The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1918-03-12
BY James L. Fieser,
Director, Civilian. Relief, Lake Diyi-
sion, American Red Cross.

HioH, iNeh i'Nh N.'O''
Organizing and training 10000
Home Service committeeman to aid
families of. enlisted men is the most
stupendous and pretentious task be-
ing undertaken by the American Red
Cross within our own borders.
This statement is made without
fear OF contradiction.
Even were there established social
agencies in every community from
which men have been drawn for active
service. this Red Cross duty would be
hardly less difficult, because with the
war have come new problems which
must be solved, and efficiently too. IL
tie good name of the Red Cross is to
be held aloft and the minds OF our
fighting folk set at ease about the
welfare OF their loved ones back
home"
To school willing Home Service
WIp PiNNiouS poNidi u
Ing az well as keep professional com
munity workers abreast with new de-
velopments, the Red Cross war coun-
Gil established in the Lake division
Home Service Institutes at lndianapo-
lis, Cincinnati, Columbus and Cleve-
land, each identified with strong
university and each affiliated with
healthy social agencies.
Thirty.five counties were represent
ed by fifty.six students at the first
series OF institutes, each institute last
ing six weeks. A second series has
just opened. in addition, chapter
courses of information are to be es-
tablished in cities OF 25,0OO popula-
fion and over.
There is no guess work about Red
Cross Home Service.
Workers are being trained to help cit
izens gain all sorts OF information. If
family has not hea;Il from u son in
the service, if the allotment and al
iowance check is delayed or wrong
in amount il boy is reported missing,
IL any one Of hundreds OF possibilities
occur, the Home Service worker must
be alert to his or her responsibilities.
To show that there are hundreds
of possibilities" for this service, the
American Red Cross has prepared
for its committeeman handbook con-
tanning correct answers to 260 Ques-
tions which these committeeman have
already been asked.
Forty.nine answers to questions on
army and navy service, running from
the composition of the fighting forces
to explaining what must be done to
assist the family of man who has
entered the service under an assumed
name, are given in this handbook.
Hghty-six points on the soldiers and
sailors allowance compensation and
war risk insurance are explained. The
latter in itself is 30 large task that
4 Home Service worker, anticipating
q soft snap" might be driven TO
cover if there were no handbook or
institute course to lessen his perplexi-
,ty. 1t is down in black and white
how the insurance is written and for
whom, how premiums are paid and
by whom. Six points OF information
are provided to cover insurance for
crews of merchant vessels and trans
ports.
American Red Cross Home Service
for families of enlisted men fighting
for our allies causes twenty.nine ques'
tions to be answered in the hand
| book.
All this is supplemented by eighty
nine statements giving information on
the status of families OF discharged
men, deserters, and alien enemy fami'
lies and explaining relationship of
the Red Cross to other relief societies
snd the operation of the Red Cross
bureaus of camp service and com.
munication.
Despite the fact that this handbook
has just been issued, new and puz-
cling questions are arising with such
rapidity that the bureau of civilian
relief OF the Lake division, is plan.
ming an international service to keep
It's Home Service workers in $50 chap
ters in step with the fastmOving pro
cesBiOn.
i War (regardleas OF the Tuscanis
calamity and few scattering casual
.ies)--war and Red Cross Home Serv
ice are still in their infancy, hut al
ready some 5000 families Of Ohio. In
diana and Kentucky enlisted and Sc
lective service men are under the
care OF Red Cross Home Service
workers.
Picture the immensity OF the tasl
when the American offensive" be
gins.
Red Cross Home Service will be
ready. 1t is democraoy's brotherhood
~ action.