The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1918-08-10
Home Communication Service"
OF The American Red Cross
Well Established In London

London, Aug 1O.-The Home Com
lmunication Service" branch Of the
american Red Cross work, which has
lalready become we'll known In the
United States, now has its own de-
APARTMENT at the American Red Cross
Headquarters in London, occupying
an entire floor at 40 Grosvenor Gar
dens, under Captain Herbert Edenbor-
ough. He commands a large staff Of
workers and "searchers," who are
stationed at various points through
out Great Britain where they are In
constant touch with camps and hos
|pitals where American soldiers are to
Ibe found.
Relatives at home of American SOL
diers in Europe desire information Of
many kinds about the men. The aim
of the Red Cross Home Communica-
iition Service is to see that all these
Inquiries are promptly and adequate
ly answered. This work has many
phases. but the most important is that
which deals with inquiries about men
lwho have been wounded or taken
Isick The Red Cross aims to keep in
Constant touch with every American
ikCsp.ta, case and to see that the full
lest reports on each case go forward
promptly to the anxious relatives in
America. The soldier in hospital is
followed carefully throughout his
stay there and throughout his con-
vc,escence, and everything possible is
done to see that he is kept in touch
with home.
Emphasis is placed particularly on
zone point--that information gathered
|by the Home Communication Service
|shall be absolutely correct and clear,
and shall be transmitted with the
greatest possible promptitude. 1t
must be borne in mind of course, that
all lines of communication between
Europe and America are at present
over-burdened, and military use of
Those lines of communication must
lrot be interfered with; but aside
from this consideration, the Home
Communication work of the Red Cross
takes precedence over everything
else, and no unnecessary delays are
permitted.
The work of the Home Communica-
ton Service in England is just start.
ling, but already nearly 200 reports
weekly are being made to Washing
ton, and, through Washington, to the
families in America of men in Eng
land. In all the camps the soldiers
are informed that this free Home
; Communication Service is available
They are told where they can find the
: Especial representative charged with
the work in their district and arc en-
|couraged to make the fullest use Of
his services. In the hospitals, the
Representatives of the department are
lin daily touch with every American
Ipatient, sick or wounded, and fire.
quent reports on his progress are
made to headquarters.
Captain Peterborough came to the
Red Cross from great business
/ house in New York, where he was a
recognized expert on filing systems
and business methods For the sta
tistical branch of his London Office he
has developed a comprehensive sys-
tenn of indexing and compiling, which
will enable instant reference to the
hospital history of any one of thou
sands Of American soldiers. The sys-
: tenn will be expanded indefinitely az
need arises, and inquiries from reh-
tives or official departments regard
ing soldiers in this country can often
be answered from these records with
lin few minutes of receipt. If neces-
sary this first report can be supple
mented by the departments Search
ers" and, If possible, by an interview
with the man himself.
The work in the hospitals in Great
Britain Is complicated by the fact
that a large proportion Of the Ameri
can hospital cases must necessarily
go to British hospitals, scattered all
over the British Isles For instance
American troops are taken i'll in tran
sit or at points where they are bri.
gaded in small bodies with British
troops, as in the case of the numer.
GUS aviation units. These men are
taken to the nearest available mill
ltary hospital, whether 1t is British or
American. But even If they are in
British hospital, Captain Edenbor-
cugh's representative is at hand, and
follows their case just as carefully
and comprehensively as if they were
In a purely American institution.