The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1918-01-24

/ per CENT are Z, JZO, tHOSe disabled from
, 81 to rs per cent. are 927; while those
! disabled from Is to 100 per cent. are
1875. This is getting the statistics of
war down pretty fine. By taking the
/ total number Of men sent. overseas by
Canada for basis, man going to war
might calculate by the law of proba-
bihties exactly what the chances are
that he will be partially or completely
disabled.
An Interesting light On the war spirit
in Canada is shed by q table which
Classics the returned soldiers accord
! ing to the land OF their birth. This
shows that only 5,233 of the 1896
soldiers we're native Canadians; while
! 7.4l8 of them were born in the British
Isles. 1t is""wel known that the native
! French Canadian is not going to war if
he can help it; but this table also Illus
ira es the fact that the natives of Eng
lish blood has not hurried to enlist. 1t
is the transplanted Englshman who
has made up more than half of Canada's
army.
The report strongly reflects the
generosity with which Canada has
treated her soldiers. No soldier IN the
world has been so we'll paid, so abun-
dainty supplied with tobacco and other
Injuries, so enthusiastically sent upon
his way and received home again, as
the Canadian volunteer. recruits
have been relatively few, and the
country young, wealthy, and prosper
ing as result of the war.
This generous spirit is shown also
in the way the wounded are cared for.
Colleges and charitable institutions
have been donated or appropriated for
use as hospitals and convalescent
homes; and the best European prac-
tice has been followed in the matter
OF vocational education for wounded
soldiers. The modern idea that the
convalescent time should be made an
educational opportunity, and that a
hospital should be as much a school
as a medical institution, has been car
RED out as well as means would per
NIT. In the Guelph Military Con-
valescent Hospital at Guelph, Ontario,
! the Canadian government has an al
most ideal plant for the rehabilitation
of wounded and sick soldiers in the
modern manner. This establishment
was formerly a reformatory. It has
farm of 23O acres which is capable of
great development, aud has also a
wooden mill, machine shop, broom shop,
tailor shop, woodwork shop, creamery,
/ lime kiln and equipment for many other
industries. The Ontario Agricultural
! College adjons this hospital, and its
teachings staff will help in the work of
re-educating the men. An institution
such as this may take q man who is
woInded and who has never been any
thing but day laborer, and send him
out not only well but trained to work at
trade. or a profession whatever he
has the brains to learn. Our own gov
eminent is now building and cOmman-
deering similar institutions for the care
of wounded Americans.
This work of re-educatIng the wound
ed has been an undoubted success IN
Canada. An encouraging aspect of the
work is the way in which the men in
variably keep up their earning capacity
after undergoing such training. One
young man who has a severe scalp
wound was a farmer, teamster and
general laborer earning wages averag-
ing 500 q month. He has now a COM
mencing salary of $40 and is engaged
at much more agreeable occupation.
Another was lumberman and accus-
toned to earn So. 80 a day, but on re-
turning to the woods he took charge of
an engine at 81 day. Another man
who formerly made S35 now gets $50.
All Of these men were very badly
wounded
Individual cases full of interest are
recounted by the Alberta Commission.
Thus Private Henry Gerrish. who was
teamster when he enlisted, lost his
entire left arm. He studied hard in
the convalescent hospital, passed the
civil service examination, and got an
appointment as postmaster at 1925 a
month. In addition to this triumph, he
persuaded one of the nurses in the con-
valescent hospital to become his wife.
A report from Winnipeg shows how
number of men bettered their position
in life as the result of vocational train.
ing in hospitals, thus turning misfor-
tune into progress. A metal polisher
who made $50 month took a course in
commercial work, and is now earning
$3.50 a month as a bookkeeper. A
private who was blacksmith's assis-
tant and made very little, took course
in oXy-acetylene welding, and now
make $50 month. A general laborer
has become wood carver and is paid
$40 month by the Alaska Bedding
Company.