Evening star., 1932-04-11
HOOVER EXTENDS
RED CROSS THANKS
President Surprise Speaker
| at Convention, Voicing
Nations Gratitude.

convention today, conveyed to every
member of the organization the appre-
citation and gratitude of the whole Ma
ton, for having carried "a great load in
the national burden" during the past
year.
The President said During the last
wear the Red Cross has carried a great
load in the national burden. 1t is serv-
ing at the same time to give relief from
drouth from food. from storm, from un-
employment. 1t daily demonstrates that
fine sense of service and devotion which
expresses the heart of the American
people. You have discharged your trust,
In the name of the American people, l
wish to convey to every individual mem
ber, to every chapter, to your central
staff and 10 your devoted chairman, the
appreciation and the gratitude OF the
whole Nation. May the great PrpU-
dence add to your strength, your couT-
age and your steadfastnesS during the
next year"
The President received an ovation
from the delegates in the Memorial
Continental Eall, where Ene first JOINT
session of the three-day convention Is
being held. He was introduced as The
president of the Red Cross by Chairman
John Barton Payne.
The Presidents brief address Was IN
promptu.
Accompanied by his secretary. Theo-
6ore Joslin, Mr.. Hoover LETT the hsl I'M
mediately after speaking, Judge Payne
had lust started addressing the Conven-
ton when the Navy Band suddenly
struck up Hail to the Chief" as the
President and his party passed through
an adjoining room The audience arose
as Judge Payne good-naturedly stopped
speaking until the President had LETT
the building.
Task without Parallel.
Referring to the former dispute with
the Senate over methods Of relief work,
Judge Payne declared that no other
organization in the world has had such
q task" as the distribution of 100000
bushels of farm loan surplus wheat
which Congress intrusted to the Red
Cross last month. In less than month
since the President signed the bill, he
said. the Red Cross has distributed
15,000,000 bushels, milled into flour for
humans and feed for live stock.
James L. FieSer, vice chairman in
charge of domestic operations, also
stressed the successful handling OF
wheat by the Red Cross and predicted
that if it does this job well some one
may suggest that it become the re-
ceiver of surplus cotton, coal, meat and
iron in an effort to solve the riddle OF
despair between overproduction on one
hand and need for the surplus on the
other"
Judge Payne reviewed the drought,
food, tornado and unemployment meas
ures undertaken by the organization
and in reference to unemployment de-
clared "the leadership of the Red Cross
has given a remarkable demonstration
of relief in providing for the enormous
populations left without adequate pro-
vision for help from Community Chests
IN cities of under 25,000"
Rabbi William F. Rosenblum of
Temple Israel, New York City, another
speaker, warned that the masses would
demand a hunger loan" bigger than
War if Congress did not drop partisan
politics and pass honestly designed
legislation striking at the fundamental
causes of economic unrest.
Relief Work Described.
Red Cross relief work in drought,
wheat and -four distribution, unemploy-
ment, floods, storms and tornadoes IN
the past year was described by Mr.
Fieser as vice chairman in charge of
domestic operations.
A tribute, as we'll as vote of conf
dence, has been bestowed upon the Red
Cross. he said, in designating it as the
wheat distributing agency OF the Nation
in the existing emergency.
If the Red Cross does well in this
field" Mr. FieSer declared, some one
may suggest that it become receiver for
the surplus cotton, coal, meat and iron
output of the United States in an effort
to solve the riddle of despair between
overproduction on one hand and need
for the surplus on the other which pc
riodically prevents our bread and butter
from coming out even.
Then our shingle can read, General
Merchandising.
The relief director summarized the
widespread disasters OF the years work
OF the organization as follows: Drought
relief in Montana. North Dakota, South
Dakota and Nebraska constitutes story
of first magnitude in the relief history
of the United States. Floods IN Loul5i-
ana and Mississippi are another. Cy-
cyones in Alabama. Georgia, Tennessee
and other States three weeks ago blew
their way to the front pages Of the Ma
tion's press with a death and INJURY
list rivaling that Of the MidweStern
tornado in March seven years ago. In
between are a score of smaller disasters
from coast to coast, including Storm
swept fishermen along the North Caro-
lima coast and snoW-bound Indians IN
New Mexico"
Problems Acute, Battling.
At no time within the last IL years
of the craftsmanship of Judge John
Barton Payne. the speaker said. have
the problems pressing for solution and
the needs Of the average American been
more acute and battling than during
the past 10 months.
The work of the Red Cross in handling
the distribution Of 40,000,000 bushels OF
wheat for the Government, Fleser SAID,
resulted in the handling Of well over
two-thirds of the bushel allotment IN
five weeks since Congress authorized It.
There is no paralysis no Stagnatlon,
no depression in the wheat business
which the Red Cross is now conducting
for Uncle Sam he said. Housewives
are. with gratitude. acquaintIng them
selves with the mysteries and poSSlbll-
ties Of a sack of -four.
Reviewing some of the relief WORK OF
the past year. Fieser said that over
100000 fOur-pound packets OF garden
seed were distributed in drought areas.
Most Of the gardeners in the drought
belt will purchase their own seed this
year, but nevertheless he said, the Red
Cross this Spring is providing over 300,-
600 new victims with garden seeds.
our -four and feed business for the
poor has already. in a month, spread
through every State in the Union" he
added
Problem 10 Be Met.
Warning was given by Rabbi Rosen-
blum that if American leaders succunb
10 the psychology Of fear and fail TO
meet successfully the problems Of the
economic depression that the masses
will demand a hunger loan more gi-
gantic in their scope than any OF the
victory loans which were oYersubscribed
so generously during the World War"
1T is imperative that the gentlemen