Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1919-04-29
RED cRoss NOTES
Local Home Service Section Dstsaa-
ton Attends Conference Of New
England Division Chapters last
Week at Boston,


The Augusta Ped Cross Home
Service Section delegation passed
LAST Thursday and Friday IN Boston
attending the conference Of chapters
Of the New England Division of the
American Red cross. The deiega-
Ion vas composed of Miss HAYNES.
superintendent Of the Home Service
Section Of the local chapter. and
Mss Anne Bibber. executive sec-e-
-ary. They report that for Home
Service workers. the most significant
event Of the conference was the new
conception of Home Service brought
ont IN the address Of J. Byron Dea-
con. acting director general of
Civilian Relief at National head
quarters and N the open discussion
by the delegates which followed his
address.
The announcement recently made
by The Red Cross that Home Service
would continue its work with civil
ans where such work was needed
after the war emergency obligations
had been met was thoroughly dis
cussed. The general function OF
Home Service M Deacon SAID IS 10
help families VINO face misfor-unes.
The grave difficulties 7 mean" he
continued. are 10, merely those Of
the vicious, the shiftiess. the nerer-
do weIl-charry' chronic objects
hut Of the people who are ordinarily
Independent anu self-respec..ng who
have come upon ev,l days. OF
course. MAN. Of these families have
friends 70 whom they can urn in
their extremity. But there are many
who are not so fortunate. The latter
suffer needlessiy.
Il vas 70 prevent and minimize
sucn loss 4 soldiers anu sailors
families that Home Service vas es-
tabiishea: and it is designed 10 sx-
tend that service TO civilian families
as well. \ child -ails sick ana a
nurse or a doctor IS needed. 4
mother dies leaving children 10 find
foster homes \ mill closes: ne
father e thrown cut OF work mis-
savings ara exhausted: mis- credit
likewise. and 4 loan must De maze or
credit guaranteed. \ young man
develops tuberculosis ana would
glad. go 20 a sanitoyilm Il ne knew
Of is existence or the terms upon
which ne would be accepted A lad
becomes unruly and his distracted
parents would gladly accept The as
sistauce NJ a man who understands
AMI can influence children Z he knew
where 30 turn for such assistance
M Deacon pointed out that n
less than TWO years 5000 Home SeIT-
ice Sections had been organized n
chapter n adquar-ers communities.
which. with their branches. extend
10 $1,000 cities. towns and villages L
this country Less than dozen
counties IN The United States have
failed 20 organize Home Service Sec
lions. There are only 1is cities and
towns which hare 4 population Of
ever 5000 and less than 500 ct these
rad any community wide agency in
.erested 20 help people who ara IN
fortunate. Home SERVICE has cared
for over half million soldiers ana
sailors families. or one out Of every
eight families that had a man n
service Thirty thousand men and
women constitute the Home Service
working force and all but l4en are
serving as volunteers
Nj Deacon emphasized that the
work of Home Service had not Seen
duplicated by any other agency dur
ing the war and that it would not
be duplicated during peace since
Home Service. after rehabilitation.
would continue only where welfare
examinations do not ALREADY exist
This means. however. that ii IS posi-
bic for Home Service 70 continue N
all but about 500 Of the 5000 places
where II now exists. In the New
England Division there are over 100
cities and towns with a population
of over 5000 but lezs than one-third
Of these have i family welfare or
ganiEa,ion-
It was made quite clear that the
tierision az To whether or not Home
Service should be extended IN any
gwen community rests with the LEGAL
chapter and not with Division and
National Headquarters of the Red
Cross. In order 10 maintain the high
est efficiency Of this work. those Of
Aces will establish standards and as
sjst Home Service sections TO i've up