Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-12-13
CRIPPLES TO BE
EDUCATED AFTER
THEY COME HOME
Noted Speakers Urge Rehabil-
itation of Cripples
After War

The movement for the rehabilita-
ton of crippled soldiers so that they
can earn their own livings when they
return to civil life, was given a great
impetus here this afternoon with the
speeches of II. r. Heydon. head of
the Red Cross Institute for Wounded
and Crippled Men, of New York, and
Michael J. Bowling, famous cripple.
who in spite of his physical handi-
caps, attained great success in life,
delivered before the joint meeting
of the Harrisburg Chamber of Com
merce, Harrisburg Rotary Club and
Kiwanis Club.
Henry b. Mccormick, chairman of
the Rehabilitation Committee of the
Home Sercice Committee of the Red
Cross, presided. At the head table
were Mayor Keister and the officials
of the three organizations, besides
the speakers.
Mr.. Heydon, the first speaker, out
lined the work that has been done
in all the belligerent countries for
the education of the wars cripples.
The movement began in 1908 in
Charleroi, Belgium, he said, when
the idea of compensation for Grip
pies was supplanted by the idea of
rehabilitation. The first school for
the education of cripples was started
in France. England quickly took up
the movement and then Canada. In
America. he said, through the Fed
eral Board of Vocational Training,
wounded men are given a chance to
educate themselves for responsible
positions in civil life. The board has
provisions to give soldiers $50 a
month while they are being educat-
ed, he said. and there is no limit to
the vocations from which they can
choose a way to earn a livelihood.
MIR. Bowling Speaks
Both speakers urged their listeners
not TO contribute to beggars, rs by
doing so they pay mendicants to peg,
He said that is shirking their respon-
sibilities, and, instead of giving aims,
they should give the cripples a chance
to make useful men of themselves.
a moving picture then was shown,
depicting Michael j. Bowling. who
early in life lost both legs. his left
arm and the fingers of his right arm
carrying out the ordinary activities of
normal businessman. Mr.. Bowling
twice has been Speaker of the Mime
sofa House of Representatives, is
president of the Olivia, Mimi. state
Bank and is power throughout the
Middle West in good roads, social.
banking and war activities.
IF I, with my handicaps, have been
able to accomplish ali this" he said,
"why should a man, because he has
lost few limbs. be thrown into the
bone pile?'
Mr. Bowling then gave a number
of examples of how crippled men mad
triumphed over their physical handi-
caps and accomplished much in life.
He declared that the whole secret Of
success is in the spirit. After re-
counting how he lost his limbs in n
terrific blizzard and achieved success.
first as a school teacher. after he had
spent two years in the almshouse,
then as financier, and then as Il pol
itirian, he declared that there is the
same chance for all wounded and Grip
pied men to achieve success.
He declared that a man doesn't need
n start in life to get ahead. that all
he needs is determination to succeed.
He concluded with an appeal that
crippled soldiers he regarded as nor
NAL men. who must take their places
in society and carve out their own
careers.
Don't give the boys charity" he
urged give them a chance. Teach
Il through the schools and church -
that our crippled men must forget the
limbs that are gone and develop TIE
parts of their bodies that remain.
Let every soldier who raturns
MANNED become a taxpayer and not n
tax-eater Let them marry and create
homes Of their own after they nave
eIarned to make livelihood, ami 50
do away with soldiers homes. Sol.
diers homes are only camounagel
aImshouses"