Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-11-26
People Of Augusta Are
Urged to Report All
Deserving C ase S
Chairman G a n n e t t
Back from Meeting at
Portland Where Home
Service Work Is In
augurated

! With the help Of the people of Au-
gusta and with the cooperation Of the
! L S. Amy officials the Augusta Home
Service Section of the American Red
! Cross, charged with the duty of safe
guarding the homes of the men called
| to the colors will begin active work in
/ Augusta and the vicinity.
| Guy f. Gannett, chairman, has re-
turned from Portland where lie at
: tended meeting Of the representa-
/ tives Of the Red Cross chapters OF
southern Maine at which time ways
and means were discussed for caring
! for the families Of soldiers and sailors
in the service
! The work of the Home Service Sec
tions is explained in the following let
ter that the American Red Cross has
sent to Regimenta1 commanders of the
| United States army
TO the Regimental Commanders:
The Home Service Sections of the
American Red Cross in all parts Of TIE
country are charged with the duty of
safeguarding the homes of men called
to the colors. 1t is their purpose as
far as possible to relieve the burdens
Of war which fall upon the families of
men in camp, at the tront aud Oh the
high seas.
The Red Cross will try to see that
no person who is dependent upon
man in active service suffers unduly
as a result of his absence.
This work may when necessary in
c.ude the giving Of money, food and
, clothing, but more often and more inn
portant, Will be concerned with the
furnishing of friendly aid and such 9th
or assistance as may be advisable TO
/ maintain the health, cduca tionat and
economic standards of the family.
We ask the cooperation and good
will of the military authorities. If an.
man under your command is disturb
cd because of difficulties at home, we
suggest that the regimental command
CT or company commander cOmmuni-
cate with Mrs. William IL. Lothrop, di-
rector of civilian relief. of the New
/ England division of the American Red
Cross, 100 Boylston street, Boston,
Mass
Mrs. Lothrop will arrange with a 10
cal rcp1 esentatiVe of the Civilian Re-
lief department to call on the mans
family and give appropriate care
JAMES JACKSON.
Division Manager
Just as the National Red Cross or
ganziatiun is calling on the army com
manderS for help in locating deServ-
Ing cases, so the Augusta Chapter is
now calling on the people Of Augusta
to help them in locating deserving 10
N. cases. One point they wish eS-
rcci1'iy stressed is ihat appeals for
htlp for Augusta people should he
lladc to the Augusta Red Cross head
quarters i'll the post office building.
ii nope the people of Augusta Will
help us said Chairman Gannctt. lin
locating really deserving cases. Many
OF the people who most need help will
| { too proud to ask for it, except in
cases of desperate need. We must
rnrnt on their friends and acQuant-
. ances to let us know at local Red
Cross headquarters. Just telephone or
| call there. giving us the information
about the family of any soldier or sail
or which needs our help. We shall at
once have the case investigated and
! handled in a way that will cause no
! publicity, humiliation or shame to the
! one who receives the help that they
/ deserve
Chairman Gannett pointed out, how
ever, that all cases will be carefully
/ Investigated and help given only to
those who really need it and deserve
ii. Some might perhaps feel that Red
, Cross aid. like soldiers pay. should go
to all alike: While as Il matter of fact
/ lnrneN and help from the Red Cross
81 ould go only to those who are in real
/ nceG of it.
TWO million men arc now in the scr
(, Vice OF the United States. and de-
spite the care which is being exer-
e:scd to select men without depend
ents. and despite the generous provi-
| sions by the United States Government
for the sraEting of separation allow
anccs and for the assignment of pay,
, / ere viii be many homes-there are
+ indeed now many homes--in which. eX
cept for prompt, sympathetic and cap
! able help, there would be suffering
during the absence Of mon al the
! front. or on the high seas.
Families which ordinarily would be
hard put to il by an attack of sick
ness, the sudden need Tor an opera
ton, the loss of a job, the advent Of
either death or birth. now. without
judgment and counsel of the men of
the household arc unable to cope with
the difficulties bcsettinc them. During
the stress of war. with its rising cost
of food. its industrial changes. its
uncertainties in living conditions. the
home is handicapped by the withdraw
al Of the very person upon whom at
such time it would depend most for
aid in solving its problems.
With the return. in the none too dis
| tant future. of men discharged be-
cause of wounds the problem of home
service will become increasingly diff
| cult and the calls on the local Red
Cross ever greater. For this reason
; the help of all Augusta people in To-
| eating and reporting deserving cases
among the families of soldiers and
| sailors is especially desired and will
he appreciated. Just telephone or call
at the Augusta headquarters in the
post Office building and report cases
Of need. They will be promptly. I'M
ostentatiously and efficiently handled
The few motor boats of the Angus