The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1918-07-12

~ 10000 attorney foP soldiers
and thsIF flmilie1 n he enforcement
Of TIER cIVil rights under the new Sol
diorS and Sailors Get.
The 1900 and more instances
which assistance Of one sort or anoth-
or has elready been rendered to the
soldiers families By the Home Ser
vice division Of the New YORK Chap
ter Of the Red Cross cover variety OF
conditions almost as numerous as the
cases themselves. the mother OF one
soldier for instance, soon after her on.
" SON had gone into the service, re-
oulred q serious operation; the mon
ey available would not pay for It. The
Red Cross provided proper surgical
and hospital attention and advanced
money TO tide her over. Innumerable
cases Of the failure on the part OF the
wife or dependent mother to receive
aIlotments Of the soldiers pay are
traced to the cause Of the soldiers IL
legible penmanship or his enlistment
under his real name while he was
known TO his associates by another,
and 40 his family was difficult to 10.
cate. James Baker in the city direct.
DRY, for example, may have enlisted
under his real name of''Jacques Bou-
LANCER; his family may not know his
real name-even his wife may have
forgotten 1t.
The young wife Of soldier who
went over with General Pershing's
first detachment encountered unex-
pected complications in the business
Affairs lie had left her in charge; she
had little business experience and was
almost in despair. Her case was laid
before the Red Cross by an able at
torney and the head Of big banking
institution; they worked out a solu-
ton for all her difficulties. Her letters
10 her soldier husband took on a new
tone and he won promotion.
The three boys Of navy man were
running wild; their mother was una
BILE to discipline them. The Red Cross
Home Service diverted their energies
into better channels, with the aid Of
the Y. NJ. c. A. and the Boy Scouts,
and assigned one Of its Friendly Wis
itors", q woman OF wide sympathy.
to visit the young mother regularly
and encourage her TO write cheerful
ly about the things at home to the man
at sea.
The list OF specific cases could be
heightened indefinitely. Thousands OF
families have been Informed for the
first time by the Red Cross Home Ser
vice of their right to allottments Of a
soldiers pay; there have been innum-
cradle cases OF where children have
been taken out of underpaid or too ex-
acting employment and replaced in
school or provided with more suitable
work; thousands of wives OF soldiers
and sailors have been provided with
opportunities to earn more and 20 live
better Especial attention Is paid TO
the maintenance Of proper standards
of living; every effort is made 10 sec
that these standards do not deter.or-
ate in Inc absence Of the wage earn
err. Thrift and economy are taught;
women who have never known how to
spend wisely are taught the difference
between extravaganza and comfort.
II the soldier is promoted TO a COM
mission, the new associations he will
make in the army demand that his fam
fly shall promote itself with him. and
his wife is brought into contact
with the wives OF other officers.
The medical phases of the Home
Service are legion. Provision for the
best possible care in confinement and
afterward is an important phase. In
hundreds of cases conditions OF III
health, some OF them serious, have
been brought TO light and remedied.
The Red Cross, It nigh, be said here,
recognizes no distinction as to the
need for service between the unmar.
ried woman who is the mother of n
soldiers child and the soldiers wife.
The latter, however. can claim and
obtain an allotment of part OF his
pay; the former cannot. To her and
to others who have a right to depend
upon TIE earnings OF a man who has
gone to the front. but who are not leg
ally entitled to government allowanc-
es, financial aid is given.
The meanest class OF grafters are
the men who try to induce mothers
and wives to part with the money the
Government sends them by Offering
them bargains" in real estate, trying
to sell them unnecessary and overpric-
ed Injuries on the installment plan.
and in countless other ways endeavor-
ing to prey upon their inexperience. To
many families the amount OF money
which they receive monthly represent
larger amounts of ready cash than
they have been accustomed to having
at any one time and they fall easy vic
tins to the wiles Of these sharks. As
the activities Of petty swindlers null
tiply, the need for friendly aid increas-
es.
An adequate idea OF the multiplicity
OF services rendered by The Home Ser.
vice section is supplied by the actual
record Of one chapter, In a city Of
about 100000. The conditions in which
aid was extended are classified as fol.
lows:
tuberculosis ................... rs
Epilepsy .S................. 3
INSANITY ....ss.......".... 10