Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1917-07-09
CIVILIAN RELIEF
BRANCH OF RED CROSS
This to Aid In Caring for
Needy Families Of Those
Who Go to the Front

The latest branch of Red Cross work
to be established in Salem is the Civil
ian Relief, which has to do with caring
for THE families of those engaged in
the prosecution of the war. Harry r.
Bogart, supervisor of this department
on the Pacific coast met with local men
Saturday, and the outcome of the con-
ference was the appointment of per-
manent committee to have charge of
this work in the Willamette chapter.
The members of the committee are
all familiar with social service work,
and are fitted for their place They are !:
$. NJ. Endieott, chairman; Max. o. Bu-
rem, J. w. Todd, Ivan G. Mcdaniel and
r. A. Harris. The social service center
of Salem will cooperate with the Red
Cross in the working out of the COM
mittee plans.
The outline of the Civilian Relief
work follows:
The Red Cross at the present time
has over 1900 chapters distributed
throughout the country and many of
these have organized branches and aux
iliaries in neighborhood communities.
People understand pretty clearly what
the Red Cross is doing on the medical,
nursing and supply side of its program,
but as yet there is not full grasp of
what this organization is planning to
do among families of soldiers and sail
ors. This is natural since this work is
not so immediate as other lines of eff
fort and because as yet the volume of
family work is comparatively small.
The Red Cross officials at Washing
ton, however, are looking ahead towards
large task that will confront the Civ
ilian Relief section of the chapters in
the near future Even with the inereas-
ed paw of soldiers and sailors, recently
provided by act of congress, and
though the government grants a sepa-
rate allowance for dependents of sol
dicrs and sailors, there will be thou
sands of relatives, who in one way or
another, will need the friendly aid Of
the Red Cross.
1t must be remembered that in peace
times fourteen per cent of regular army
men sent home portions of their pay to
in need of the same, even
though there has always been a rule
against recruiting men with families. 1t
must be remembered further that the
navy has never and has not now a rule
against enlistment of men with depend
ents.
We must prepare for large sized
task to be executed through the Civil
ian Relief committees of Red Cross
chapters. These committees should have
on them carefully chosen members,
some OF whom at least have had ex-
perience in social work. In the large
cities it will doubtless be necessary to
have one or more paid, trained social
workers at the center of operations and
surrounding these there should be
corps of volunteers who have gone
thrugh period of training for the
many sided duties that will confront
them.
The Spirit of the Work
1t must be remembered that the fam
ilies the Red Cross win deal with are
those of fellow citizens who have made
a great sacrifice. From our midst have
gone out men to serve and die if nee
essary for the rest of us. Their families
must not be allowed to suffer. Their
needs must be met with understanding
and with adequate assistance.
A Double Objective
The Red Cross will be concerned not
about the creature needs of the
families of soldiers and sailors, but