Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1926-10-27
VETERANS STILL
NEED RED CROSS
Aid to Disabled Men increases
as Problems and Legislation
Bring Complications.
10000 MEN DIE EACH YEAR
Many Entitled to Benefits Still
uniformed of lust Claims
to Compensation.

Eight years after the World War
ands service to disabled veterans stiu
major responsibility OF the Ameri
can Red Cross.
This situation 10 due to the increas-
ing problems involved and the com
plsx character OF veteran legislation.
There 10 also IN increase In numbers
OF death cases" handled, as com
pared with claims for living veterans,
though the work for the latter 70
mains heavy. About "a, zoe sx-ssrvice
men are dying each year. q consider.
able percentage OF these having serv-
Disconnected disabilities.
In q majority OF cases, Red Cross
Chapters find their assistance Ia need.
ed in helping dependents present
their claims for death compensation,
insurance payments, bonus. burial al
lowances, and other government ben.
ehts due them. An episode of the
past year illustrates the difficulties
frequently encountered by the Red
Cross experts In rendering such as
sistance. A veteran dying from serv.
ice-connected disease, was trying from
his bedside to establish at that late
time his claim for Government aid to
his family. and the necessary proofs
were in q physicians records across
Tr nh in
the needed afhdavits before IL was too
hate, . crosscontinent airplane fight
was necessary, then . Red Cross
Chapter In Pennsylvania hurried the
Investigation. sending the papers
back to the veteran and his Red
Gross helpers In Oregon. by air-mail.
1t reached there In time.
Anotherndisoovery in Red Cross as
sistancs 10 veterans and their fami-
lies is that mxny dependents OF these
men unquestionably entitled TO Gov
eminent aid, have struggled along,
ignorant Of thsirsrights.
approximately 2,es6 Red Gross Chap
ters carry on Home Service work, In
assistance to veterans and their dam
lilies The Chapters also conduct
campaign among veterans for REIN
statement and conversion of their
term insurance Among Its other du-
ties, the Red Cross assumed al the
request of the Canadian Government
the administration of g fund allotted
TO the care of Canadian disabled vet
Grams living in the United States.
In the United States the Red Cross
assisted an average of about $4,000
disabled veterans and their families
every month in the past fiscal year.
Indicating the size of this undertake
ing, National Headquarters OF the
Red Cross expended H,641,17s.1S on
disabled veterans alone, and $509,-
4s1. 72(on assistance to men on active
duty with the Army, Navy and Marine
Corps, while Red Cross local Chap
tiers expended a total OF S1,gS7 600.
Red Cross assistance to service men
oyershadowed every other phase OF
it's program, even it's disaster relief.
until the Florida hurricane.
Help for veterans covers many de-
mands, from temporary aid until Gov
eminent claims are adjusted or until
the ex-soldier Is properly hospitalizes,
to extending capital loans to rehabili-
tated veterans endeayoring to become
self-supporting in business. Several
such capital loans were to blind vet
Grams. -srs
Contact with veterans in hospitals
is maintained by Red Cross personnel
which doctors agree influences the
veterans welfare and improvement.
The Veterans Bureau was planned
70 carry on social work in lite hespi-
tails for mental cases, and in many
cases the Government and the Red
Cross are cooperating for the welfare
OF the men suffering war disabilities
The public is invited to assist this
work by joining the Red Cross during
the Annual Roll Coll, November il
to IS