The Mt. Sterling advocate. (Mt. Sterling, Ky.) 1890-current, 1918-04-09
ANOTHER GOOD WORK

now in training. A. J. Strawson, of
the Home Service Bureau Of the
Civilian Relief Department, has
opened an office at Camp Zachary
Taylor, and his task is to ascer-
tain any cases Of distress Of fam
lies of soldiers, and see that the
families are looked after by the
local Red Cross societies, in order
that the families may be comfort
able and the soldiers may be relieved
of the anxiety and worry about the
"folks at home"
Among the work he viii endeavor
to undertake is investigation of de-
lays in allotments and allowances,
the matter of payments of INSTALL
ments and rents, a fixed amount in
the purchase Of home, or in gen.
eral, whenever any soldier is cup
against it." Mr.. Strawson will learn
of the condition from the soldier
and will Immediately get in touch
with the local Red Cross chapters
to administer the relief.
That this work is very important
is shown by examples of cases
which have come up. In one case, a
soldiers allowance was sent to
Louisville, Ill, instead Of Louis-
vile, Ky. The Red Cross represent
alive found the soldier worrying
and the family in want. He notified
the Louisville chapter of the Red
Cross for relief, and referred the
matter of correcting the address to
the mans company commander.
In another incident, a soldier last
June married a woman with two
children, and being unfamiliar with
that provision of the law, did not
ask an allowance for the stepchil-
dren. These matters all will be tax
en- up, and every complaint will re-
ceive consideration. Where the Red
Cross finds an instance of family
temporarily in distress through i'll
ness or other mishap, it will make
loan, to tide the family, over its
troubles. p.
Mr. Strawson is executive sFre-
tary of the Indiana Society for the
Prevention of tuberculosis, and
has leave of absence during the
duration of the war.
While it is the policy of the gov
eminent, through allowances and
allotments, to see that the depend
ents of soldiers are properly cared
for, yet it has happened in many
cases through an error in giving
addresses, making allotments, or
misunderstanding to whom the al
lotments could be made, some of the
| dependents of soldiers have suffer-
ed.
"a general order of the War De-
partment issued about the middle of
February, provides that one Red
Cross representative be located in
each camp" said Mr.. Strawson.
''These representatives are at the
services of the men at all times,
and may be consulted direct or
through officers. No matter where
the man lives, we will Immediately
get in touch with the local chapter
of the Red Cross, and see that the
proper relief is given" Mr.. Straw
son said that there had already
been some activity along this line
at Camp Taylor; slightly over 500
cases having been handled. These
we're mostly requests received at
camp headquarters for discharge OF
men on account of dependent rela-
tives. The work will be enlarged,
however, so that the Red Cross or
ganization can get in touch with all
cases which need attention.
When the facts in the case are
reported to Mr.. Strawson, they are
turned over TO the Red Cross chap
ter in the community in which the
man belongs, which takes the ease