Salt Lake Telegram | 1926-10-02 | Page 1 | Red Cross Leader Says Florida Aid Work Nullified

Red Cross Leader Says O- O k Florida Aid Work Nullified John Barton Payne Charges Efforts Made to Minimize Damage Caused by Storm WASHINGTON Oct 2 AP AP-A AP A rift in the campaign to assemble a relief fund for Florida l orida hurricane victims was apparent to today today to- to day clay with the direct charge of John Barton Payne Pane chairman of ot the American Red ned Cross that officials and real estate men amen of that state had pr practically nullified the effort by continued attempts to deprecate reports o of s suffering and damage The charge was wan characterized as amazing by Governor John V. V Martin at Sebring while Mayor E. E C. C of of Miami and Frank rank B. B chairman of the executive executive tive Uve committee of ot the citizens' citizens re relief relief relief re- re lief committee declared that the need Is acute and amI genuine and Senator Park Trammell at Lat Lakeland Lakeland Lake Lake- e- e land and said that a special session of ot the legislature be pe necessary sary to relieve suffering and rehabilitate rehabilitate tate the state Chairman Payne said that that despite despite despite de de- de- de minimize the spite spite- the efforts efforts- to damage which he attributed to Governor Go M Martin rtin Mayor and others h he felt duty bound to continue the campaign n for funds Of the estimated to be necessary a trifle more than 3 has been collected Red ned Cross officials in Florida he said had reported the greatest relief crisis In in th the United States since the San San Francisco earthquake earthquake earthquake earth earth- quake and fire listing homes as destroyed and fa families poverty stricken despite the ef of efforts of- of forts forts- to minimize the losses tosses Persistent reports that the tho need as set forth by the Red Cross does not not- exist James L L. Fieser vice chairman of the Red Cross re reported reported reported re- re ported to headquarters have hampered hampered hampered ham ham- relief work greatly great while Chairman Payne declared that the poorer people who suffered are regarded of less ss consequence e than the hotel and tourist business in Florida Statements made in Washington by the Red Cross he added were ted by messages from Florida officials adding that it is useless for me to give glie out statements statements statements state state- ments because I am not on the ground and the public believes belle that I am trying to raise money for Florida and that my statements are colored to Induce them to give Real neal estate people here and elsewhere re he continued have ha given out repeated statements to the effect that the damage was slight that Florida had been practically practically practically unaffected 0