River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1924-10-23
RED CROSS DUTY
TO AID VETERANS
Spends Nearly Four Millions in
Year to Lessen Burdens of
Disabled Soldiers.
SERVES $500 IN HOSPITALS
Every Case Is Given Individual
Service-Assists Families of
These Men Everywhere.
SERVES $500 IN HOSPITALS

ulately after the end or the World
War. For six years this work has
been foremost of all Red Cross ser,
vices, and in emphasizing the steady
public support of this work the Red
Cross National Headquarters urges
the largest enrolment this year dur
ing the membership campaign open.
ing on Armistice Day, November IL.
Nearly four million dollars of Red
Cross funds spent for disabled veter-
ans and their dependents during the
year ended June 80 last presents some
idea of the magnitude of this work.
The current year. it is estimated, will
call for still further disbursements of
funds for the reason that the Red
Cross, through more than $500 Chap
ters in as many communities in the
United States, has been called upon
to help the ex-service men in making
out their applications for the adjusted
compensation granted in the so-called
bonus law.
5s,767 Soldier Cases Month
The Red Cross work for the dis
abled soldier is designated "hoRe SER
vice" for it gives individual attention
to the man and his family approx
mating the interest and loving care
of the home. Such service in the hos
pitfalls, camps, soldiers homes and
Senatorial averaged 33.951 cases a
month during the year Assistance
to ex-service men and their depen-
dents averaged 5S.767 cases a month
In addition, the Red Cross in the last
twelve months provided $4,000 recre-
alton and entertainment events in the
hospitals and camps.
Thus the Red Cross, symbolized as
the Greatest Mother" Still watches
over these many thousands of men,
comforts them, helps to tighten the te-
dunn of their physical reconstruction,
and in their homes lifts some of the
burdens from their "own people"
Work in Communities increases
The home service of the Red Cross
was the most pressing duty of 2,609
! Chapters, an increase of 1872 communi.
ties where problems affected by the
war veterans condition required So
luton through immediate and intelli.
gent assistance. The Chapters alone
expended some S2,000,0O0 in this
work.
The transient disabled soldier, usu.
ally suffering from disability or tuber.
culosis, is almost everywhere a grave
problem. From national funds the
past year $173.076.36 was expended in
helping the Chapters to care for these
wandering men.
According to government report
there are 1890 veterans in civilian in.
situations, and in the national homes
for soldiers the complications are in.
creasing. The large groups OF pa
tients whose claims have been disal-
lowed, OF veterans of foreign wars,
and the great number of men perma,
nently resident in these institutions
call for Red Cross work which can.
not be avoided nor denied.
Definite Service TO 1900
or total of $4,000 ex-service men
in hospitals and other institutions 49,
700 were rendered a definite and spe-
cialized service by the Red Cross.
In single month 4,1S5 new cases
were presented and a total of 20,125
was acted upon-fgures which serve
to illustrate the magnitude of the in.
formation and claims service engag.
ing the attention of Red Cross work.
ers. New veteran legislation amend
ing the War Risk act which extends
many additional rights to disabled ex.
service men win reopen thousands Of
cases and require still greater Red
Cross service.
When Congress granted a charter
to the American Red Cross it charged
the organization with the duty to act
as "the medium of communication be-
tween the American people and, their
Army and Navy" This responsibility
to the enlisted men and their families
is met every year without restriction
Serves Men on Active Service
The extent Of this Red Cross activ.
ity during the last year embraced a
total of 1925 cases. There were
1895 separate soldiers and sailors
claims; 20,316 investigations of home
conditions; 11,421 cases related TO dis
charges, furloughs, etc. Assistance
Nas given in 39,SSS instances for per.
sonal, business or family problems;
744, 220 visits were made to the sick
or disabled, and nearly 10000 letters
and kilograms dispatched to the
homes of enlisted men.
From June to September at the nu.
merous military training camps the
Red Cross provided information and
home service to the trainees, also in
struction in First Aid and Life Saving.
The entertainment and recreation
events at the various Army and Navy
hospitals reached nearly $500 during
the year, and occupational therapy in
nine Naval hospitals gave construc-
tive and beneficial results and occu.
pied the time Of patients in the MAX.
ing OF useful and ornamental things.