The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1918-11-29
LOOKING AFTER
MICHIGAN'S BOYS
BY Stuart II. Perry

York for the benefit of Michigan's
soldiers and sailors, it was like start
ing a voyage on an unchartered sea.
No state had undertaken such an en-
terprise, and no voluntary organiza-
ton had done work of the kind on
any such scale or plan as would afford
much helping or guidance. In fact,
the experience of voluntary organi-
cations would not have been such as
the state could follow anyway, be-
cause the state is able to carry such
work further than could be done by
private efforts, and the official status
of the bureau places it on a different
footing from any other enterprise Of
the kind.
The board, however, believed that
there was an important work to be
done and that the only way to do it
was to do it-that is, to go ahead and
let the details be worked out by actual
experience. Two factors were of
great help at the start. One was the
friendly attitude of army, navy and
Red Cross authorities, the other was
the hearty spirit of cooperation
among the Michigan people resident
in New York. The former was abso-
lutely essential, the latter very valu
able; for official approval was neces-
saly in order to obtain the desired
information and privileges, while the
cooperation of volunteer workers in
New York furnishes a form of help
that could not be purchased at any
price.
The primary aim of the bureau is
to render aid and service to disabled
| Michigan men returning from over
seas. To that end arrangements
have been made for notifying the
bureau of the arrival of such men and
enabling representative of the
bureau to see each man personally if
circumstances permit. The number
of Michigan wounded returning from
France is still small, which saved the
bureau from being swamped at the
outset before its machinery could be
perfected.
Apparently it takes three or four
months from the date Of battle before
wounded man arrives in New York
For example, some recent arrivals at
the naval hospital are men who were
wounded last June in that terrific
fight in which it is reported that more
than two-thirds of the 5000 marines
engaged were killed or wounded. 1t
| is to be noted also that only a certain
class of wounded have thus far been
sent back from France-those who
are too seriously wounded to be able
| to return to service, but who are in
condition to stand the home voyage.
A large proportion of the wounded,
of course, recover quickly at overseas
| hospitals and rejoin their commands
At this rate it would appear that
the returning wounded will not reach
large numbers for several weeks yet,
when we shall begin to get results Of
the heavier American fighting in
September Another reason for de-
lay, however, is that the government
does not wish to bring them home
until the hospital facilities on this
side are abundantly ample. 1t is not
enough to have, on paper, bed for
each soldier There must be such
ample reserve facilities that any in
coming batch of wounded, however
large, can be Accommodated immediate
| ly with beds to spare. To that end
extensive hospital facilities are being
provided. About a dozen of these
great hospitals are already in oper-
alton, though some of them have few
patients as yet.
The new hospitals located in the
country, such as General No. 3, at
Columbia, n. j., or Debarkation No. 9
at Fox Hills, Staten Island are not
only models of construction and
arrangement, but remarkably pleasing
! in their location and surroundings
The latter, for example, a huge
Establishment with more than two
thousand beds, occupies a beautiful
SITE on what was once a golf course
in the picturesque uplands of Staten
Island.
Several great buildings in the heart
of the city, close to the great rail
way terminals, are also to be used
for the same purpose. One, now
about ready, occupies a department
store which has been very success
fully converted for the purpose. An
other hospital of immense size will
occupy the Grand Central Palace,
big commercial exhibition building
which is rapidly being turned into
what will be one Of the best, as we'll
as one of the largest, establishments