Emmons County record. [volume] (Williamsport, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1884-current, 1919-01-23

works through Walter Reed. is and will he bound
NJ with the hopes Of thousands OF men and their
families. Working with these army doctors ana
surgeons is the American Red Cross helping to
complete the bridge between the families and the
men during their separation, through its commune
cation SERVICE its various hospital services and IN
all kinds Of ways through its home service, from
buying buttons or pricing q certain KIND OF
spiral puttees on some boys request. to arranging
for his war risk insurance, or perhaps hospital
treatment for some member of mans family In
far.away town.
In the convalescent house there is the great
open fireplace with It's cracking fire, books flow
ers. games, music. Every week one Of the Wash
ington theaters sends out several Of Its acts.
After classes the men pour in, some Of those who
have lain so helpless weeks before, now In
wheeled chairs engrossed In some handwork, yet
eager for the music and the fun. Others come to
say "good-by" before the visit home You would
not guess that this boy had ever lost leg, or
that an artificial arm could become dexterOus
as some you see here.
A leaf from the Red Cross entertainment book
is interesting. These events. planned from the
outside are arranged through application to the
recreatlonal staff Of the Red Cross at the post
Here are characteristic items: Seventy boys to
Keiths theater and supper one hundred boys to
Mount Vernon; three boys to birthday party for
Sergeant; forty-ave on sightseeing bus tour.
and so on and on.
"Why, sergeant, where is your new leg
thought you were proud Off" one Of the work
ers calls to boy OH a crutch II loaned 1t to
Jim. He had pass to go to town." he answers
A boy. wearing carefully wrapped puttees,
comes along in wheeled chair. did you find
out about those other puts?" he asks 1.-THE Red
Cross lady" "Yes, and there is only one pair in
town and they cost twelve dollars" Il guess
We'll have to go without" he says and there fol-
lows an interested conversation about package
to be addressed to a girl back home.
young boy who had lost one leg and one foot
was having attached for the first time the arti
fetal leg which, with crutch he was
going to try to walk. To support himself he had
one arm around his army surgeon, the other
around the Red Cross man. He was making great
bravado. though his face was white When the
apparatus was attached he asked to sit down.
The surgeon and the Red Cross man helped him
into chair. With a long sigh he seitled the
new" leg firmly on the floor and then flung what
was left of the other leg over It, Though the
beads Of sweat were still on his face he looked up
pertly with his head cooked. "Gee!" he said, III
YOU hadn't crossed your legs for eleven months
you'd know how feel"
These men of those who have given their
breasts bulwark and their blood moat." They
have given too great a thing to need any kind of
sympathy except the supreme one of understand
Ing. The medical department Of the army and
the Red Cross make a cycle Of enort-soclal
human, physical; mental. In this work of recon-
struction there may be found. literally life more
abundant, As these men leave hospital and uni
form, and come back to the familiarstrange civil.
ian world. the public will take up its part; and
each man will be, II he utilities the opportunities
open to him. and society does not exploit him, an
independent asset In place Of dependent or a
charity liability.