The north Mississippi herald. (Water Valley, Yalobusha Co., Miss.) 1888-1929, 1919-05-23
LOCAL RED CROSS
PLAN EXTENSION OF
HOME SERVICE WORK


Miss Mary Mcleod, Home Service
Representative of the Red Cross was
in Water Valley Monday and Tues
day Of last week talking over the
work with the local chapter. Flans
are being made to finish up lie var
work which is becoming very he. Wy
now. "Many people do not realize
that Home Service unlike some other
branches of the Rea Cross work is
becoming heavier all the time" said
Miss Mcleod This is because of
the men being discharged rapidly
the army been aided by military de-
partments. Now that they are be-
coming civilians, they appeal to Home
Service for solution of their difficult
ties which are many. 1t is surpris-
ing how many tangles are found in
matters of allotments and allow
ances, insurance, compensation, be-
sides the very satisfying work of
finding men who have been lost and
bringing news of their whereabouts
to their anxious families. Most peo-
pie know of the work Home Service
has done in sending letters to fami-
lies and to the men from their fami-
hes, news secured concerning pris-
oners and the last hours of men who
have paid the great price, photogra-
ply of graves and other work which
is easy to see and hear about. Not
so much is known about the steady
continuous work done for families of
men whose absence has worked a
hardship.
One very important part of the
work now is that which is known as
the After Care. This work is car
ried on in cooperation with the Vo-
cational Bureau of the government
which provides for the care and re-
education of disabled men. Many
remarkable things have been done in
making over for new work men have
lost one or both limbs or eyes, have
been gassed or otherwise incapaci-
tated. One of the greatest prob
lens in this connection, however, is
the man who has tuberculosis. The
Home Service Is helping these men
to know they can secure government
compensation for their families which
will enable the men themselves to go
to sanitorium where they can re-
cover and perhaps live many years
able to care for their families. 1t is
surprising at times to find that men
do not realize the danger of neglect
ing treatment in the first stages Of
tuberculosis and that it is better for
their families to do without them for
a year or so than to lose them alto
gether, even tho they do not consid-
er their own danger. The govern
ment has recently when disposing Of
nearby camps given over the hos
pitals at Camp Sheridan and Camp
Beauregard to the public health SER
vice for the care of tuberculosis
cases. This will mean that soon be-
tween three and four thousand beds
will be available in the Gulf Divi-
sion for the cure of the large num-
ber of people so affected. 1t is
most desirable that people receive
treatment near their homes and
friends where they can be cured as
well as "out West" where loneliness
interferes with their best progress.
This work with tuberculosis will
eventually be touched in connection
with civilians in the big peace time
program which has just been an
nounced from National Headquarters
of the Red Cross. The Gulf Divi-
sion has just completed a series Of
conferences in Mississippi at which
this permanent program was present
ed by Mr.. Harry l.. Hopkins Director
of Civilian Relief in the Gulf Divi-
sion. The series of conferences be-
gan at Grenada May s, then at Tupe-
10 May z, Meridian May 8, Hatties-
burg May 8. Mr.. Homer w. Borst
talked about the completion of the
war work, Mr.. Wyckoff talked about
the educational features, and Mr..
Melpolder about the After Care.
Rev. Philip Davidson of Greenville
talked at Grenada on "The Red
Cross touching American Life"
The peace time work is to be COM
munity welfare work along lines
which each place feels special need.
This may be child welfare or some
other line, but in no case will there
be duplication. For this reason
the Red Cross will not 60 into places
where highly developed agencies
are already doing the work. Many
of the smaller cities are recognizing
their own needs, and there are tre-
mendous possibilities IN the rural dis
tricts and towns. The Home Service
program for work with families viii
be aided later on by the Nursing
Service of the Red Cross which win
be able to furnish public health nurs-
es who are so much needed in the
working out of family and commune
ty problems tuberculosis, typhoid
fever, malaria, and other prevCntahie
diseases must be eliminated, says the
modern world and we must begia /.
for it will all take time and patience
and continuous effort.