New Britain herald., 1918-09-03
RED CROSS NOTES

Twenty or more inquiries after the welfare Of soldiers's families are sent over from the army in France every day by cable and 10O more come iH the daily mail to national headQuar- ters. If conditions are such that a satisfactory answer cannot be sent, the Red Cross Homo Service commit tee makes them as near right as pos. sible and then sends it's reassurancB of further help and watchfulness.
 The work of the Home Service Sec. ton as organized in France is undeY the supervision of R. G. Hutchins, Jr., vice-prestdent of the Bank of Commerce of New York city. 4 Iets ter from MT. Hutchins, written in France, and just received, contains tho following:
 Ou cannot realize the value Of service that comes through my hands in what is called Home Servce.' A girl writes that her young man came over a year ago from Canada, leaving with her an engagement ring, and she has not heard from him. She does not know the name or number Of his regi- ment. A man sends me all the corres- pOndence regarding a, mortgage that is to be foreclosed on his home in Louisville. A boy writes that he has had a letter from his sister saying his father in Oklahoma cannot live three weeks, because of a cancer, and wants a cable sent to inquire. A boy says his wife or mother writes him that they are needy, because no money from his allotment and allowance has come to them since last October. An officer in a hospital asks to have his trunk, which is lost, found. A boy is found in a hospital who will soon be able to return to the front, and it develops that a New York newspaper reported two weeks ago that he was dead"
 As a further contribution to tho morale f the American armies, Home Service workers are carrying on a nation wide campaign to encourage, the writing of cheerful letters in order that soldiers shall not be alarmed about their loved ones left behind.
 To supervise all work an executive staff of 250 has been created covering all division headquarters in the United States In addition 2,OOO young msn and women are serving as fuIl-tiEle secretaries-often as volunteers--for local committees.
 Several thousand persons have at- tended training courses and lecture courses in order to fit themselves to do intelligent Home Service work and 1 ,0OO have been graduated from more complete courses entitling them to certificates as qualified, to be secre- taries of Home Service committees.
 Plans for the future contemplate the development of this program in tensively. It is already possible to say that there is practically not a soldier~ in the American army nor the family of a soldier out of reach of a helpful and systematic Home Service worker and as the army grows to 5,000,000 men the plans now fully organized, can be strengthened to bear the greater burden.
 The purpose of Home Service, sane tioned by the army and navy and by President Wilson, are to conserve human resources in fighters families. to relieve emergencies, to supplement- government provision for dependents, to aid disabled soldiers, to supply in formation of any kind to men in ser vice or to keep pace with fighters who are getting a broader outlook on life, and to help maintain the morale of our army and navy by safeguarding homes Home Service has enlisted help from all creeds and races and is extending it's aid to every person who will accept it regardless of rank, re- ligion. or color. It is not charity, but only that neighborliness which is due every fighter from the people of the whole United States.