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THE NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC MAGAZINE 



instability are becoming known. The de- 

 termination of the time such malloseis- 

 mic disturbances will be active within 

 these specific areas is a far greater prob- 

 lem, and though many hypotheses based 

 on rhythmic recurrence, alternation be- 

 tween different parts of a district, pre- 

 cipitation, etc., are being developed, still 

 solution of this vital question, the fore- 

 casting of earthquakes, belongs to the in- 



definite future. Thus the areas of peril 

 may be definitely known, and though the 

 time is indefinite, necessary precautions 

 in the construction of earthquake-proof 

 houses within such areas will insure both 

 life and property against the great losses 

 caused by these destructive forces.* 



* The reader is referred to "Earthquake 

 Forecasts," by G. K. Gilbert, in Science, vol. 

 xxix, No. 734. 



THE AMERICAN RED CROSS IN ITALY 



By Mabel Boardman 

 Director of the American Red Cross 



BESIDES the Congressional appro- 

 priation of $800,000 for aid to 

 the sufferers of the Italian earth- 

 quake, the American people have con- 

 tributed a million dollars through the 

 American Red Cross. This generous and 

 practical expression of our sympathy for 

 the victims of the terrible disaster has 

 been expended in various ways. Know- 

 ing that the Italian Red Cross, with its 

 equipment for field hospitals, hospital 

 trains and ships with their personnel, was 

 specially fitted to assist in the care of the 

 great numbers of injured, $320,000 was 

 contributed through Mr Griscom, our 

 Ambassador at Rome, to this sister or- 

 ganization in Italy. 



As Mr Bayard Cutting, Jr., the Ameri- 

 can Consul at Milan, was sent by our 

 government directly to Messina to look 

 after American interests there, he, on re- 

 quest, kindly consented to act as the 

 American Red Cross representative, and 

 •$15,000 was transmitted to him to be 

 used for the benefit of any Americans 

 among the sufferers, and for what other 

 immediate purposes he thought best. As 

 only one Italian-American family was in 

 need of assistance, Mr Cutting used 

 much of this fund for the aid of local 

 committees engaged in such relief work 

 as caring for the injured, employing the 

 well, and providing food and clothing for 

 the destitute. 



On Mr Griscom's suggestion, $100,000 

 was cabled him for the "Red Cross re- 

 lief ship Bay em" which, thanks to the 

 energy of Mr Griscom and his American 

 committee at Rome, entered the harbor 

 of Messina just sixty hours after it was 

 chartered at Genoa, under command of 

 the U. S. Naval Attache at Rome, Com- 

 mander R. R. Belknap. It flew the Red 

 Cross flag and carried members of the 

 committee, a capable medical and nursing 

 personnel, and a large cargo of food, 

 clothing, and hospital supplies. Going 

 from port to port — Messina, Catania, 

 Reggio, and Palermo — it distributed its 

 life-saving stores. 



Of the ship fund, 150,000 lire was car- 

 ried in money, which proved of great use, 

 particularly in aiding the invaluable work 

 of Miss Davis, of the Woman's Reform 

 School of New York State, who, chanc- 

 ing to be at Syracuse, Sicily, had promptly 

 instituted employment work for the men 

 and women refugees. The former were 

 employed in house-building, shoemaking, 

 and the unskilled labor in road construc- 

 tion, and the women in the making of 

 clothes. Thanks to this initiative, em- 

 ployment stations were also started in 

 Palermo, Red Cross funds being pro- 

 vided from the Bayern for this purpose. 



To Mr Griscom was also sent $50,000 

 to aid in the all-important rehabilitation 

 work. For the administration of this 



