Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1918-04-17
To PUSH BUILDING OF
RED CROSS HOUSES
Home Service Work For Army Camps
Stressed In Conference At OiW-
sion Headquarters


A very important conference touch
ing the work of the American Red
Cross in the army camps Of the South
ern Division was held in Atlanta few
days ago. There were present not
only Col. w. L. Peel, Division Manag-
er; c. B. Bidwell, Associate Manager,
and q. Bennett Phelps, Division Direc-
tor OF the Bureau of Military Relief, to-
gether with number Of the Red Cross
Field Directors and Assistant Field
Directors from the camps, but
also, W. Frank Persons, Director Gen.
eral Of Civilian Relief; Henry S.
thompson, National Director of the
Bureau of Camp Service, and Charles
E. Fox, Assistant Director Of Camp
Service in charge of construction.
A number Of important matters
were discussed, amol them being the
personnel in the training camps, the
building and manning Of the Red Cross
houses for convalescents in the camps,
and the appointment Of directors for
these houses, instructions regarding
hospital information service, and the
relation Of the Home Service depart
ment to the department Of Military
Relief and the Importance of Home
Service to the men in the training
camps and in the trenches, which
latter was taken up with the field dl-
fectors by Mr.. Persons.
The volume Of Home Service work
to be done necessitates the appoint
ment Of an associate field director in
charge Of home service who will work
with the regular field director in the
camp. There will also be Home Ser
vice director on every transport that
carries American troops to France, so
that every soldier who leaves family
or business worries behind may have
someone to whom to turn for help and
advice. The problem Of keeping up
the morale of the army by making
them understand that their families
are well looked after while they are
away as we'll as that of helping to
maintain a normal standard Of living
in the families where the men are
away belongs to the Home Service or
Civilian Relief Department.
"At the time Of the Napoleonic
campaigns said Mr.. Persons, "it was
estimated that the morale of the army
was more important than ammunition
in the ratio Of to 1. In the present
war, one of the greatest English gen.
erals has estimated the ratio as 8 to
1. Home Service is more important
to the United States troops than to
those Of England and France, because
the French and English soldiers have
two weeks leave every 80 days, can
return to their homes and look after
their most pressing business affairs
for themselves. But the American
soldier who goes to France will proc
ably stay in France until the end Of
the war, and it is only through the
Home Service Department Of the Red
Cross that his mind can be relieved
from all worry concerning affairs at
home so that his entire attention can
be concentrated on soldering"
Many illustrations Of the value Of
Home Service in the training camps
Of this country were given by the
Field Directors, and the duties Of the
men in charge Of this branch OF the
work outlined.
Henry S. Thompson, national direc-
tor of the Bureau Of Camp Service,
spoke on the duties Of the military
field directors in the camps and their
relation to the Home Service Directors
In the same camps.
The building Of the Red Cross
houses in 40 army camps in this coun-
try was then taken up by Charles z.
Fox, assistant director Of Camp Ser
vice in charge of construction, and the
purpose Of these houses was explain
ed to the Field Directors and assist
ants who we're present. Quarters and
a place Of amusement will be provided
in these houses for convalescent SOL
diers who are we'll enough to leave the
hospitals and yet not well enough to
return to active duty, as well as ac-
commodations for the families Of men
who are i'll enough to make it neces-
sary to send for their relatives. 1t is
being planned that large part Of the
furniture for these houses shall be
made by the older boys in the
Junior Red Cross auXiliaries.
The construction in the camps
of the Southern Division will be SUI
pervised by John r. Dillon of Atlanta,
of the firm of Morgan & Dillon, archi-
tects, who has volunteered his SER
vices to the Southern division for any
sort of architectural work
Men trained in work similar TO that
of the Home Service department are
wanted at once for work in the camps
and on the transports. All applications
in this division should be made to
Joseph C. Logan, Director of Civilian
Relief.