The Lee County journal. (Leesburg, Ga.) 1904-19??, 1918-04-12
TO PUSH BUILDING OF
RED CROSS HOUSES
Home Service Work For Army Camps
Stressed In Conference AT DlvI-
sion Headquarters


A very important conference touch
Ing the work Of the American Red
Cross In the army camps Of the South
ern Division was held in Atlanta q few
days ago. There were present not
only Col. w. L. Peel, Division Manag.
er; G B. Bidwell, Associate Manager
and q Bennett Phelps. Division Direc-
TOT Of the Bureau OF Military Relief, to-
gether with q number OF the Red Cross
Field Directors and Assistant Field
Directors from the camps, bat
also, w. Frank Persons. Director Gem
eral Of Civilian Relief; Henry q,
Thompson, National Director OF the
Bureau Of Camp Service, and Charles
3. Fox. Assistant Director Of Camp
Service in charge Of construction.
A number Of important matters
were discussed, among them being the
personnel in the training camps, the
building and manning Of the Red Cross
houses for cow iescents in the camps,
and the appointment Of directors for
these houses, instructions regarding
hospital information service, and the
relation Of tie ys isa 5eNres
i4.ent to the AG sNsa s. l6sAlasg
Relief and the : ~. s4lssG Ut I1c.Ns
Service to the men ia the ira Mag
camps and in the trenches, which
latter was taken up with the, field di-
rectors by Mr.. Persons.
The volume 4 ONO Scrvi.ne work
to be doh2 peree tatps taS aeyoanl.
ment of an associate field director ia
charge of home service who will work
with the regular field director in the
camp. There will ALSO be q Home Ser
vice director on every transport that
carries American troops to France so
that every solder Wha leaves family
or business worries behind may have
someone to WHOM to turn for help and
advice. The problem Of keeping up
the morale of the army by InaEing
them understand that their families
are we'll looked after while they are
away as well as that OF helping to
maintain a normal standard Of living
in the families where the men are
away belongs to the Home Service or
Civilian Relief Department
"At the time OF the Napoleonic
StbtAi MI. Z CApOAl1g IL W etss K
estimated that the morale OF the a2ny
was more important than ammunition
in the ratio Of to l. In the present.
war, one Of the greatest Enslsh gem
erals has estimated the ratio as to
/. Home Service rs more important
to the United States troops than to
those of England and France, because
the French and English soldiers have
two weeks leave every 80 days, can
return to their homes and look after
their most pressing business affa,rs
for themselves. But the American
soldier who goes to Frnnce will pr9o-
ably stay in France until the end Of
the war, and it is cnlye through the
Home Service Department of the Red
Gross that his mini can be relieved
from all worry concerning affairs At
home SO that his entire attention can
be concentrated on soldering"
Many Illustrations of the value Of
Home Service in the training camps
CT this country were given by the
Field Directors, and the duties Of the
men In charge of this branch Of the
work outlined.
Henry s. Thompson, national direc-
tor Of the Bureau Of Camp Service,
spoke on the duties Of the military
field directors Ii Tho eaiup= ard their
relation tn f3e e3H serwee Directors
in the same camps
The building 81 the Rcd Cross
houses in 40 army camps IN this ecung
try was then taken I'm by Charles e.
Fox, assistant director Of Camp Ser
vice In charge Of construction and the
purpose Of these houses was explain.
ed to the Field Directors and assist
ants who were present. Quarters and
a place OF amusement will be provided
in these houses for convalescent sol,
diers who are well enough TO leave the
hospitals and yet not well enough to
return to active duty, as we'll as &C.
commodations for the families of men
who are i'll enough to make IL necee-
sary to send for their relatives II Ii
being planned that large part % the
furniture for these houses shall be
made by the older boys In the
Junior Red Cross auxiliaTies.
The construction in the camps
OF the Southern Division win be So.
pervised by John r. Dillon of Atlanta,
Of the firm Of Morgan & Dillon, archl.
tects, who has volunteered his SER
vices to the Southern division for amp
sort OF architectural work
Men trained in work similar to that
OF the Home Service department. are
wanted at once for work In the camps
and on the transports. All applications
in this division should be made 70
Joseph G. Logan, Director Of Civilian
Relief.
Field Directors and Assistant Field
Directors present at the conferences
were T. T. Flagler, s. A, Darrach, DR..
Josiah Morse, tanning Harvey, w. r.
Carr, William G. Denny, H. M. Vo0r
bees, J. Loaring Clark H. a. Field,
william 8. Moore, ]. G. Williams, AID
Mrs. Charles A. Sheldon, sr.