Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-11-14
few DISABLED SOLDIERS
GAN Be CALLED CR|PPLEs
about 10000 OF Each 100000 Men
g. Sent Overseas Subjects
for Re- Education.
OF THESE, 800 ARE CRIpPLEs
Has Adequate Program
SSii. w. for Caring for Injured Fighters.
.ba Many Persons Have Foolisl, Ideas
J,s, OF Teaching Wounded Veterans.

MI IOE SuT1nR LOT iHJuTcu fiSh'SfS'
-. Many Persons Have Foolish Ideas
TN; OF Teaching Wounded Veterans.
50 WASHING TON. November l3.-Thcrc
exists a great deal OF Misrepresentation
- in the public mind regarding the dis
r.. nbled soldiers. There are frequent al
ssglusions - the crippled" soldier There
t.tbave been movements on behalf OF va
=. Inc crippied s"ltiio-" Thcy ali are
~ insnomers Tr,c word "crlpples" means
eS...,or q hand. They comprise hardly four
81; per cent. OF the disabled.
- AS a matter OF fact, says the Federal
: Board OF Vocational Education. there
81, is scarcely any place for individual or
- o1ganiacd cndeavor in dealing with the
disabled men. except IN co-operation
.nMith the regular channels provided by
,.,the Government. Several campaigns
~ have started in various parts of the
y. been stated; to assist these men who
have been disabled and TO teach them
10 do this. tina, or the other as 4 pre-
liminary TO their return 90 civil life.
no advise the pubic so that it NAV
understand the situation the Federal
Board authorizes this statements:
AT the outset Il should be under.
stood that the crippled soldier is in
the vast minority. Staiis1ics show
tina, out OF every 100000 men sen,
will be subjects for rc-education:
"Of the 10000 approximately 800 may
be really termed fni! tina, is;
leg or most OF the fingers Of the hand.
or lost n foot, and SO on. Thus it may
largely a nisnomcr and the. crippled
Z and dismembered men comprise mi
nority OF those who are disabled.
or WOUNDED MEN
-. RETURN TO MILITARY DUTY
There has been decided upon by the
United States Government and is now
in operation by the Government 4 dis
y ..tinct. comprehensive and entirely am
,ple program of completely caring for
,4Ihesc men who are disabled. When
man is first injured he is. OF course.
erai's department, placed In a hosplta.
and is given every consideration and
attention that medical and surgical sci
ences and the unlimited means OF the
can afford. y great many
them. Recover from thci, Injuries and
are able TO go back in the ranks and
perform military duty.
IT is in the hospital work that so
much apprehension and confusion in
the public mind arises. While the men
are undergoing convalescence. steps
are taken to keep them busy in vari-
e ot, Ways Va 6scanse man S WHO has some
''s>'so much of this work is designed
=, Nercising certain muscles which
become atrophied by nonusc and
80 some Of these occupations have no
ISAlac whatever aside from affordinE
entertainment and diversion to the
patients while others have a direct
curative value. In this sphere i'm par
'icular the public imagination has run
.sa,",: nninformed writer's have distri
~ ,'rnTi" hn~c ", n"rFNsnd "a
: scrambled idea of rushing TO the hos
.,3St IND teaHhinE the soldiers TO
".-"cave baskets. rugs and such other
= activities.
- Many OF the men undoubtcdly do
:, make rugs and weave baskets and the
'~'like, but it should be clearly under
J, stood that this is not educating them.
The hospital authorities in order to
,.fkcep them cheerful. TO prevent too
qg}much introspection. 10 give some sort
,tmorc easily than K they were utterly
iihialc.
~ OF those lct, In the hospitals who
.tlor further military duty, there is Il
aIiurthcr program for which the gov
: !Slnment is resnonsihlc, and which is
WILL TRAIN
90 DISABLED SOLDIERS
ras If II appears that man will not
he able TO return to military duty. and
,4if he is so disabled that he cannot
to his former occupation. the
United States government Will train
bim for another, and when he has
-.thc occupation for which lie has been
qn"lifed. This training commences AS
> early as possible in the hospital Dur
ing the tedium OF convalesccnce he is
,f&Eivcn some phase OF instruction which
Z. leads up TO tho course lie will follow
.-aftcr convaleSccncc is ended
The Federal board for vocational
,,a'education charged by the government
With the duty of re-educatins tho men,
wiser man Of broad general mfr
ma ton regarding the trades. businesses,
professions and callinss, their processes
district vocational officer and these
work In harmony with the, medical and
"Irslcal authorities, and of course
/, subordinate 10 the latter while in the
-, when i; appears tina, "a man has
't>oten injured so badly that he will not
be returned for duty. but discharged
from the service. and by reason OF his
'inue his former occupation. the .vo-
"atlonal adviser goes over tho situation
VIII him resardnE his wishes and
the free rcirGinins the government viii
provide j., is entirely OPTIONAL and
- may take 1t or leave it. jus, as he
"On the discharge Of the disabled
~ men from the hospital he becomes n
...lciwiian and his relations are then only
,,51rith the Federal board and The Bureau
fsof War Risk Insurance.
bi. IF after discharge and entering
,accivil life he finds nc is Handicapped
,,abT reason Of his injuries. he may still
.,.Hnakc application TO the Federal board
and receive training. While he is en-
GaSed in ing the course which he
hrs eleetta is supported by an
,.,,allowance l. 'he war Risk lnsur-
~ ance Bureau. olementcd by pay
7 ments from IN. sral board for othc
!, sinecessary cxpe. IS. His allo,ments
,or allowances 10 his dependents are
-Tcontinued during his period Of train
q ing precisely rs II he were san in the
$Sarmy or navy. He may first be sent
ITO = school, or an agricultural or tech :
biological institution which has been
~ approved BY the Federal board. His in
is paid for and supervised nv
1.-THE Federal board for vocational edu-
~ cation. II will be thoroughly practical
Yin aliits essentials. and designed 10
turn out practical man in the line
who can at once cash in on his newly
ACQUIRED eouipment In the way OF