The record., 1918-02-21

the American Red Cross in Ohio Indiana
srces in The the su5eet5 s Pf p the what
Red Cross Home Service Is 'Fina ncial
AID in Home Service" What Has. Been
Taught Home Service Workers. and
"Organizing and Training 10000 Home
Serv!@c Committeeman"
BY James L. Fieser.
Director, Civilian Relief, Lake Diyi-
sion, American Red Cross
Two new words-Home Service
are taking important places in the
vocabulary and activity of the 356
American Red Cross chapters in Ohio.
! Indiana and Kentucky
AT wars outbreak ten months ago
to the few chapters then organized
Red Cross work and popular knowl-
edge of it conferred only around prep
aration of hospital supplies, equip
ment of base hospitals and supplying
their personnel, and provisions of re,
lief in times of disaster.
Then came the unfolding of a mul,
titude of other chapter obligations
solicitation Of war funds, driving for
increased membership, organization of
school auXiliaries, turning out huge
quotas Of knitted articles, surgical
dressings and Christmas packets.
AmorS these biigations-modeI of
l9l7--waS the organization of Home
Service committees, better known in
some communities as civilian relief
committees. Frequently the activi-
ties OF the Home Service committees
were belittled by other chapter COM
n1ittn0c Thic "a
Home Service had not been clearly
defined. Now, through the efforts Of
the Bureau of Civilian Relief of the
Lake Division, headquarters at Cleve-
land, chapters have come to a clear
understanding of the vitalness of Red
Cross Home Service in relation to war
and complete victory.
But to the general public, notabl
In the socalled rural communities
Home Service is little better under
stood than it was by the chapters
matter of five months back.
So, what is Red Cross Home Service
and why?
Home Service must be the nations
assurance that the enlisted and con-
scripted mans family shall not suffer
for want of any essential thing within
the power of the nation to give.
The PubIic's Conception.
"Yes," says Mr.. Average Citizen,
"but isn't the government providing
war risk insurance, and will it not pro-
vide separation allowance where
| necessary? Isn't it fact that but
few men with dependents have been
called to arms? ?"
Mr.. Average Citizen, is correct, but
he is thinking only in terms of money
relief. And 1t is to convince him that
administration Of money relief is only
one of many features of Home Serv-
ice that this series of articles on the
| rudiments of Home Service have been
prepared.
Scan this brief summary of the op-
portunities confronting Home Service
committees in your county and you
| will agree that the opportunities have
become the duty and privilege of an
outstanding, patriotic, American citi-
zenship.
l. Conservation by service of hu-
man resources wherever deterioration
| is threatened in a soldiers or a sail
| or's home.
2. Temporary relief of families in
which there has been a delay in pay
| ments, or In which there is an emer-
| gency.
5. Responsibility for regular and
continued assistance in cases not
| covered by government allowance
| this includes families in need and res
| ident in the United States of men who
are in the service of our allies.
4. Personal service to the returned
soldier or sailor, especially when he
| is disabled.
5. An information service which
| will save time, trouble and anxiety for
lonely relatives of enlisted men.
6. Advancement of home standards
wherever possible, but especially
when the lack of help is likely to
cause family disintegration.
Sustains Soldiers Morale.
"Men may be the best soldiers in
the world q quote you from the
Manual of Home Service issued by
American Red Cross headquarters.
| Washington), but if things are not
| well with Lnolr IallllleS dI uOlle, tuey
lose efficiency through worry, and the
morale of the army-that all i'm
portant factor-begins to fail.
80 it is the patriotic duty as we'll
as the humanitarian opportunity Of
Home Service workers of the Ameri-
can Red Cross to care for lonely fam
! lilies Of our fighting men. It is TO he
remembered that they soon will be
fighting men in real earnest. Not
only our enemies, but our allies, and
the American people as well, will be
watching them.
EVERY report from the training
camps and from the French front
mentions the excellent spirit of our
troops. Will they maintain this
! morale while thousands of miles from
home, through trench life ard battle,
to the victorious end?
THE ANSWER WILL BE De
, TERMINED LARGELY BY TIE
, HOME SERVICE OF THE ANE39I,
CAV RED CROSS"
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