Evening star., 1945-10-14

The Red Cross Home Service which
played such vital part during the war
in keeping the man at the front in
touch with his family and in helping
him with his home problems, now is
rendering as valuable service in aiding
the returning veteran to readjust him
self to civilian life.
This highly skilled and trained organ
ization of professional and volunteer
workers relieved thousands Of service :
men during the war Of problems which
time, distance, and military regulation
made impossible for them to cope with.
To hospitalized mother, worried about
the welfare of her children, or young
wife, encountering financial difficulties
while awaiting her husbands first allot-
ment check, Home Service has been
helping hand-"a good neighbor stand
ing by"-in the words of the services
Washington director, Mrs. Lucille Cham
berlin.
Into its local Office, located in the
basement of the Corcoran Art Gallery,
pour an average Of 1000 requests
month which busy workers on round
the-cIock schedule, take care of at the
rate of $50 per day, seven days week.
Requests Are Varied
These requests come in person, by
letter, telegram and cable. Personal
requests are taken care of by case work.
ers in the interviewing department; re-
quests of other nature Ere handled by
a large shift in the communications
division.
For example, soldier, hearing of a
serious illness or other emergency in
his family, applies to his commanding
officer for an emergency furlough. Mill
tary authorities often request the Red
Cross, through the field director sta
toned at the post, to verify the facts
represented by the serviceman. The re-
quest is relayed to Home Service by
telegraph or long distance where check
is made with the mans family and
doctor to secure his report and recon-
mendation. In the same way the Home
Service communications division has re-
ceived thousands of anxious queries
from families of servicemen concerning
their welfare, following several weeks
where hope from other sources Of news
have failed. This was particularly
evident after the Normandy invasion
Mrs, Chamberlin said, when there was
a noticeable Jump in family requests.
More and more, however, these re-
quests are coming from Washington's
of}
assistance in their adjustment to civilian
life. In the last month, according to
Mrs. Chamberlin, there were 946 vet
eran requests as against 784 for July. the
month of the wars end. The same serv-
ice is being given to these men that they
received when in active service. Nc
matter what the problem, Home Service
attempts to discover and solve it, either
directly, through experienced case work.
ers, or indirectly, be referring the vet
eran to the proper Government or com.
munity agency
The returning veteran has all sorts o.
questions. A majority want information
concerning Government legislation at.
fecting veterans and their dependents
others want aid in preparing and pre-
senting claims for pensions and othel
Government benefits, and still others re
quest guidance in personal and famil.
problems. Often, disabled veterans
desperately in need Of the bare essential
of living during the temporary periot
when they are waiting for their first dis
ability pension, are given financial as
sistance.
Home Service recently experienced al
example of the latter type OF request
disabled veteran, just discharged fror
Walter Reed Hospital. He had had thre
fingers and half OF his hand blown OF
and had been told he might have t
have the remaining finger amputate
and use hand appliance. He was re
ceiving $500 month disability pension
While waiting for the Veterans Admin