The public ledger. [volume] (Maysville, Ky.) 1913-1968, 1919-07-15
RED CROSS CARES
FOR THE SOLDIER
THROUGH ALL Time
American Red Cross Plays Mother to
Soldiers Through All Their Ex-
perlences and Even to
Their Homes.

Since the first call to arms, the CHIEF
aim of the American Red Cross has
been comfort and welfare Of the Amer.
lean soldier. Care of the returning
soldier falls into three branches: Mis-
cellaneous Service for the comfort and
welfare of Soldiers, Home Service in
the Camp, and Recreation.
1t is difficult to say which of these
is the most important, so greatly does
each depend on the other, weaving an
all-covering mantle of comfort and
relief that spreads over each and ev-
cry soldier.
The soldier is not discouraged, but
he can't help thinking, as he lies there
in the base hospital, with his stump
of an arm or his twisted knee, and
waits for the transport that will take
him home.
When the day comes at last, he is
carried on a stretcher. Beside him are
a pair of new pajamas, Red Cross
comfort kit and plenty of smokes"
Aboard there is Red Cross man with
his hands always filled with "extras"
tai, there is the same old Red Cross
smile and the succession of sand
witches, pies and coffee. At night,
while the train speeds towards the
army hospital near his own town,
there are the canteen women at the
stopping places.
When the soldier reaches the con-
valescent stage, there is the Red Cross
house with its home-like features,
easy chairs, rugs, music, games, books,
newspapers and magazines, the fire.
place, the sun parlor or the porch, ac-
cording to the season On fine days
there is the Motor Corps that takes
the soldiers for delightful country
spins. 1t is by these many small at
tentions. that mean so much, that the
Red Cross endeavors to make getting
we'll" easy. A sick or wounded SOL
der does not get we'll soon If his mind
is not happily attuned and his person
al troubles at rest.
Sick, convalescent or well, sol 'ier
may have recourse to Home Service
one phase of Red Cross work. Anx-
iety over home affairs-uncertainty
over the safety and welfare of 20 t
ones-have done more to weaken the
morale of the men than the most griev-
Gus wounds received in battle, or even
the endurance of short raticns, or try
ing days and nights under fire Red
Cross Home Service endeavors to
bridge the gap between the s1ldier and
his home, and to act as the intervening
agent to whom all petitions may be
trusted and all cares consigned. Five
hundred Red Cross Home Service rep
resentatives are working in the camps
of this country and in the army hos
pitfalls, w'lh their $4,000 patients
Among the latest innovations are
the banking agencies, established in
twenty two rehabilitation camps, I'M
der the authority of some nearby
clearing house or bank, enabling
discharged soldier to deposit part of
his discharge money for transmission
to any bank he may designate, in ex-
change for non-negotiable receipt
At Camp Taylor alone, $152,215 was
deposited in this way within the space
Of eleven days.
The breadth and scope of the Red
Cross program, planned for the bene-
fit of the returning soldier, is readily
He cannot feel neglected
or forlorn as long as the Red Cross is
with him, and surely no possible COM
fort, no possible need has been over
looked. The three great arms work
together amicably, smoothly, jointly,
each performing the tasks that fall
within its immediate field, yet extend
ing its activity to dovetail happily
with the other branches. In the field,
in the camp, in the home, the Red
Cross in omnipresent wherever the
soldier goes or wherever his interests
lie. 1t knows no armistice, In its
fight against sickness, worry, despair
or trouble, as they affect the American
soldier.