The Pleasantville press., 1924-11-08
RED CROSS DUTY
Toad VETERANS
Spends Nearly Four Millions in
Year to Lessen Burdens of
Disabled Soldiers.
SERVES $500 IN HOSPITAL S
Every Case Is Given individual
Service-AsSiSts Families of
These Men Everywhere.
SERVES $500 IN HOSPITAL S

Washington.-The need of individ
ual assistance by ex-serYice 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 Ted
Cross funds spent Tor disabled v,i,r.
ans and their dependents during Ae
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 oil
funds for the reason that the Red
Cross, through more than $500 Chap
ters in as many communities in he
United States has been called npcn
to help the ex-service men in making
out their applications for the adjusted
compensation granted in the so-called
bonus law.
58,7s7 Soldier Cases a Month
The Red Cross work for the dis.
abled soldier is designated home 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
sanatoria. averaged 33,951 cases a
month during the year. Assistance
to ex-service men and their depen-
dents averaged 58,767 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 2,60s
Chapters, an increase of 1S2 communi
ties where problems affected by the
war veterans condition required SO
luton through immediate and intelli
; gent assistance. The Chapters alone
expended some S2.000000 in this
work.
The transient disabled soldier. usu
ally suffering from disability or tuber
culosis. IS almost everywhere grave
problem From national funds the
past year $173.07636 was expended in
helping the Chapters to care for thess
wandering men.
According to government repor
there are $500 veterans in civilian in
stitutions, 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 73,7oo
OF a total OF "a 500 ex-service mer
in hospitals and other institutions 70.
700 were rendered a definite and spe
cialized service by the Red Cross
In a single month 4.1S5 new case,
were presented and a total of 20,12;
was acted upon-figures 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 extendi
many additional rights to disabled ex
service men viii reopen thousands o.
cases and require still greater Rec
Cross service.
When Congress granted q charter
to the American Red Cross it charged
the organization with the duty to ac
as the medium of communication be
tween the American people and then
Army and Navy" This responsibilit,
TO tHe euilSteu meu anu tuc4l ldtlullcs
is met every year without restriction
Serves Men on Active Service
The extent of this Red Cross activ
ity during the last year embraced 4
total of 1s5,246 cases. There wers
1896 separate soldiers and sailors
claims; 20,316 Investigations of homt
conditions; 11,421 cases related to dis
charges, furloughs, etc. Assistance
was given in 39,6sS 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 mslitary training camps the
Red Cross provided Information and
home service to the trainees. also N
struction in First Aid and Life Saving
The entertainment and recreation
events :. the various Army Sn5 Navy
hospitals reached nearly $500 during
the year, and occg pational therapy in
nine Naval hospitals gave constrne.
tive and beneficial results and occu
pied the time of patients in the max