Red Cross Hone Home Service 1 o Bureau A Aids ids Those Left Desti Destitute ute hv hy W War ar By W. W Frank Persons I General Director of Civilian lian Relief American Red Cross From a lit little tic wind blown blown town of oC northern Montana the thc war var had taken the lie only son of a wl widow her 1 ow sole s support sup up- up port The Tire town was thirty-six thirty miles from Irom the nearest railway and the widows widow's shack shuck more than ten mil miles s from rom her nearest neighbor When hn a bUzzard blizzard swept through Montana ilon Mon lon Lana tana this last laM winter It found her without without without with with- out fuel uel anti ami practically without food The windows In the crazy shack in I S which she hc lived cr were hI blown own In so that the thc driving snow piled up a fooL foot deep on the lie rotten kitchen floor lOOI There rc was not even e sufficient bed clothing in iii ill Iho tho hOIl house e to cover un her here i poor freezing bod body 1 A A. A next door neighbor livin living almost al almost al- al most fifteen n miles away and antI nearly as poor us ILS the widow hels herself I broke his hilS way through the drifted snow mow bringing bring bring- In ing such g small smail comforts a as he could and anil on r to the village Imme- Imme dIatel got ot in touch b by telephone with the lie nearest L chapter o of the American Red Cross Crois 10 I 8 I RED ROSS BROSS ROSS SENDS I Within half an hour the wires were I buzzing ln between the little Montana I town and the divisional dl headquarters I Within an hour the home service committee corn com of the Red Hed Cross had com j telegraphed telegraphed tele tele- graphed for Immediate use as the thc need was waR desperate The widow was wasat i I at once taken to the thc to town n her shack j repaired and set in order older a generous l t supply Ily of blankets coal and food put i In Later employment was found Cound for I her which with the thc compensation I which the government o allowed was i sufficient to make maize her Independent I I t 4 Z C. J I f i. i 9 J. J l I t f df J e 4 4 r I t t 11 f j iI c W W. Fr Frank Persons This is a t typical instance of the working of tho the home service bureau a a new Red fi Cross CroEs war service which Is Isone Isone isone one of the most Important branches of Its work and which marks the firstin first step tel in grappling with the tremendous problem o of providing for or those who are arc left destitute by the war wal For Kor no mator matter matter mat mat- ter or how carefully our armies are cho chosen cn there mu t Inevitably Inc be some ome families who with their protector protector and ind breadwinner gone w will II not be he able to adjust themselves to tu changed change condi condi- Ions These must be le helped not nol so much with money though thou though h that must he be given Ji liberally where there is ac actual actual ac- ac actual need need- hut but with counsel cooperation tion ani and friendly service WILL SPEND MILLIONS To be he efficient this thi service must first of or all aU be prompt as prompt as it WR was in bringing ln relief to tn the stricken I Montana woman woma a. a within two hours from rom the lie time line it beard of or need It I must be adequate tho the Red Cross I I stands sUnds s ready to spend millions In the he work ami anui aid must mu be given In such sucha a way that the he self respect of the re receiver re- re el celver Is IR preserved The he Red fled CIO Cross S home service ice gets It Its information either through frank talks with those who call on It for 01 help or through channels which cannot possibly hl bly 11 injure the standing o of its subject 1 entirely dl dispensing with that lint red tape which often orten places the poor pOOl In iii terror terra of he name of oC charlt charity It gives I I money moncy only where It is absolutely necessary necessary essary preferring alwa always to place ran families In a position of at ut least partial partial partial par par- independence Where the standard standard standard stand stand- I I ard of living has been high the Red RedCross RedCross I Cross ross makes maltes effort to tu maintain that standard and where it il has been low It tries to show shuw the family a better I happier way to live The work is in iii the hands of Red TIed RedCross RedCross Cro Cross s chapters in every community and for fo their guidance the department of or civilian relief relle has Issued the Manuel Man Man- I uel of Home Service an and handbooks and ha has conducted institutes o of home service throughout hout the countr country