Evening Republican, Volume 22, Number 215, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 September 1919 — RED CROSS HOME SERVICE. [ARTICLE]

RED CROSS HOME SERVICE.

A report, submitted by Eugene Foster, secretary of the local Red Cross civilian relief committee, shows that up to the first of this month the committee had dealt with 6,147 families. This work, while originally with the families of soldiers, is now largely concerned with the problems of the Returned soldiers themselves. It consists of helping locate allottees of war risk bureau checks, investigating the homes of hospital patients, following belated allotments and allowances, tracing Liberty bonds which have never been sent, adjusting insurance, and helping clients to file their papers and arrange for proper medical examination. The committee is in correspondence daily with I the camps and other places where soldiers are stationed, thus forming the link in many instances that connects the soldier with his home and family. ' The home service work as it relates principally to_ soldiers and their families will soon be finished, but Director-General -T. Byron Deacon says that home service workers throughout the country have demanded the right to continue Red Cross activities. Mr. Deason says: “If it were my purpose to chronicle achievements, I would pause to tell you that 700,(Mt0 soldiers and sailors’ families thus far have been under the care of the home service sections—3oo,ooo families now being under- care. L. would tell you that our working forces consist of of them volunteers. I would tell you of the training provided through home service institutes, in which 1,800 students have completed acceptably the prescribed courses. I think it is significant, upon the fact that home service has extended to 3,700 places in the United States; that is, 3,700 chapter headquarters communities have home service sections.” As the workers have learned the satisfaction that comes from helpful community service, unselfishly rendered, they are not content to drop such endeavors. They want to keep busy in the. future, even after the

war problems have all been solved. Work of this character will continue under the general direction and with the supervision of the American Red Cross, but each chapter will be expected to consider the needs of its own community. The advice given by the director-general is: 1 J 1. To keep right on doing simi-lar-things Tor other families, who may need a neighborly helping hand subject to the general policies and limitations I have outlined. 2. To find the weak, the ragged spots in the community life, the health impairing, the disease, ignorance, prejudice -breeding, the play thwarting, the morals impairing spost, and, joining hands with other workers, make common cause in mending and strengthening these, to the end that our communities may be made safer and better places for the living of useful and normal lives.—lndianapolis News.