The Belding banner-news. (Belding, Mich.) 1918-1973, 1918-09-11
SAL vAG|NG OF
WARS WOUNDED
IS GREAT WORK
SOLDIERS RETURNING, BADLY
CRIPPLED, TAUGHT IMPORT
ANT WORK.

Although this awful war is disabl-
ing millions Of soldiers the world is
not to have, after the war. the spec
tacle of such unfortunates eking out
humiliating and precarious existence
as beggars, makers of useless "sou-
venirs", pencil peddlers, etc., or as
recipients of pauperizing pittances,
in the form of pensions. That such
conditions have existed in this and
other countries after other wars has
seldom, if ever, been due to national
ingratitude, but rather to the fact
that people really did not know how
to handle such unfortunate situations.
Now all this is changed. Humanity
has been awakened by the very mag
nitude of the destructiveness of this
war and has undertaken a worldwide
conservation movement for the sal
vaging of disabled soldiers. The
Belgians were the first to begin this
work. From the very start the un-
dertaking was tremendous. The task
of rehabilitating the thousands of Bel
gian wounded alone seemed almost i'm
no plans. nor precedents to follow
and only very meagre and unsuitable
means with which to carry out any
plan. There were simply the SEEM
ingly endless numbers Of destitute,
dazed, despairing soldiers who need
ed to be fed, mended and taught to
forget their woes. 1t was at once
APPARENT that, if they were to be saw
ed, their minds must be occupied.
France needed workers and it was
found that, notwithstanding their
wounds, most of these unfortunates
could do good work in useful occupa-
tions. 1t was also found that such
employment promoted cheerfulhess
and greatly aided their recovery.
At first this work of reconstruction
was conducted by philanthropic indi-
viduals at their own expense but soon
its Importance was officially recogniz-
ed and early in 1915 the Belgian gov
renment established at Port Villez,
France, a national vocational training
schol for the war injured. This es-
tablishment is very extensive and has
thoroughly demonstrated the great
value of work as a curative measure.
1t has also revealed the remarkable
possibilities of vocational education
and employment as a means Of recon-
structing disabled men and readapting
them for useful and profitable occupa-
tions.
Inc pioneer WOrk OF belgium along
this line was quickly followed by
France. 1t was also soon taken up
in England, Italy and other allied
countries and now extensive work of
this character is being undertaken
here. Canada alone Is giving nearly
200 different courses of vocational
training to its disabled soldiers and
the United States is preparing to give
all of these courses as well as many
others which have proved valuable in
England. France and even in Germ
any, where the boast is made that in
one trade alone-that of oxyacetey-
lene gas welding-over 10000 men
too badly crippled to fight are doing
war work of the utmost Importance.
1t is largely due to careful conserva-
ton Of her man power that Germany
has been able to put up such power
full and tenacious fight; and while
America now has many millions of
men available for war work every
possible effort will be made to win
the war without any unnecessary
waste Of man-power.