The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1915-01-14
UNCLE SANS WORK
IN VERA CRUZ, MEXICO
Help for the Sick and Destitute. The
Fight Against Dirt and Disease. Charles
Jenkinson, Director Atlantic Division,
American Red Cross.

Inc WltluIuWdl VI tHe hneiiS ah
military forces from Vera Cruz makes
It opportune to review some of the
social consequences of their occupa'
ton to the native population-in nor
NAL times a community of roughly
$4,000 people.
From April %, two days after the
occupation OF the port to Sept. 2,
the American Red Cross maintained
headquarters and carried on an &C
tive work of relief. This was early
limited to cases of suffering due eth
err directly or indirectly to the Amer
lean occupation of Vera Cruz.
For example, many of the federal
soldiers became panic stricken upon
the entry of the American soldiers,
and fed leaving their wives and fam
lilies in destitute circumstances. 9th
ers remained with the army, but in
asmuch as the various companies
were detailed to different parts and
no accurate records kept of individu.
ais, ldUlllltS WClt uhopio w AoN@sN
the husbands or fathers.
Relief Work
Families of wounded soldiers must
sustain life until the soldiers had re-
covered sufficiently to support them
by other means; families of the dead
must be cared for; families who had
maintained themselves by the sale OF
lottery tickets must be helped to find
other employment, since the Ameri
cans prohibited the sale Of such tick
cts. So, too, the workers along the
water front must be helped who had
depended upon the passenger traf1t
and also the political prisoners who
had been released by the American
authorities from the notorious pris
on of San Juan de Uloa.
Where medical or surgical attention
alone was requested this was given
or refused as examination indicated
necessity. Where food, money oil
clothing was requested, a persona
visit was made to the home and the
: statements OF the applicant were yer
flied. Where money was asked fol
to cover burial expenses the dealt
certificate was examined and the
body was personally seen by work
er. This was found to be necessary
because few attempts had beer
made by neighbors TO collect money
from the Red Cross under differen
names for the burial Of the sam'
body.
Wherever employment was desired
this was usually given as soon as thu
right place could be found. Through
the cooperation of the American ar
my officers, who had been givel
charge OF all public institutions ant
who needed native help, the Re-
Cross was able to place practically
every applicant.
The 5000 medical and surgical cas-
es dealt with In the succeeding
weeks covered all the ailments Of tn
native population, ordinary and extrs
ordinary, and the records show tina
more than 200 varieties OF illness re
ceived attention.
Mexican Burial
A few remarks about the burial
(of which 55 were paid for by tn
Red Cross, may be interesting. i
many parts OF Mexico 1t Is custom
airy, upon the death Of person 70
the family to go to a casket make
and rent a casket CASUALLY OF tn
toughest and cheapest boards, an
without lining, for 81 so or So l
Mexican money and the father Or
male member Of the family will pu
the casket on his head and trot HON
with It. He also brings with hiI
candles, which he has bought an
artificial flowers and robe or shrou
which he has rented for one or tw
pesos more.
A grave two feet deep has bee
prepared and the annual rental {
one or two pesos paid in advance
Then the body, shorn of It's rente
flowers and shroud. Ia rolled into tn
grave. The grave Is filed, and tn
casket, shroud and flowers are ca
!. ried back to the casketmaker wheI
a rebate OF about one third OF the d