Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-02-21
ENGLAND AT WAR---VI,
BY FREDERIC !. HAskIN

ground. in the thcaters. At dinner
tables. virtually every woman has
some piece OF knitting. 1t may Lc Il
comforter o" "a pair of socks or WRIT
bands or mittcnS, but Whatever il is. it
is always some contribution to the
lighting men
The London parks quickly became
vcnters OF war relief worh London
* dotted All over with squares Of
varying si.c.. fenced about and with
locked gates that are in sense little
community parks. Like Grancrcy Park
in New York. they arc custvmarily re.
served for the use Of tho persons vino
live about them. This meant. in CT
fc,t. that they were not used at ALL
Nov they are fun OF wounded soldiers
Wounded soldiers ever! where.
ono may sec in I5clEravc square in
Grosvcnor SpunW. in Berkeley Square
in the famed old Ph%sic Garden In
Chelsea, groups of wounded soldiers
playing al games. being wheeled about
IN chairs or some poor fellows lying
Hat on strctchcrs who arc simply get
ting tho fresh AR and looking at the
birds. trees and flowers. Late in the
afternoon thcr" are tea parties and
eager. curious little boys peer through
the ratings. These wountIou soldiers
cnce has transformed many quarters
OF l."nd"n One secs everywhere in
the parks aud elsewhere benches or
chairs with this legend printed on
Even on the country lanes outside
OF London ono encounters groups Of
Wounded soldiers in the familiar
robin s-csS blue hospital Uniform with
white facinss and brilliant rcd neck.
ties Always they have with them
TWO OF three comrades as yet unable
|" walk, and who are being wheeled
about III chairs. Sometimes The man
pushing the chair has but one leg
A"ays the? are smoking cigarettes
and always they arc in h:sh good
humor. ENcry one stops TO tail: With
them. II is the common testimony
mat ihis war has gone far 10 break
down tho barrier OF rank and caste
and ciass distinction rho returned
Wop"dcd soldier has been ono Of tho
greatest solvents in bringing about
ihis situation Everywhere and by
ever! body nc rs treated wi,h the ut
hiin on crowded buses Ills comfort
aud his welfare arc thought Of in
thousand h,,lc "a%e lic l. made 10
'"el 'nat he ~ a person OF conse-
'uenCe and distinction He ma" 80
an! where.
The number Of private and special
organizations engaged in one form or
another OF war relief worl; is beyond
all counting There are societies for
sending cigarettes 10 the men in III.
utmcho.; for providing mumers and
inlttens; FOR visiting soldiers IN Tho
hospitals: for meeting every need and
providing every coinfo'; that circuni-
stances can demand or ingenuity die
tate.
the Whole problem OF tho disabled
- already beginning 10 receive atten-
ton. W the end Of July. 1916 NOR.
than 10000 ncm had hccp DISCHARGED
rom ihc hrttisN arnlt a. phys'cally
UNIT tor further service. Uf this num-
ntr II - estimated that about cpc-half
returned 10 their old employment OF
The remainder 4 considerable section
Was sun undergoing medical treatment
II has been found that the urgent need
arises in Tho case of tho partially DIS
atled Hero tho problem has been 10
restore the man confidence in himself
and 10 mako him realize that he is not
wreck. but s,ill capabl. OF serving
the cominuuitr. IN cnioaNcr has been
made TO interest the wounded in so,uc
nc" occupation While they arc still
conNalcscent and 10 reduce Tho period
when ,hcy lcf: 20 loaf about tho
parks OF the hospital grounds.
Some attention has been given 10 ox-
pcriintntS that the French have made
in meeting ihis problem. Ia the late
tuiumn Of 1910 the energetic Mayor OF
has since formed the model FOR other
aud larger schools III Iaris. Bordeaux.
ii.N"c and other French cities L'Ecolc
J"ifrc Was itself modelled on the train
inr school ~ Charleroi. which was
founded 10 deal with men disabled By
Industrial accidents, and the guiding
principle OF its founders - summed NJ
in tho word ''re-cduCation.' II aims
Al developing any latent capacities OF
It's pupils. and il starts on the .ssuinp-
ticn that 2 man whose !ncapaCi;y pre-
vents him from returning 10 his old
occupation can and ought 10 BE- taught
new owe. Tho sacrifice these men
have made has earned them tho right
10 q fresh start in lie
Il has hccu suggested that certain
occupa lions requiring y good rhs ract"r.
habits OF pt!uctuality and ord crlincs3.
might I" a large c>tent iS reserved for
disabled soldiers u IL proposed to
reserve for disabled soldiers pos,g
dco-kerpers and elevator
attendants in government Offices. Il
is argued that, II tho government sets
an example in tho matter banks, in
surancc companies aud other large Of
Nccs would follow. \ movement has
been started in Lancashire TO induce
to reserve proportion
OF tho lighter work for disabled men.
Various schemes arc in contemplation
Cor placing disabled men on the land
Market gardening and poultry farming
quito suitable 10 many cases. Now that
tho actual taking caro- Of wounded sol
Licrs willie thcy under medical
treatment has been organized. con
structivc war relief work looking to
tbs care Of tho men after they have re-
covered Is coming TO the fore for con-
Sidcrat ton.