Elko independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1915-current, 1918-07-06
RED CROSS WORKERS
SHOW MANNER IN WHICH
RELATIVES ARE CARED FOR

WASHINGTON. July Ga side
light on the problems that frequently |
trouble the sailor and the soldier over !
there and tend to lessen the morale |
OF troops is contained in a letter re-
Gently received by the American Red
Cross.
Just a few lines to let you know
| am in the United States navy and
have a mother and five brothers and
sisters. | have been in the service
eight months. Five weeks ago father
was burned TO death and | am now
the only support Of mother and the
kiddies. l want you to see what you
can do for them, please. | have made
4 small allotment to motner, but
il doesn't amount TO IluCh. | have a
sister who Is thirteen years and eight
4 ing papers to go TO work, will you,
| please. There are five children, all
/ under fourteen. The youngest Is two
months, If still living. He was rather
sickly and mother was worried about
him. There is no one looking out for
them just now, so do the best you
can and won't forget you when l
get out OF the service.
(Signed): "ANDREW-"
The day this letter reached the
American Red Cross" said W. Frank
Persons, director OF civilian relief,
"a skilled home service worker Wis.
tied the family. The facts were just
about as stated in the letter, but al
that was needed was intelligent ad
vice and some skilled nursing direc
tiCn 10 put this family completely on
its feet.
Andrew was the sole support of
the group and was allotting S25 a
month from his pay of $50. The Red
Cross quickly helped the mother to
collect $500 insurance still due from
the husbands policy. This was used
TO pay the funeral bills and also to
pay off a mortgage of $500 on the lit.
tie home. Through the Employees
Compensation board an allowance of
$3.50 week for 27O weeks was Sc
cured for the widow The case seemed
clearly to warrant an increase in the
governments allowance on behalf of
dependents from SO a month to $50 a
month and steps have been taken to
secure such a grant. If this appliCa-
tion is approved, the mother will have
$2i50 week and home free and
clear. She will be able to keep the
two little girls, Anna and Stella, in
school and properly care for the two
compensation claim Is not allowed
other measures will be taken.
at was thus not necessary for
Anna to go to work and she is still in
school. We are determined, II pos.
sible, that no child of a soldier shall
be forced to go to work. Anna was
, doing well in school and free gchOl-
arship was soon secured for her. As
for the baby-stiiI sickly when its
big brothers letter arrived--a dis
triCt nurse is visiting IL constantly
and helping its mother give it proper
food and care--its chief needs appar.
emily. News of everything that has
been done was hurried Off to Andrew
so that he can fight to his personal
limit"
Home service is in tino OF war
J. the chief responsibility OF the Red
Cross Department Of Civilian Relief
I II Is concerned with the welfare Oi
the families Of men enlisted in the
o service of our country and also oj
u families resident in this country o
Z men enlisted in the service of thu
q allies. It's object Is to sustain tn,
III morale of the men in the service BY
Z helping TO maintain, through iricndl!
counsel and noighborly assistance th,
'e welfare OF thoir families at home
'c assuring for them health, good spir
It's. and, so far as possible, thci
normal standards OF life