Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1918-11-05
FOLLOW LINE OF
LEAST RESISTANCE
Canada's Plan For Reconstruction
Provides For Keeping Men In
Familiar Line OF Werk

Canada's work in the reestablish-
ment of disabled soldiers has long been
recognized as a model. and conse-
quently any feature of i. is worthy of
consideration
One of the fundamental principles
OF the Canadian system is that the
disabled man should be induced where
possible 10 enter his old occupation,
or, if he is incapacitated for that. to
train for work in which his previous
experience will be of value To him. For
example, the physical qualifications
of a miner are essentially the same
as those of the soldier, and if a man
is unfit for further service in the
trenches the chances are that he is
also unable 70 take up the pick and
shovel again. But coal mine has a
large staff of officials and it is the aim
of the vocational officers TO persuade
a disabled miner to undertake a train
ing course that will fit him to occupy
staff position, for his experience in
the mine makes him AN apt pupil in
Az course for such positions as shot
firer, fire boss, underground manager,
or manager of collieries, provided he
has the necessary personal character
istics.
Difficulty has been experienced at
times in inducing men to follow the
advice of the vocational officers Ger
tain occupations of which that of
chauffeur is an outstanding example,
seem to offer a strong attraction to
the returned men, quite without re-
gard to their fitness for the work. In
most cases, however, the vocational
officer is able eventually to induce a
man to return to his old job, or to
take up analogous work, by showing
him that thus he will be able in a
much shorter time to place himself ia
self-supporting position.
To return to the example of the dis
abled miner. If he is unable to take
up any of the work already mentioned,
he is given reeducation to prepare him
for new but similar employment The
positions named require a government
certificate, and hence the aim of the
such certificate. Very badly disabled
men may act as gate tenders, watch
men, and relighters. There is room
for few in the position of check
weighman, which offers good pay.
Other examiners take courses in the
technical schools maintained by the
Soldiers Civil Reestablishment Com
mission in preparation to be machin-
lists, pattern makers, pneumatic-tool
repairers, or electrical machine re-
pair men. Still others are taught
harness repairing or boot repairing.
| If the returned man has been a steel
worker there are several opportuni-
ties for reemploymen. with his old as
sociates, in positions where his pre-
vious experience will be of value.
These men may be absorbed, for in
stance, by the electrical repair shops
or machine shops, or may be educated
as welders, armature winders, repair
men, or garage employees. Others
are educated for drafting or office
work, and some without reeducation.
become watchmen and gate tenders.
Similar plans are followed in all
industries into which returned men
are indicted. The success of the sys-
tenn is indicated by the fact that prac-
tically all the men given training are
able to earn as much as before they
enlisted, and very many are filling
places which probably they never
would have attained had they not had
the benefit of vocational training.