The record., 1918-02-14
EY JAMES l.. FlE5ER.
Director, Civilian Belief. Lake CiVi
sion, American Red Cross

Dlfeclof, CIVILIAN Heiicf, Lake ClVi
sion. American Red Gross
Five million American women TODAY
are engaged in production OF Red
Cross hospital supplies, knitted articles
and surgical dressings And thes
women toll without slightest inkling
OF The Identities of the men who vii
be coEforted by their patriotic en-
deavors.
So it remains for the army of 30,0G0
Red Cross civilian relief, or Home
Service, workers to bring the person,
al contact into the Red Cross work by
holding out, in a quiet and unpatron
iZing manner, a helping hand to rela
tiVes OF men il the service and, later.
to the men, themselves on their re-
turn from the battIcfrontS,
It remains for this army of $1,000
(which is backed by more than 3,00t
chapters with 4 membership above 22,-
O00,000) to marshal a reserve Of nIedi-
cal, legal, educational, social and Fl
nancial forces to assist in this help.
highland business" in manner hon,
orable to the American Red Cross
and worthy OF those helped.
First of all, Red Cross Home Scrv-
ice centers about home solidarity
getting lonely women back to live
with their own people. watching over
the interests Of an expectant mother.
iro 20 -rit
irs tc men in the service about the
situation il their hoPs ze,sse-
Reeently 2 voUng k g
I the cantonmeEAs witt iFssisI5 Lake df
| vision was worried 10 81 point where
he was Of little use to his government
because he got no letters from his
wife. He appealed to the Red Cross
A Home Service committee member
investigated (they never embarrass
the family by sending the whole COM
mittee) and found that he got 10 let
ters because his wife could not write
Arrangements were made for a letter
to be written for the wife once a
week. Simple service, but with won.
derful results upon tho soldiers state
young wife now is learning to read
and write.
The Child Angle.
Then there is the children'S side OF
it-there are men in the service who
are fathers despite the fact that the
public generally does not think that
there are many fathers in the ranks
Home Service workers are explain.
ing lessons to children who fall behind
in their classes They see that chill
dren in need of medical care get that
care. They are seeking to give kindly
advice to the child Just beginning to
be wayward or disobedient
Coming to the economic side of the
service, Red Cross service workers
are:
Fitting people to the right job and
helping them stay fitted by trying tc
find out where the job pinches; seeing
| that insurance policies do not lapse;
encouraging people, who have more
ready money than usual (some dc
have), to spend it with good sense;
protecting the recipient of pay allow
| ance checks from the Wiles of un
scrupulous installment men and sales
agents; getting the best legal and
business advice in the perplexing prob
| lens sure to rise in war times.
And finally helping the crippled sol
dier or sailor This work is still in
the future, and, while not the most
pleasant thing in the world to antici
pate, provisions for it must be and is
being made. This the Red Cross Home
Service workers are planning to dc
by:
Encouraging employers to give suit
able work to cripples that they may
find permanent opportunity for entire
or partial self support and chance fol
advancement; maintaining an informa
ton service regarding opportunities
for such employment, or working with
state and municipal employment in
struments provided for this purpose
giving personal attention to the
troubles and hopes of those who de
not find satisfactory work and tf
others whose courage must not be al
lowed to fail; securing voeationa
training for those untitled for the kline
Of work there is available; creating /
public opinion which will encourage
self support from all crippled soldier:
and sailors to the degree that it il
possible for them to work.
All this is, in brief, American Rec
Cross Home Service as it now operate,
and is planned The nrOpram has heer
built up from the experiences of ou
allies. Without doubt, like ell Ret
Cross work, the program will grow a!
the war grows older. One thing, how
ever, is certain
NOTHING LESS THAN THE PRO
GRAM AS OUTLINED ABOVE WILL
MEASURE UP TO THE IDEALS OF
AMERICA AND OF THE AMERICAN
RED CROSS.