The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1918-03-22
BY James l. Eieser.
Director, Bureau Civilian Relief. Lake
Division, American Red Cross.

American Red Cross Home Seryic,
workers in Ohio, Indiana and Ken
lucky, already administering to fami
lies of some 1900 enlisted men. carr,
on their work with a "catechism'
which includes what may be termed
eleven commandments" AS thes,
"commandmentsh typify the spirit IL
! which this type of Red Cross relief 1,
given, l am stating them here, leav
ing the reader to draw his own con
illusions.
/. Don't overwhelm people with
questions before they have a chance
to say what they want to say.
2 Don't suggest to them the an.
sweis 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
plete report or record.
4. Don't encourage the children to
talk about things that concern their
elders-about family dfficulties and
so on.
b. 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.
o. 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.
T. Don't give confidential informa.
ton about the family when making
inquiries.
.. 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 from anything
that would help their self.respect.
8. Don't venture to make perma.
nent plans on first visit.
10. Don't fail to discover whether
there is immediate and urgent need
'of relief and TO make some temporary
provision for supplying 1t before
waiting To make further inquiries.
, IL, Don't fail, however, to inquire
Cbefore paying the first visit II posi-
ble) what other agencies are inter-
ested.
True, the dos" taught Home Serv.
ice workers in Red Cross Home Serv.
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 il 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,
Der of the family in question il In
some branch OF the service"
Casual reading of these instructions
may lead TO the impression .hat Home
Service Is simple bit OF work to be
done in the odd moments of the men,
bers OF chapter committee. II is not
simple work, nor is 1t an "odd mo-
ment" task.
In addition to mastering knowl-
edge OF government regulations on
separation allowances and, the War
Risk Insurance Law. a Red Cross
Home Service worker must either be
naturally endowed with or be able 10
acquire the qualities of tact, patience
and kindness, and must study the
problems which beset home life.
with all its ramitlcations. 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 broadest
scope are such that a 116 page hand.
book OF information for Home Service
workers is now being prepared by the
early distribution.
so MUCH PAINSTAKING CARE
HAS BEEN AND is BEING TAKEN
IN THE ORGANIZATION OF THIS
WORK THAT ENLISTED MEN
FROM ONO, INDIANA AND KEN
TuCkY SHOULD KNOW THAT
THIS ARM OF THE AMERICAN
RED CROSS is STRONG ENOUGH
TO MAKE THEIR FAMILIES
CARES EASIER AND TO EXTEND
A KIND. YET UNPATRONlHlNG,
HELPING HAND. SUCH FAMILIES
SHOULD WITHOUT HESITANCY
COMMUNICATE WITH THEIR RED
CROSS HOME SERVICE COMMIT
'EE WHEN TROUBLED IN ANY
VAY.