The record., 1918-02-14

TIE aIIGllc1n IIGu cross III ONO, lnultIlti
and Kentucky: The subjects of the other
four articles in the series are: What
Red Cross Home Service Is ''Financia
Taught Home Service Workers. and /,
"Organizing and Training 10000 Home
Service Committeeman"
BY James l.. Fieeer,
Director, Civilian Relief, Lake Diyi.
sion, American Red Cross.
Two new words-Home Service
are taking important places in the
vocabulary and activity of the 356
American Red Cross chapters in Ohio,
Indiana and Kentucky.
At wars outbreak ten months ago
to the few chapters then organized
Red Cross work and popular knowl-
edge of it centered only around prep
aration of hospital supplies. equip
ment of base hospitals and supplying
their personnel, and provisions of re-
lief in times of disaster.
Then came the unfolding of a null
titude of other chapter obligations
solicitation of war funds, driving for
increased membership, organization Of
school auXiliaries, turning out huge
quotas of knitted articles, surgical
dressings and Christmas packets.
AmorS these obligations-modeF of
i917--was the organization of Home
Service committees, better known in
some communities as civilian relief
committees. Frequently the activi-
ties of the Home Service committees
were belittled by other chapter com
mittees. This because Importance Of
Home Service had not been clearly
defined. Now, through the efforts of
the Bureau Of Civilian Relief of the
Lake Division, headquarters at Cleve-
land, chapters have come to clear
understanding Of the vitalness of Red
Cross Home Service in relation to war
and complete victory.
But to the general public, notably
In the so-called rural communities
Home Service is little better under
stood than it was by the chapters a
matter of five months back.
So, what is Red Cross Home Service
and why?
Home Service must be the nations
assurance that the enlisted and, con-
scripted mans family shall not suffer
for want of any essential thing within
the power of the nation to give.
The PubIic's Conception.
%Yes," says Mr. Average Citizen,
'but isn't the government providing
war risk insurance, and will it not pro-
vide separation allowance where
necessary? Isn't 1t fact that but
few men with dependents have been
called to aTms?"
Mr.. Average Citizen is correct, but
he is thinking only in terms Of money
relief. And it is to convince him that
administration of money relief is only
one of many features of Home Serv-
ice that this series of articles on the
rudiments of Home Service have been
prepared.
Scan this brief summary of the op-
portunities confronting Home Service
committees in your county and you
will agree that the opportunities have
become the duty and privilege of All
outstanding, patriotic, American citi-
zenship.
l. Conservation by service of hu-
man resources wherever deterioration
is threatened in soldiers or a sail
or's home.
2. Temporary relief Of families in
which there has been delay in pay
ments, or in which there is an emer-
gency.
8. Responsibility for regular and
continued assistance in cases not
covered by government allowance
this includes families in need and res
ident in the United States Of men who
are in the service of our allies.
f. Personal service to the returned
soldier or sailor, especially when ne
is disabled,
s. An information service which
will save time, trouble and anxiety for
lonely relatives of enlisted men.
s. Advancement of home: standards
wherever possible, but especially
when the lack of help is likely to
cause family disintegration.
sustains Soldiers Morale.
"Men may be the best soldiers in
| the world q quote you from the
Manual of Home Service issued by
| American Red Cross headquarters,
| Washington, but if things are not
well with their families at home, they
lose efficiency through worry, and the
morale of the army-that all i'm
portant factor-begins to fail.
$50 it is the patriotic duty as well
as the humanitarian opportunity of
! Home Service workers of the Ameri-
can Red Cross to care for lonely fam
! lies of our fighting men. 1t is to be
remembered that they soon will be
fighting men in real earnest. Not
only our enemies, but our allies, and
the American people as WELL will be
/ watching them.
Every report from the training
camps and from the French front
mentions the excellent spirit of our
troops. Will they maintain this
morale while thousands Of miles from
home, through trench life and battle,
to the victorious end?
} THE ANSWER WILL BE De
TERMINED LARGELY BY THE
i HOME SERVICE OF THE AMEHL,
CAV RED CROSS"
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