The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1919-06-04
Red Cross Home Service.


Red Cross Home Service is no longer
needed There is still much for this
department of the Red Cross to do.
Every soldier when discharged is ad-
vised to call at the Red Cross in his
own home town for any assistance OF
information he may need. Every re-
turned soldier and his family Will
need to know about their rights under
the War Risk Insurance law. the CIVIC
Relief Act or other legislation or reg
ulations for the benefit of soldiers ano
their families They will want to Know
how to keep their government lnsur-
ance from lapSing; how to flle claim
for compensation if injured or dls-
abled while in service: what plans the
government is perfecting to return
the discharged soldiers to industry:
how to apply for arrears OF pay;
how long the government allowance
to their families should continue; how
to apply for vocational training II IN
iured or disabled while in service. and
for assistance in tracing delayed al
lotments and allowances. 1t is not
necessary to write to Washington TO
learn these things. Washington sends
the latest information on these and
other points to Home Service sections
for the use of the soldier and his fam
ilv. and the Red Cross will answer all
inquiries accurately and promptly and
without charge.
Soon after our men arrived in the
various army cantonments at the be-
ginning of our part in the war. 1t was
found that the morale Of the soldiers
was not what it should be because
they were worried about their loved
ones at home. Then it was that the
Red Cross pledged itself to the soldiers
to stand between their families and
trouble and the Red Cross Home Ser
vice Section was organized for this
purpose. During the war the families
of men in service were sought out by
the Home Service Section and were
given any assistance needed. Many
times the allotment and allowance was
delayed and the family was suffering
for the necessities Of life. The Home
Service gave relief to the family,
traced the allotment and allowance
and gave the necessary financial as
sistance until the allotment and al
lowance was received. Often the fam
lily would be worried because the man
in service was not receiving their let
tiers or because they could not hear
from him. The Home Service through
the Red Cross Bureau of Communica-
ton would have the man interviewed.
give him news of his loved ones at
nome and give to his family informa-
ton concerning him. Some times the
wife or mother of a man in service
would come to the Home Service with
a. telegram telling the sad news OF
death or injury to the soldier. In this
case the Home Service would obtain
information as to the particulars of
the soldiers death or injury and any
other information sought for by the
family.
Many of our soldiers are still over
seas and others will have to spend
some time in camp. In the depressing
waiting they will lose heart more easl-
lv than before if things go wrong at
home. Red Cross Home Service must
continue-we are. pledged it shall-as
long as families are deprived of the
support of the soldiers presence. The
army is depending upon Home Ser
vice to instruct returning men about
keeping up insurance. compensation.
re-education and fitting back into in
dustry.
There is a large task ahead Of the
Red Cross in these days of demobillza-
ton and reconstruction. The Home
Service Section of this city has its part
to perform in this work. When the
office was opened in the City National
Bank Building in January 1919. we
had about sixty cases. 1t soon became
known that we had opened an office
to look after this work and the num-
ber increased by the first Of February
to about two hundred and we now
have on file about three hundred and
fifty cases. 1t is impossible for the
secretary to visit all these cases and
give them the time they require and
attend to the executive duties that
demand her attention. The Home Ser
vice is badly in need Of volunteer
workers who will give a part of their
time each week to this work. During
the war our community did its part
nobly. buying Liberty Bonds and War
Savings Stamps. making surgical
dressings knitting sweaters and
socks. and contributing to every
worthy cause We cannot stop now
that the war is over. There is still
much to be done and the Red Cross
Home Service Section offers "A field
for even wider service than that which
was performed during the war We
must do our best for the families Of
the men who are still in service and
we must give our service to the sol
dierS who served us so we'll in the
greatest war in history and who have
now returned to their homes. 1t isl
the patriotic and neighborlv duty of
every person in the city Of Sumter
who can render any assistance to get
in touch with the Home Service Sec
ton For any information in regard
the work. cali at the Home Ser
vice office 402 City National Bank
I,,,;l1;,e, op5 to1 with