The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1918-03-08
BY James l.. Fieser,
Director, Bureau Civilian Relief, Lake
Division, American Red Cross.

Division, American Red Cross.
American Red Cross Home Service
workers In Ohio, Indiana and Ken
lucky, already administering to fami-
! lies of some 1900 enlisted men, carry
on their work with a "catechism"
which includes what may be termed
eleven comma -dments." As these
commandments" typify the spirit in
which this type of Red Cross relief is
given, l am stating them here, leav-
ing the reader to draw his own con-
illusions
1. Don't overwhelm people with
questions before they have a chance
to say what they want to say.
2. Don't suggest to them the an
swers they should make.
3. Don't forget that their hopes
and plans are more important than
any single fact that the Home Service
worker wants in CIDER to mako COM
plete a report or record.
4. Dent encourage the children to
talk about things that concern their
elders-about family difficulties and
so on.
3. Don't let the children come to
the Office with messages and requests
except when there is a real emergency
and Io older person can possibly
come.
8. Don't discuss the affairs of a
family, nor tell the facts that come
TO your attention IN the course Of
Home Service work to any outsider.
Z. Don't give confidential informa-
ton abeut tie family when MAXI.
inquiries.
8. Don't make Inquiries of the
present neishbors or do anything that
Will expose sic family to gossip. Pro
toct the family in question as you
would your own family from anything
that would help their selfrespect
9. Don't venture to make pern.a-
nent plans or q first visit.
10. Don't fal TO discover whether
there is immediate and urgent need
OF relief and to make some temporary
provision for supplying it before
waiting to make further inquiries
IL. Don't fail, however, to inquire
(before paying the first visit if posi-
ble) what other agencies are inter
ested.
True. the dos" taught Home Serv-
ice workers In Red Cross Home Sert-
fee Institutes, far outnumber the
"don'ts." and one or two should be
. mentioned to further exempify the
spirit of the service and the manner
in which it is given.
One is: BE sure that there is a
definite invitation from the family or
some responsible person competent to
speak for them before entering the
home in the name Of the American
Red Cross"
Another: BE sure that the mem
Der of the family in question is in
some branch of the service g
Casual reading Of these instructions
may lead to the impression that Home
Service Is simple bit of work to be
done in the odd moments of the mem
} bers of a chapter committee. 1t Is not
simple work, nor is 1t an odd mo
ment" task.
In addition to mastering knowl
! edge OF government regulations or
, separ2 ion allowances and the Wal
: Risk Insurance Law, Red Cros:
Home Service worker must either bt
naturally endowed with or be able Il
,, acquire the qualities of tact. patience
, and kindness, and must study tht
problems which beset home life.
With all its ramifcations, Rex
> Cross Home Service is the most exact
ing type of work now required by thi
I humanitarian institution within thu
4 boundaries of our own country. 1t
requirements for immediate and au
thentic information of the broades
scope are such that 116 page hand
book of information for Home Servic
workers is new being prepared by tn
Director General of Civilian Relief 70
early distribution.
so MUCH PAINSTAKING Carl
HAS BEEN AND rs BEING TAKEl
IN THE ORGANIZATION OF THU
WORK THAT ENLISTED Me-
FROM OHIO. INDIANA AND KEN
TUCKY SHOULD KNOW TIA
THIS ARM OF THE AMERICA
PED cROSS IS STRONG ENOJrCl
TO MAKE THEIR FAMILIES
CARES EASIER AND TO EXTENl
a KIND. YET UNPATRONlZIN(
| HELPING HAND. SUCH FAMILIE
SHOULD WITHOUT HESITANC
COMMUNICATE WITH THEIR RE
CROSS HOME SERVICE COMMIT