Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1920-08-04
ABOUT RED CROSS work

Inc WORK Oh the american Red
Cross in army camps, on battle fields
and for the men and women in service
and their families during the time OF
war is very generally understood and
appreciated by the public at large.
That this IS true. is abundantly prov
en- by the very generous support Civ
en- to the Red Cross during the war
by all classes of people. The work of
the American Red Cross in time of
disaster such as FIRE, floods, earth
quakes, outbreak of pestilence as in
the case of the epidemic of influenza a
year or two ago, is also well known
and appreciated.
Members of Red Cross committees
at the present time very generally
ind their position a somewhat more
difficult one, than it was during the
war for the reason that people do not
understand what the Red Cross NAV
and should do now that the actual
fighting is over and there is no more
need for surgical dressings, knitted
garments and army. People know
that the Red Cross in practically every
county In the state is in possession of
large sums of money. They know
also that large sums are in the possess
sion ofthe Division and National Head
quarters. The people who desire to
money or what should be done with it,
are the same generous public who
gave the money, and their interest is
welcomed by the Red Cross and their
desire to be informed concerning Red
Cross activities is entirely suitable.
The Red Cross, perhaps for reasons
Af - rAr,rrN -.
same extensive publicity that it did
during the war. The reasons for this
are obvious. However, any citizen
who really wishes to know, may read
the Red Cross Magazine copies of
which should be in every community;
they may read the newspapers; they
may consult the Red Cross free bulle-
tins, issued monthly, which may be
found at the Chapter Headquarters;
and they may discuss the subject with
mittee. The Red Cross as an organi-
zation would welcome such investiga-
ton and be the gamer by it.
The executive secretary engaged by
the Vernon County Chapter Execu-
tive Committee who has been in
charge for the past three and one-half
months, left the Chapter the first of
August. The committee has arrang
ed to leave the work and the Red
Cross office, which is now located in
the Court House, in charge of YER
non county ex-service man, Mr.. Theo-
dore M. Crary of Hillsboro. Mr..
Crary has been working with the sec
Mrs. j. r. Sweeny, for some
time past and the committee believes
that he will be able to complete sat
the work which remains
to be done in what is called in Red
Cross circles, the 'War Job.
The work of the Red Cross at the
present time may be explained as fol-
lows: The money which is on hand
in the Red Cross treasures, was rails
ed chiefly during the time of the
World War and was given by the peo-
pie for the benefit of the men and
women in the service. The needs of
the men and women who served their
country during the war do not cease
with the cessation of hostilities. Sol
diers and sailors return from the war
with arrears of pay due them in the
form of travel pay, unpaid allotments,
unpaid allowances, failure to receive
pay for several months due to having
been in hospitals and unable to sign
the payroll when the rest of the COM
pany did so, refunds on Liberty Bonds
and from various other sources. They
return from service very frequently
suffering from the resu is of injury,
exposure or illness undergone during
The widows and parents of
men killed in service or who have died
as the result of gas or wounds re-
ceived in the service, require assist
ance to present their claims in proper
shape to the government.
The United States Government has
provided for it's ex-service men and
women through several different Of
fees. Money payments due to arrears
of pay, etc. are usually paid through
the discharged and enlisted mems pay
branch of the treasury, bureau Great
ed solely to attend to these matters;
all matters of Insurance are attended
to through the insurance division of
the bureau of war risk insurance
which is a department of the United
States treasury and compensation
claims are attended to through the
compensation and claims section of
the bureau of war risk insurance. 1t
is not generally understood (often not
even by the soldiers themselves tnat
and insurance are abso-
lutely separate and distinct. Insur-
ance is entirely business arrange
ment between the man in service and
the government and any insurance
man Tor his family receive, the man
has paid for just as mech as any cit
izen has paid for any life insurance
in a private company. 1t is true that
the government did bear the war-risk.
In all other respects, the rates are
based on the standard American sched-
ule of mortality statistics. If man
bought insurance he or his family get
it when it falls due in the regular
way, otherwise not.
Compensation is an entirely differ
ent matter, and is the name given to
three distinct things:
/. A certain amount of cash paid
- ~ ,,,ar Y,or ,x,or4b for a disability