a means OF trimming budgetary ex-
'enditures lest disease aud sickness
ain foothold.
TT must be obvious" he said, ito
NY thinking individual that certain Of
hese activities cannot be limited, let
own or abandoned without the fear
hat all civilization would perish"
DIR, williams spoke on the subject OF
Health, Major Social Problem" and
raced the history of disease and cpl
lemics from their earliest known
ources.
There is ample evidence to show,
lie said, that from the earliest his
orical times man has recognised that
ertain diseases are communicable. and
social measures designed
o improve the health Of the COM
nunlJy.
Through the past 50 years Of the
evelopment of science. he said. has
ONE the realization that patients are
etter cared for in hospitals than at
Iome, with a result that in 1880 there
iere over 100000 beds In 6.7ls hos
itals.
Notwithstanding the enormous
rowth of hospitals in this country
Ve have q smaller number of beds In
roportion to our population than have
England. Austria, Sweden or
he said.
Better medical service could be OBJ
aimed, he suggested, If there were q
lore general realization Of what ade-
uate medical service means and what
costs the physician and patient.
While much Of the advertising on
ealth, especially the care Of the teeth,
ae gums and diet Is misleading and