The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1918-01-29
Central Division Of the Red Cross
Tells Of Activities Proposed
Along This Line by
Chapters.
WORK TO BEGIN HERE
1t Will Embrace Many Branches of
Service and is Something
Needfui FOR Every
Chapter.

In response to frequent inquiries,
the Red Cross asks the publication OF
the following, which just at present
ought to be of more than common in
terest to the t. 4''es7oss members in
the county and the other tens and
hundreds of thousands in other cities
and counties in this vicinity:
To all chapters in the central di-
vision:
II the question is asked: "Of what
use will home service be now that the
government, under the war insurance
law. is about to make such liberal
money allowances to the families of
soldiers and sailors?" we have our
opportunity to explain what home
service really is. Instead of making
unnecessary our home service, these
government allowances, which the
Red Cross heartily advocated, will
make its best work possible. The
home service sections are now able to
devote their full energies and re-
sources to the task Of meeting family
emergencies and of maintaining fam
| lily standards.
| What are some Of the concrete de-
tails of this task?
| /. First and foremost, the sery-
| ices that the government is not
equipped to render, such as:
| (a) Safeguarding boys and girls
and women from bad working condi-
tons.
! OBJ Trying to understand by pa
! tient talks and by seeking advice else
where the child who is just begin.
ming to be hayward and disobedient.
! Co Furnishing convalescent and
confinement care.
| Cd Bringing to light and meeting
other medical needs not known or
suspected by the families concerned.
| (e) Protecting the inexperienced
and lonely young wives.
! Cd Moving families to better quar-
/ ters and protecting them from bad
housing conditions.
I (g) Giving the children and grown
up folks opportunities for good times.
not as war families or war children,
but individually and quietly, or in
their own natural groupings.
CHI Fitting people to the right job
and helping them to stay fitted BY
tring to find out where the Job
pinches.
| % Seeing that insurance policies
don't lapse. If the man has always
attended to paying the premiums, his
wife or mother may be careless about
this.
| Cd Encouraging the people who
have more money than usuai-some
will have-to spend it with good sense
and to- save some of 1t, if possible. for
the time when service pay stops.
(k) Protecting the recipient Of pay
and allowance checks from the wiles
| of the installment man and from I'm
coln
Cd Getting the best legal advice
| for families in the complex problems
that are sure to arise in war times.
2. Looking after the needs OF
those legally ineligible to government
! allowances, but who, nevertheless.
are morally entitled to support and
care from enlisted men. The rela-
tives are not mentioned in the law,
and others, who have earned the right
to depend upon the man In service,
will often need the help Of home serv-
ice sections.
In this class also are the families
of the soldiers and sailors in the
service of our allies.
i. Maintaining relations with COM
handing officers, with social. agencies.
with teachers, with ministers, and
with priests, and with others who
nave friendly anu peISoidl IeidliouS
with families, and are likely to know
| the complications which should be
| referred for attention to home serv-
! ice sections.
| 5. Planning for the time when the
soldiers and sailors begin to come
/ back from the front to help fit dis
abled men for old occupations or for
new ones.
6. Continuing the service, which
very often will still be of the great
est help, to families hitherto receiv-
ing also financial assistance from
chapters, which is now displaced by
government allowances. The friend
ship and confidence of these families
should not lightly be abandoned. 1t
should become the sound assurance OF
their continuing welfare, and OF the
certain maintenance of their stand
ards of home life, no matter what the
future may hold.
These are only few of the oppor-
tunities which the home service sec
lions now have to preserve the homes
of families, so that the returning sol
diers and sailors shall find them
happy and prosperous.