THE WORK OF RELIEF
PRESIDENT WILSON PROMPTLY IN DIRECTION--WASHINGTON ASTIR AS IN TIME OF
WAR--BACKING OF CONGRESS PLEDGED--AMERICAN RED CROSS TO THE
RESCUE--RAILROADS BRAVELY HELPING--RELIEF FROM STATES AND
INDIVIDUALS--AN ARMY OF PEACE.
The sympathetic response of the American people never fails to measure
up to the summons of any calamity. Relief is plentiful and prompt. The
awful story of the flood and tornado was no sooner told than the
machinery of government, the organized forces of the Red Cross and
individual efforts in every city within reach were co-operating to
provide succor and supplies to the sufferers. Tents for shelter, cots,
food by the trainload, hospital and medical supplies, were almost
immediately on their way to the stricken district.
WASHINGTON ASTIR AS IN TIME OF WAR
The Federal Government was alive to the needs of the flooded districts
of the Middle West with activity that almost surpassed the hustle and
bustle of war times. Every department from the White House down,
directed its energies toward the relief of distress and suffering in
Ohio and Indiana. As the result of appeals from Governor Cox, the
American Red Cross and others, President Wilson issued an appeal to the
nation at large to help the sufferers.
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President Wilson's Messages
For the Relief of the Stricken States
To Mayor Dahlman, of Omaha:
"I am deeply distressed at the news received from Nebraska. Can we
help you in any way?
"WOODROW WILSON."
To Governor Ralston, of Indiana,
and Governor Cox, of Ohio:
"I deeply sympathize with the people of your state in the terrible
disaster that has come upon them. Can the Federal Government assist
in any way?
"WOODROW WILSON."
To the Nation:
"The terrible floods in Ohio and Indiana have assumed the
proportions of a national calamity. The loss of life and the
infinite suffering involved prompt me to issue an earnest appeal to
all who are able in however small a way to assist the labors of the
American Red Cross to send contributions at once to the Red Cross
at Washington or to the local treasurers of the society.
"We should make this a common cause. The needs of those upon whom
this sudden and overwhelming disaster has come should quicken
everyone capable of sympathy and compassion to give immediate aid
to those who are laboring to rescue and relieve.
"WOODROW WILSON."
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Indicating the gravity of the situation in Ohio, a telegram from
Governor Cox was received by Secretary of War Garrison asking for food
and medical supplies and tents for the sufferers.
Secretary Garrison promptly took steps to meet the emergency, and the
supplies requested were sent by express to Columbus. The two experienced
officers who handled the Mississippi flood situation, Majors Normoyle
and Logan, were also ordered to proceed to Columbus to aid Governor Cox.
All troops in Western New York and all available troops in the Central
Department were ordered to hold themselves in readiness to proceed to
relief work in Ohio and Indiana, if needed.
President Wilson issued his appeal for funds for the Red Cross following
a conference with Miss Mabel Boardman, chairman of the relief board of
the organization.
The Secretary of the Treasury enlisted promptly in the relief movement,
and the public health service and the life-saving service and marine
hospital surgeons available were placed at the command of the state
authorities. The public health hospitals at Detroit, Cleveland,
Louisville, Cairo, Evansville and St. Louis were thrown open for the
care of the flood victims. Surgeons P. W. Wille, of the Marine Hospital
at Cleveland, was instructed to go to Columbus to co-operate with the
state board of health. Dr. J. O. Cobb, of the Chicago Marine Hospital,
was ordered to Indianapolis.
BACKING OF CONGRESS PLEDGED
The President was in his office all day Wednesday, March 26th, in close
touch with the situation. He apprised the chairmen of the Senate and
House appropriations committees that the government was going ahead with
emergency expenditures on the assumption that Congress would back up the
administration later. Both promised hearty support, and orders went out
on every side for a gigantic work of relief.
Major P. C. Fauntleroy was sent to Columbus to handle the medical
supplies. Nine medical officers and fifty-four hospital corps men went
from the Department of the East carrying a big supply of surgical
dressings, anti-typhoid prophylactics and the complete "reserve medical
supply" comprising hundreds of drugs sufficient to treat 20,000 patients
for one month. Precautions against the spread of disease were to be
handled by sanitation experts.
Life-saving crews were ordered from Louisville to Dayton and from
Lorain, Ohio, to Delaware, Ohio, and the public health service
distributed its agents over the afflicted districts.
SUPPLIES ON THE WAY
By Friday more than double the apparently necessary medical supplies for
the flood sufferers were on their way to Ohio and Indiana, a full quota
of supplies having been started from the army supply warehouses at St.
Louis and a second consignment from Washington.
From the naval stores a huge consignment of wearing apparel and bedding
for the sufferers was sent to Columbus. These supplies were started from
the naval stores at New York. Paymaster-General Cowie made the
arrangements under orders from Secretary of the Navy Daniels. The
shipment included 12,000 blankets, 7,000 watch caps, 50,000 pairs of
light weight drawers, 80,000 light weight undershirts, 30,000 heavy
weight drawers, 30,000 heavy weight shirts, 4,200 navy jerseys, 15,000
khaki jumpers, 24,000 pairs of dungaree trousers, 8,000 overcoats,
24,000 pairs of shoes and 15,000 pairs of woolen socks.
In addition to the clothing supply the Navy sent also 300,000 rations on
the way to Columbus and Dayton. Paymaster Nesbit and Paymaster's Clerk
Conell were in charge of the distribution. Assistant Secretary Roosevelt
supplied them with $25,000 in currency with full authority to expend it
for such supplies and services as they might find necessary.
For a time President Wilson considered going himself to the flood
districts; but reports from Secretary Garrison and others were so
encouraging that he decided it was unnecessary.
"Refreshed by the tears of the American people, Ohio stands ready from
today to meet the crisis alone," wrote Governor Cox of Ohio on March
31st.
After seeing the situation well in hand in Dayton, Secretary Garrison
returned to Cincinnati and then proceeded to Columbus. By April 2d he
was able to return to Washington.
AMERICAN RED CROSS TO THE RESCUE
From the first day when Miss Mabel T. Boardman conferred with President
Wilson, the American Red Cross and the government worked hand in hand.
At headquarters of the National Red Cross funds from all quarters of the
Union rained in on the officials. Friday night the Red Cross
headquarters had received more than $190,000 in cash and drafts, and
basing their estimates on telegraphic advices from other points, they
were assured that their total already exceeded $350,000. Boston sent in
$32,000, Cleveland $33,000 subject to call. Baltimore notified Miss
Boardman to draw on the local chapter of the order for $7,000. New York
reported $75,000 in hand and the District of Columbia chapter had more
than $25,000 ready for instant use. Henry C. Frick sent a check for
$10,000 and John D. Rockefeller $5,000, with the suggestion that more
was ready when needed.
With Miss Boardman at the head of the party the Red Cross relief train
left Washington Friday over the Chesapeake and Ohio, bound for Columbus.
The train comprised six express coaches, two of which were loaded with
steel cots for use of the homeless. Two others were loaded with bedding
and clothing supplies and two with foodstuffs of all sorts.
Hurrying to Omaha to assist in relief work in that city, Ernest P.
Bicknell, of the American National Red Cross, halted in Chicago.
Informed of the serious situation in Indiana and Ohio, he telegraphed to
Omaha and received word that the relief work was well in hand. He then
decided to go to the flood-stricken districts in Indiana and Ohio.
Reaching Columbus, Mr. Bicknell had soon established Red Cross
headquarters and the corps under his direction was working in closest
harmony with the state flood relief committee, the Governor of Ohio and
the United States army and navy relief officials.
The disaster in the Middle West was the greatest the Red Cross Society
was ever called upon to deal with. The amount of suffering entailed by
the flood far exceeded that of the San Francisco earthquake and fire.
RAILROADS BRAVELY HELPING
Bravely the railroads worked their way into the stricken territory.
While a blizzard raged in Ohio from Cleveland to Cincinnati, with the
temperature down to twenty-eight degrees above zero, the
railroads--which means all the railroads in every section, the New York
Central, the Pennsylvania, the Erie, the Baltimore and Ohio, and their
allied lines--threw into the battle thousands upon thousands of men,
trainload after trainload of machinery, and money rewards as a stimulus
for the repair of miles of washed-out tracks and shattered bridges.
Every division superintendent of every line in the district, his
assistants, usually with some high executive officer of the system in
control; every man and boy able to handle a pick or shovel or crowbar,
to carry his end of a girder or drag a coil of rope, was out on the job.
It was not for any selfish purpose that the roads threw this immense
power into the work. Their object was to open up rail communication
with the desolated cities, towns and villages and send relief trains
with bread, with blankets, with medicines, doctors and nurses. It was
not a race for money.
"We will carry every pound of supplies for the devastated district free
over any lines" announced the Pennsylvania, and it added free passage
for doctors, nurses and every other good Samaritan.
"No charge," was the echo of the New York Central, and that order went
to every freight and passenger agent of the big system everywhere. The
Baltimore and Ohio, the Erie, and every other line followed in an
instant. The railroads helped all they could.
RELIEF FROM STATES AND INDIVIDUALS
If the nation was generous and prompt in its relief, neighboring states
and individuals were not less so. Governors in many states and mayors of
many cities, following the noble example of the President, issued
appeals for help. Mayor Dahlman of Omaha and Governor Morehead of
Nebraska bravely declined the help offered by President Wilson and
others for sufferers from the tornado; but the flood-stricken districts,
for whom recovery was far less easy, in many cases were obliged to
appeal for aid. From towns throughout Ohio and Indiana came desperate
cries for help, and to all of them a sympathetic nation listened and
responded.
AN ARMY OF PEACE
If the great calamity stirred the hearts of the nation with pity, so did
the prompt and splendid relief inspire enthusiasm. Even though the
despatch of United States troops to the scene of devastation in the West
lacked legal sanction the whole country unanimously approved the
movement which thus itself becomes a signal to all nations, and a
corroboration of the truth that the American is not hidebound by
fantastic traditions when some serious achievement is to be done. Our
soldiers in this case for the nonce became missionaries. Under the
leadership of the Secretary of War, the troops carried clothes, food,
medicaments, tents, blankets, and in short all the paraphernalia
necessary to succor the distressed, assuage the pangs of suffering and
restore normal conditions within the wide areas battered by the
destructive elements.
This peaceful use of our fighting men brings into realization the vision
so strongly cherished by John Ruskin--the vision of the time when
soldiership should develop into a form of modern knight-errantry, and
the "passion to bless and save" should inspire those who were formerly
drilled only in the exercises of conquest and slaughter. Americans may
well be proud to reflect that this era, which a few decades ago seemed
but the chimerical dream of a doctrinaire, has found its pledge and
promise in the generous endeavors of our standing army.
"Peace hath her victories no less renowned than war."
In narrowing the dimension of suffering, and lending a strong hand to
those overwhelmed by calamity, our soldiers raised up the defeated from
the sore battle of life.