Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1918-11-28
No Room for
Despair
n
By ABBIE FARWELL BROWN
of The TgiLonfes

fearful WARMTH high hearts and
w1de-Open eyeS-We knew that many
gallant boys must die; still others
must be hurt, dreadfully hurt. With
dread we anticipated the day when
many would be coming home-not the
able-bodied lads we knew, but Grip
pied and MANNED, perhaps; seeming
| helpless and discouraged That last
| must not be!
No one must be discouraged, how
ever much he may have suffered No
one, if human ingenuity can prevent,
must be left helpless. You have only
to read the splendid things which are
being done in this line. For this is
| one great task which marvellous mod
ern surgery and science are taking in
hand. Nowadays there is no room for
despair, because of physical hurts.
The grace of God and human devo-
ton have brought about what seems
like new age of miracle!
AS an offset to this worst of wars
goes such cooperation and intelligent
recOnStructive thinking as the world
has never seen. The first aids at the
front, the cOnvalescent hospitals, the
skill and resources of surgeons and
| nurses have developed such favorable
| conditions that a wounded soldier has
better chance of complete recovery,
! even from terrible wounds, than ever
in the. worlds history. Moreover,
after his physical healing is cOmplet-
| ed, there is more effort being put into
| equipping him to face peace again,
| than was ever dreamed of.
Rectifying Disagreement.
The most famous 'sculptOrs are CIV
| ing their time to cOntriving means to
| hide his Disagreement. The cleverest
inventors are studying to fit him with
| substitutes for lost limb or muscles
put out of commission. The wisest
| teachers are ready to teach him
| new occupation, if his old one has be-
| come impracticable. The most SYM
| pathetic agencies are preparing to
| find what he can do to- be most useful
! to his grateful country. Uncle Sam
| is on the job to look after him. Could
he have better hope?
We must cooperate with Uncle
! Sam.
First of all, we must ourselves keep
! cheerful and hopeful, even If it Is our
own boy who is coming back, altered
| az will Il nd
much upon our hope and cheer. The
attitude of his own home toward a
boys apparent misfortune will be one
of the greatest factors In his future
| career, of usefulness or of despair.
Perhaps it will turn out not to be
such a misfortune, after all Already
many a soldier has found his true self
in the hospital Many q one who had
al unimpOrtant job before he was
crippled, has studied and practiced
and perfected some speciality which
! has given him more satisfactory pO-
sitiOn than ever.
Many a man who has lost his right
hand is doing better work than ever
with his left, or with the marvellous
mechanical fingers which have been
made for him.
The government has worked out Il
great scheme, in which it needs the
help Of us all Don't throw sand In
the machinery, if you happen to have
a crippled lad at the front. Don't
be so selfish, so inpatient to see and
c0mfnrt
future. Miracles take time He Is
being looked after, remember. We
must not demand that he be sent home
as soon as his misfortune is known.
Lend Your Assistance.
Yes; your Husky may have done
his brave bit, and may think he is
not a Husky any more, and may de-
mand just home, sympathy, help for
his helplessness-and his pension. He
may intend to give up active life, be-
cause of his "misfOrtune.". He may
feel too hurt by fate to try any more.
Don't let him feel 50. Maybe his real
happiness, his true usefulness is just
beginning! You must be brave for
him now, as he has been brave for
us all. You want the best for him?
You don't want him to miss the chance
of building anew q dignified future,
do you?
"Well, then. Don't you be discOur-
aged! Don't let him despair. Brace
yourself to brace him, and read OF the
splendid things that are being done
to give hope for such as he-recon-
struction, re-educatiOn, re-equipmcnt,
replacement in affairs. Americans are
so versatile and adaptable, thank
God
Uncle Sam will do the best possible
for the boy who made the fine sacri-
flee. He will have his well-earned pen
sion. But that is not all! He will
have, If humanity possible, good
Job, too. Ten chances to one he will
have it, if we all cooperate. 1t is
not like the old days. You must read
the wonderful things that are ham