The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-04-22

OT1HE conference on home service
 problems, which takes place on to- = day, promises to be deeply interest ing Illuminating talks will be given by experienced home service workers, ana there will be discussions of the problems that have arisen in the different locali- ties.
 This is the branch of the Red cross which is expanding, and which promises in be one of the most important in the immediate future.
 The morning and afternoon sessions Will be held in the private dining room or the T,nwiler hotel All who are interested ln inc subject of intelligent aid to the re- turntng soldiers and their families are ln- yited to be present.
 Five home service conferences Tor as uany localities in Alabama are pelhs planned by the civilian relief department of the gulf division, American Red Cross, ,,,itb headouarters in New Orleans. MT. Harry l.. Hopkins is director of this de- nartment, and has planned the confer ences in such way that each county It inc state of Alabama IS represeHleu Among the chief subjects for dlscussioh Ill he ..The Responsibilities of Home Service Not Yet Fulfilled by Homer '" f, tsorst ..Aftercare of Disabled Soldiers, nv John Melpolder the Advantages ol Home Service Education, by U. 1v,-cloff and the Future Peace Il-he prosranme," by Harry l.. Hopkins.
 rrba dates of the conferences are as TOT lows:
 Birmingham-April p, all day.
 Decatur-April g, all day and tolio"- : ing morning.
 Selma-April 9, all day.
 Mobile-April 29, all day.
 Trov-April 90, all day and folo"ihs morning.
 rho following statement has been gwen ont by the Red Cross as lnolcatihs 'ne work of home service: .o .E,iftv thousand families in the thIeo states of Mississippi, Alabama and Lotus ;sna, constituting the gulf division or the American Red Cross, were asslsteo uui ing 1918 by home servlce. pod .sHome service is the branch of the feo cross activities which specially ioohs o,,t for the families of fighting men. ~ is estimated that of the 2oO,ooo lahaiiiee of soldiers and sailors 1n tnese lhie ates at least 10 per cent VIII heeo eo tar
 ice sections during the coming yea
 are 226 home service sections now
 ,a pulf division-that IS, there afe oi. M everase of more than one 10 eVel3 co,4ty. and every county IS thorousni'
 ,ized. Among the tasks already per fo, d are these, the keeping or 1ainllies an, soldiers in closer touch through Neu " Cr channels than they otner"ise ~oau ee' ha been; helping to stralteh ou.
 
 nfl ,g for compensation in case Of injury ~ death In the near future two large ta are to be undertaken by home serV- ire First. assisting to convert the term inc rance which soldiers now carry in'o inc new forms of policy arranged py the %, nment Specific information as u fine ,ype of these policies and other spe- cial features is now in the hands or lhe ho @ service sections.
 hese and many other important serV- iccs combine to constitute home service' - of the most necessary Of war activl- t;e. and one which promises to continue its work far into peace times.
 "An important part of the work or tne pad Cross in the south is the provision ol onnortunities for training for those who are taking up home service Work
 Certainly no profession calls TOT higher equipment of tact and traihihs than the work that deals directly Wit family relations and proplems. ihorn' service has already developed worthy pro fessional standards, and it is certain thd; in this part of the country we shall no' w ant to fall below them
 At the opening of the war there were very few trained social workers In t1' nouth. It was difficult and not always satisfactory to secure them from th'