The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-04-05

Z
with Its inherent moral and social
evils. For these men and for the COM
munity also. moral and social as well
as economic well-being is, in large
measure. at stake. The age OF the
conscripted army ttwenty-one to
thirty-one years. IS such that the men
are yourg enough to he susceptible
to training, and that the benefits OF
I such training viii accrue during Il
/ period equivalent to the normal eH-
I pectaGon of life for men in early man.
hood. Some of the men were taking
training when drafted. This inter
rupted training can be resumed.
Experience has demonstrated that
/ disa hlcd men while under hospital
/ treatment naturally tend tn many in
stances to fail into state of chronic
depe ndence. characterized by loss of
, ambition. The difficulty OF lifting
/ them out OF this well-reCognized phase
increases rapidly during tho period
immediately following commissioners
Vocational training begun 1T the ear
lest possible moment and persistent
systematic development cf this train
iBg after ccnvalcscence Will avoid this
danger Of vocational degeneration
Once the mon fall into a state %
chronic dependence nr dri4t back In
70 industry without training they can
not be industrially recovered
Without the protection Of vocational
re-educatlon. together with systematis
re- e3tsblishment In wage earning en-
ployments the handicapped man viii
drift about in industry, an unskilled
laborer and a subject for exploitation
by the interruptions
The policy Of vocational rehabiiita-
Hou is one OF conservation Disabled
men skilled in specific trades will be
30 far as possible, re-established in
those trades 10y vocational Fe-educa
ton. Without such training acquired
trade experience viii in many cases
be lost. and the ranks Of skilled labor
VIII be to that extent depleted. Incl
deHtally. the drifting OF handicapped
men in any considerable number into
unskilied employments would occasion
generalization and impair wage
standards
The European countries have found
the conservation of trade skill and ex-
perience to be factor az vital impor-
lance in national rehabilitation In
these countries the conduct OF In
dustries, commerce. and agriculture.
even during the progress OF the war,
has become largely dependent upon
the re-esrablshment in civil employ
ment OF men disabled for further mill
tary service
1t should be borne IN mind that the
disabled men are. in many cases. espe-
cially trained and skilled II allowed.
through lack of such re-education az
they require. TO sink into the ranks %
the unskilled. their places in the ma
TONS scheme OF economic productivity
can nor be filed No supply of skilled.
men is now. or viii be fter the war,
available from other countries. since
every country al war is experiencing
and VIII continue to experience in the
years following the war a great search
~ OF skilled labor
Insurcs Nations rovvcr.
Vocational re education or men dis
ahled Tor military service coueerves
trade skill I'm "A time OF national amer-
ncy aud prevents in some degree
The scarcity Of skilled labor that il
certain to develop as the war pro-
crosses The nation which does not
conserve the vocational SKIN OF it's
trained workers viii to that extent
weaken ire recupcrative and compefi-'
tive power and ia that extent VIII
conseQu fajl 10 achieve the i'm
mediate national rehabilitation Of {fs
Industrial, commercial. and agricul-
turai power
The return to civil employment ~
largo numbers 81 men under thc
abnormal conditions og the period az
GENERALIZATION Will occasion far
reaching economic disturbance ana
maladiustment Of labor supply TO de-
mand. unless that return "a made
under some comprehensive Schey74a
of administration Vocational re-edu-
cation Will provide one means OF so
directing the return Of men into civil
enployments IS TO occasion the least
possible disturbance and will 20 far
10 avoid Impairment Of established
standards OF living
In individual cases. undoubtedly.
new vocational capacities VIII he de-
ye'npea in Handicapped men by sys
ten}atte vocational Fo-cducation. ln.
many fa~es men select their Jobs ny
accident Vocational rehabilitation.