“During the late war, the great European Red Cross Societies did much to aid the Japanese Red Cross in its work of caring for the sick and wounded, but our American National Red Cross, just beginning its reorganization, could be of no assistance. Now the opportunity arises for us to send to those brave famine-stricken people some assistance from our abundance. The American National Red Cross will gladly receive and forward to the Japanese Red Cross to be used for the relief of these provinces such contributions as the public at large or any of its own members desire to make. “All contributions in this city can be sent to ................... Treasurer of the .............................. Red Cross Branch.” About the same time information was received by the State Department at Washington through our consuls in Japan of the very serious conditions in these northern provinces, and with his accustomed promptness President Roosevelt issued a public appeal, as follows: “The famine situation in northern Japan is proving much more serious than at first supposed, and thousands of persons are on the verge of starvation. It is a calamity such as may occasionally befall any country. “Nations, like men, should stand ever ready to aid each other in distress, and I appeal to the American people to help from their abundance their suffering fellowmen of the great and friendly nation of Japan. I recommend that contributions for this purpose be sent to the American National Red Cross, which will forward such funds to the Japanese Red Cross to be used as the Japanese Government may direct. “Contributions can be made to the local Red Cross treasurers or sent direct to Hon. Charles Hallam Keep, Red Cross Treasurer, United States Treasury Department, Washington, D.C. “Theodore Roosevelt.” Mr. Eki Hioki, the Japanese Chargé d’Affaires, was requested to inquire if the Japanese Red Cross would undertake the disposition of the funds forwarded by the American National Red Cross, and after communicating with his Government sent the following reply: “I have the pleasure to inform you that I have received a cable message, in reply to mine, from the Japanese Minister of Foreign Affairs, to the effect that the Japanese Red Cross Society will be delighted to take charge of the disposition of the relief fund which the American National Red Cross may send hereafter. “Very truly yours, “Eki Hioki, “Chargé d’Affaires.”