The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1921-05-11

-ors?" This quetion is asked every
day. II is a short question, but 1t
requires long answer. Description
is dificult for two reasons:
Tine service is supplementary
to that which the Government has,
undertaken. 1t is so inextricably in.
terwoven with the work of other or
CARNATIONS that final results cannot
be attributed exclusively to any one.
2.-The service includes all sorts
of assistance, depending upon the
needs Of the man.. One man may
need laundry bag while another
needs lawyer. The service can
never be standardized in way to
yield statistical results giving COM
plete picture Of the benefits conferr-
ed. There are. statistics which are
indicative of some phases of the
story and these will be given later,
but the human, personal service.
which Red Cross workers have been
taught to provide for the men. can
not be represented by figures.
i BY far the greater part of the
Work done by the Red Cross for dis
abled men is accomplished by the
Chapters. 1t is this organization OF
''neighbors'' of the soldier and his
family that comes most often in con-
tact with him. OF the 3,640 Chap
ters-approximately one for each
county in the United States-on Feb
ruary 1, 1921, more than $500 were
still maintaining a service for dis
abled men. First, the Chapter acts
as the mans agent for all claims he
has against the Government. This
involves helping him fill out the
numerous and detailed applications,
get the necessary affidavits and pres
ent his claim in the proper manner.
This is in itself technical, often a
difficult, job. Compensation claims,
insurance claims, allowance and al
lotment claims, application for medi-
cal treatment or hospital service, re-
instatement of insurance, lost liberty
bonds, back pay, bonuses, travel pay,
subsistence allowance, drill pay,
aviation pay, communication of rations
are some of the different claims
(which a man may have. In the be-
ginning he is instructed how. to get
directly in touch with the proper
Government bureau in Washington
!, or its district Office, which may be
one of many.
Next, the Chapter calls the mat
ter to the Governments attention. If
the man fails to get action within a
reasonable length of time, the case
routed through Red Cross channels
for a personal inquiry by the Ma
tional Headquarters of the American
Red Cross, as to what is holding up
the case. OF such follow-up cases,
an average of 1850 on compensation
and insurance, 1900 on allowance
and allotment, 200 on liberty bonds
still undelivered by the Government
and 400 on miscellaneous matters
are coming through National Head
quarters each month. In about $50
cases, each month. the Red Cross
National Headquarters secures and
transmits information requested by
the Government.
What, besides putting a disabled
man in touch with the Government,
does CHAPTER do for him? This Is
Zone OF the places where statistics
fail to tell the story. II the man Is
in trouble of any sort the Chapter
tries to help him out. II his wife or
children are sick, If he is in legal
difficulties, II he is discouraged
whatever it is, the Chapter worker
tackles II and tries, by giving care
full study to the mans situation, To
help him to work out some plan that
will set him on the road to seifsup-
port. While the man is waiting for
his claims to be paid by the Govern
ment, the Red Cross helps him
financially IL he is in genuine need
During the last year the Red Cross
Chapters have spent more than ST.
10000 in service and in financial
assistance to these men and their
families. The records indicate that
on the average the Chapters were
serving 100000 families per month
Rather curiously, it is occasionally
necessary for the Red Cross rep
resentative to persuade man t.
take advantage of what the Govern
ment has to offer. Sometimes his
family fails to understand what the
Government provides and counsels
him against applying for training
III. Ia