Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1924-11-28
RED CROSS DUTY
TOAD 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.


ual assistance by ex-service men and
their families from the Red Cross is
as pressing today as it was imme-
diately after the end of 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 veier
ans and their dependents during the
year ended June 80 last presents some
idea Of the magnitude of this wcrk.
The current year, it is estimated, wiz
call fer still further disbursements OF
funds for the reason that the Red
Cross, through more than $500 Chap
ters in as many communists in the
United States, has been called upon
to help the ex-service men in making
out their applications fer the adjusted
compensation granted in the so-called
sonus law.
58,767 Soldier Cases a Month
The Red Cross work for the dis
abled soldier is designated "keme SER
vice." for It gives individual attention
TO tae man and mis- family approx
mating the interest and bsving care
e the home. Such service Ia the hos
pitfalls, camps, soldiers hemes and
sanatoria, averaged 1881 cases a
month during the year. Assistance
to ex-service men and their Deepen.
dents averaged 5S,767 cases month.
IN addition, the Red Cross Ia the last
twelve months provided 80 900 reore-
alton and entertainments exenes in tae
hospitals and camps.
Thus the Red Cross. sExneohsed az
the Greatest Mother" STA watches
over these many thousands ct men,
comforts them, helps to Tighten the ts-
dunn Of their physical reconstruction.
and In their homes lifts some Of tho
burdens from their "own people"
Work in Communities Increases
The home service Of ase Red Cross
was the most pressing duty OF f.6os
Chapters. an increase of 1S2 communal
ties where problems affected by the
war veterans condition required so
luton through immediate and intelli-
gent assistance. The Chapters alene
expended some $4,000 In this
work.
The transient disabled soldier, Hsu-
ally suffering from disability or tuber-
culosis. is almost everywhere a grave
problem. From national funds the
past year s173.076.36 was expended In
helping the Chapters to care for these
wandering men,
According to government report
there are 1900 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
OF total of $4,000 ex-service men
in hospitals and other institutions 49,
700 were rendered defpite and spe-
cialized service by the Red Cross.
In a single month 4,1S5 new cases
were presented and a total of 2o,125
was acted upon-fgures which serve
to il1ustrate~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 will reopen thousands Of
cases and require still greater Red
Cross service.
When Congress granted charter
to the American Red Cross 1t 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 Services
The extent of this Red Gross activ-
ity during the last year embraced a
total of 1926 cases. There were
S6,995 separate soldiers and sailors
claims; 2o,316 Investigations of home
conditions; 11,421 cases related to dis
charges, furloughs. etc. Assistance
was given in Ss,6SS instances for per-
sonal, business or family problems:
744,22O 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 II
nine Naval hospitals gave censtruc
tive and beneficial results and occc.
Il ~