The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1918-02-28
BY James L. Fleser,

Director, Bureau Civilian Relief, Lake
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 q "catechism"
which includes what may be termed
eleven commandments" AS these
Commandments" tyDify the spirit in
which this type of Red Cross relief il
given, am stating them here, leav-
ing the reader to draw his own con-
illusions.
1. Don't ovorWhelm people with
questions before they have q chance
TO say what they want to say.
2. Don't suggest to them the an
Svers 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 order to make COM
Dlete a report or record
4. Don't encourage the children to
talk about things that conoern their
elders-about family difficulties and
so on.
s. Don't let the children come to
the Office with messages and requests
except when there Is a real emergency
and no older person can possibly
come.
6. Don't discuss the affairs of q
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-
tion about the family when making
inquiries.
8. Don't make inquiries Of the
present neighbors or do anything that
will expose the family to gossip. Pro-
tect the family in question as you
would your own family f1om anything
that would help their sdf-respect.
.. Don't venture to make perma-
.nent plans on first,Wsit-
10. Don't fail 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.
II. Don't fail. however, to inquire
(before paying the frat visit If possi-
bls) what other agencies are inter
ested.
True, the dos" taught Home Serv-
ice workers in Red Cross Home Serv1
Ice Institutes, far outnumber the
"dOn'ts," and one or two should be-
mentioned to further exemplify 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 men,
ber Of the family in question is in
some branch of the service"
Casual reading of these instructions
may lead to the impression that Home
Service is a simple bit of work to be
done in the odd moments Of the men,
bers Of q chapter committee. It is not
. simple work, nor is It an "odd mo-
ment" task.
In addition to mastering q knowl-
edge Of government regulations on
separation allowances and the War
Risk Insurance Law, Red Cross
Home Service worker must either be
naturally endowed with or be able to
ACQUIRE the qualities Of tact, patience
and kindness, and mast study the
problems which beset home life.
With all its ramtications, Red
Cross Home Service is the most exact
ing type of work now required by this
humanitarian institution within the
boundaries of our own country. Its
requirements for immediate and au-
thentic information Of the broadcast
scope are such that 116 page hand
book of information for Home Service
workers is now being prepared by the
Director General Of Civilian Relief for
early distribution. 81
so MUCH PAINSTAKING CARE
HAS BEEN AND IS BEING TAKEN
IN THE ORGANIZATION OF THIS
WORK THAT ENLISTED MEN
FROM OHIO, INDIANA AND KEN
TUCKY SHOULD KNOW THA"
THIS ARM OF THE AMERICAN
RED CROSS IS SEsONG ENOUGH
TO MAKE THEIR FAMILIES
CARES EASIER AND TO EXTEND
A KIND, YET UNPATRONIZING,
HELPING HAND. SUCH FAMILIES
SHOULO WITHOUT HESITANCY
COMMUNICATE WITH THEIR RED
CROSS HOME SERVICE COMMIT
TEE WHEN TROUBLED IN ANY
WAY.