The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1920-10-14


her children. 1t is individual IL Is
friendly and it goes far beyond recrea-
ton and entertainment.
For, if there is any time when
Teller needs a friend" it is the period
when a disabled soldier is trying to
find himself after his world has been
turned upside down. No matter how
self-sufficient and self-reliant the veter-
an has been before he went through
'Sherman's He'll" he needs help then
lin fact. the more he relied on him.
self the more he is apt to need serv-
ices. And it is often the case that
the veteran needs help quite as much
to protect him from himself as from
the world in general. For many OF
these fine fellows are not themselves,
1t must be remembered, and will not
be themselves for many a day.
And many of them are without ties
of any kind-literally without kin and
available friends. So the service these
disabled veterans receive from the
"Greatest Mother" is literally without
money and without price.
Red Cross workers in the hospitals
are in persona, touch with each man
from the time he enters the receiving
ward until he is discharged. Why?
There are troubles to be Strengthened
out In connection with the compensa-
tion money the government owes him
for his disability; reading matter,
writing material and other incidentals
to be supplied; checks to be cashed,
and letters to be written to the people
back home Whatever the service
buying a toothbrush or untangling a
love affair-the patients find Red
Cross workers ready for help. The
work is not spectacular, yet 1t is es-
sentiai TO their welfare and content.
The United States public health
service was given the responsibility
of providing hospital and sanatorium
treatment for the sick and disabled
discharged soldiers, sailors and ma
rines a year ago last March. By a
recent ruling of congress additional
ment of the men in soldiers homes
and available army and navy hospitals.
When the public health service hos
pitfalls were opened, 1T was recognized
that the medical care and attention
Of the doctors and nurses was not all
of the men. They must have recrea-
ton and comforts and must be linked
up with their homes. The service
was prevented by legal limitations
from supplying such conveniences and
the American Red Cross was asked
to take part in the work. Through
this arrangement thousands of service
men were assured that in their fight
against sickness or disability the in
terest of the Greatest Mother would
not wane.
In May, 1919, there were twenty-five
hospitals being operated by the public
health service. Today there are fifty,
with six scheduled soon to open. The
original bed capacity has been In
creased five times. With the expan-
sion of the work, the Red Cross has
increased its activities and at present
is providing medical social service In
ali hospitals Of the public health
service.
1t has furnished hospital supplies,
clothing for the men and material for
bead work, basketry and other forms
OF occupational therapy. 1t maintains
workers in the Offices of the district
supervisors of the public health serv-
ice, where the men are interviewed
and examined and where they file their
claims for disability. The staff of Red
Cross workers in the supervisors Office
in Boston, for instance, comes in con-