Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1918-04-16
HOME SERVICE WORK TO BE CON.
QUOTED IN WAUSAU

The American Red Cross depart-
ment of Civilian Relief or Home Ser
vice is to be established in this citv
and was opened on Monday afternoon
with meeting in the circuit court
room at the court house, and a large
number OF interested women of VAN
sau were in attendance.
Judge A. Fl. Reid introduced the
speaker and made a few appropriate
remarks on the purpose of the occa-
DR.. J. L. Gillin, of the University
OF wisconsin, was the afternoon
speaker. DR.. Gillin has done much in
the University Extension
work throughout the state, and has
also been big helper in the State
Federation of Charities and Correc-
tion.
He is a very able talker and ex-
planned In very good way the Home
Service work. He stated that we can
not all go to the front in this titanic
struggle, as some are unfortunately
too old, disabled and so forth, but
there is no one at home who can not
contribute In some way to help cOndi-
lions during the war time. Our peo-
pie are realizing more and more every
day the grave situation, and all are
feeling the pull toward the trenches.
The vast mass of people at home are
asking themselves how they can con-
tribute, and the Home Social Service
is no less important then the fighting
men at the front, for if we do not
back our men, we will not have eff1c-
lent soldiers to bring home a victor
ious ending to this struggle.
DR.. Gillin stated that one of the
great home energies is the Red Cross,
which is not new organization in re-
lief work, but has been in existence
for years and years. He explained the
purpose of the Red Cross, which is
the giving OF relief to those in need.
In times of war the civilian popula-
tion suffer as well as the armies, and
the Red Cross looks after both. Dur
ing times of peace the Red Cross is
also an active agency looking after
places devastated by floods, earth
quakes, ETC., and alleviates the suffer
ing caused from such disasters. The
Red Cross fund does not only cover
expenses for yarn, bandages, etc, but
also looks after the relief of the civil
ian population.
The purpose of this branch activity
of the Red Cross is to conserve human
resources in thousands of homes by
helping maintain good standards of
child. care, of physical and mental
health, of education, and of working
conditions. 1t is also as much of a
duty to help maintain the morale of
our fighting men by safeguarding the
welfare of their homes, as it is to con-
tribute to the comfort and health of
our fighting forces. This work is to
be carried on by members and sup
porterS of the Red Cross, who will
carefully look after the welfare of the
families that have spared their bread
winners and protectors to the service
of our country. 1t is the patriotic
duty for Home Service workers to
care for the lonely families of our
fighting men. They must be con-
stantly encouraged. Their families
must be well looked after and not left
to suffer for any essential thing that
it is within its power to give.
Chapter courses in Home Service
are being conducted in many cities
with competent instruction and field
work by prominent leaders in this
line of work. Arrangements have
been made for such a course in Wau-
sau, and Miss Agnes e. Wilson, d.
rector of Wisconsin Home Service
Chapter Courses, will be in charge.
The course here will cover about four
weeks with three lessons a week. Sew
eral able lecturers have been secured
to come here and assist in establish
ing this work and explaining the
same, and how the local people are to
60 at it.
Home Service applies to the fami-
lies of men in all branches of the SER
vice. The field is vast one and
Home Service responsibility will be
correspondingly great.
First, help will be offered, without
fail, at the request of the man in the
service. He may have received full
information about this aid activity,
and will ask the workers to look after
his family.
Second, requests for service from
other members of the soldiers or
sailors family will be made to the
Home Service department in person
or by mail, as the work is heard of
through the men in the service,
through friend and newspapers.
Third, Home Service workers will
learn of emergencies in families and
find ways of offering help. They will
make speciality of securing all in
formation possible and in the fullest
and most accurate way concerning
service pay, insurance, about means
of communication with men in hos
pitfalls, or captivity and so on.
Fourth, helpful relations with fam
lilies in which there are children can
also be secured by explaining the aims
and scope of Home Service to the
school teachers of the community.
The teachers are likely to know of
any family emergency which affects
the welfare of child.
Fifth, the various religious and So
cial organizations of the community
have many contacts with families.
To these agencies too should also full
information about the work of the
Home Service be given.
Sixth, the Exemption Boards will
often learn of family situations re-
quiring instant attention. Such fam
lilies of drafted men should be reported
to the Home Service workers.
olO vi IllO I'LL pOI UduU 1uuC uAOLlo CO1-
nected with Home Service work is
Information Service, which means
that an endeavor must be made to
supply the information asked by the
soldiers and sailors families as clear
ly and accurately as possible. Get
ting work for those at home is also
important-titting people to the right
job and helping them to stay at this
work if suited TO them.
E. P. German, who is chairman of
the local activity, has appointed Miss
Marie Bird as secretary. The next
public lecture will be on Friday even
ing at the court house, when Public
Health" will be the subject. Tomor-
row afternoon, at the court house, the
first lesson will be given to all those
who have signed up for the work,
numbering about thirty. The lessons
are in charge of Miss Agnes E. Will
son. The lectures are open TO the
public, but the lessons are only for