Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1918-06-25
The Red Cross At Home

Last Christmas .. woman walked
into tho Office Of o Of the Rcd Cross
home service stations and laid down
$21.50. 1t represented the profits OF
the benefit Of the children Of the
soldiers Of the First separate. bat
talon. ~
"It is my Bit" she said. "You were
all so good to me when I was sick
that I wanted to do something for
others now that I am ahle-to
This woman had been one Of the
fIst applicants for relief from the
home service Of the Red Cross. Her
husband had volunteered In the army,
and. after his enlistment. she had
had broken down. shs had been ill
in. bed and had been attended by a
doctor who had signed false certif-
Gates for her insurance. Finally, in
despair, she sent word to the Red
Cross. 81 4
The Red Gross home worker came
to see her and learned the facts in the
case. A better physician was secured,
and it was found that she had incipi-
ent tuberculosis. She was Immediately
sent for treatment to a tuberculosis
dispensary, where- she remained dur
Ing the summer: Within q few" months
n had improved so wonderfully that
n could hardly be recognized as the
came woman.
This was only one of a very large
number Of cases in which the Red
Cross has proved a blessing to the
families of u fighting men.
A soldier who goes out to tho wars
leaves behind him his dearest possess
sions-those who are dependent on
him. And every soldier has his de-
pendents. Even IL they are not be-
holden to him for the sheer ~necessi-
ties OF life, they rely upon him in
other ways. He is the active spirit
his ces and they become sober
when he is worried. He strives to get
on in a business way because he
knows. it will please his family. He
knows they. will be proud IL he, does
well, and they will be disappointed II
he fails. He is equally. dependent
upon them. II they are i'll or un-:
happy, it is hard for him to do his
work. He needs to be with them, to
see them constantly, and to know
that everything Is being done to pro.
mote their happiness.
War disturbs the even current Of
0~A AAbSSs 41O0SO ox0 tx40 u
lies who are, not intimately. touched
by the call which has gone. forth to
the young men Of the nation. Sons,
brothers, fathers and close friends
have gone to the training camps, or
will soon go. They will leave more
gladly il they al be assured that the
ones they love are being watched and
cared for in every possible way dur
ing their absence.
The Human Touch Needed.
Most soldiers have a friend to
whom they can entrust the welfare Of
the mothers and wives. But many
have not. The government does the
best 1t can by providing allotments
of. pay. and allowances for the fami-
lies Of soldiers and sailors. But some.
thing more ts necessary. The human
touch is needed" There are bound to
trations at a special and exraprdi-
nary sort; situations calling for wits
and resourcefulness. Obviously. the
best way to deal with such cases is to
turn them, over to trained social
workers, whose skill and experience
fit them to deal with these troubles.
Hence. the government has done .
wise thing in turning over to the home
service workers Of the American Red
Cross official. responsibility for such
soldiers and sailors families as come
into difficulties.
The home service work Of the Red
Cross is a logical extension Of its mis-
sion of mercy. No other organization
has SO splendid a record in admins
:tering relief, and .none ia better. 4auip-
ped to do what is nov required. It's
service stations are established in
every district Of the United States,
and it is we'll prepared to look after
the dependents OF army and navy
men wherever they may be found.
The soldier is apt to worry most
over his wife and babies. And this is
not to be wondered at, because the
predicaments they may fall into are
legion. The story which has already
been told illustrates one type OF dan
ger which may lie in wait for the
soldiers wife,. The records Of the Red
Cross are filled with stories Of service
rendered to the wives and children.
One of the home service Offices re-
ceived from q young corporal q letter
which contained these sentences: II
am SO thankful for. all you have done
for me. I win never know how to
thank You. But for the help that you
extended to us we would have been in
a destitute condition"
+ Lost Their Baggage.
F The, story behind this simple test,
mony was q pathetic one. The hu5-
band had been ordered to Washington
from a western POST. On the way ali
the family baggage had been lost.
They recovered only SIS from the
railroad company. and when they
nnally decided to appeal to the Red
Gross the wife wss nursing q baby a
few days old.
The Red Cross worker found them
living in 9 very poor little house. The
Oldest child: a boy Of 3. was doing ali
the work for the family. His littie
sister. 8 years old, had absolutely no
clothing and was wrapped in . "trip
OF hannel. A caretaker wa secured
for the mother, and tho boy was sent
back to school, Then clothing was 20
cured for the little gil. when the
mother was able to get up IL appeared
that she had no clothes witch wetA