The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1918-07-31
a position as a metal turner and filter

PtO q AuOhIhs
Quoting Lord Shaughnessy, Mr..
McMurtrie said that "the occupations
and training provided reveal aston
ishing talents which even the man
himself did not know he possessed.
The success which is being achieved
in Canada in dealing with the nrob.
lem of vocational re-education, Mr..
McMurtrie stated, has been inspiring
to those who have the same work in
hand in the United States
The Federal Board for Vocational
Education, with an initial appropria-
ton of $4,000 900, is authorized to take
over all schools and institutions nee
essary to re-educate the crippled SOL
der or sailor and, in certain cases,
to build new schools. Thus far the
preliminary work of rehabilitating the
war cripples has been undertaken
largely at the Walter Reed General
Hospital in Washington under United
States Army supervision, and at a
dozen or more similar institutions
throughout the country.
Basketry, typewriting and similar
simple kinds of work are given the
patient to keep his mind clear and
bright and give him an interest in
life. Major General William Gorgas,
Surgeon General of the Army, it is
understood, heartily approves of this
method. The Red Cross Institute
here, however, will not take a man
for training until he has been dis
charged from the military or naval
service. It's plan contemplates the
employment of Re-Education Advis-
er in every military hospital where
the needs of the patients as to learn
ing new trades or professions could
be studied, and the men will be given
every advantage of selection after
practical tests.
"The public has too often confused
the idea of a cripple with that of a
beggar," said Mr.. McMurtie. "The
resulting reaction has done a great
injury to the cause of the eelf-re-
specting disabled man in regarding
him as a subject for charity but not
for trade training and employment.
"To be sure, there is historical prec-
edent for this attitude for in past
decades and centuries various peo-
d pies have condemned the cripple tC
the status Of roadside beggar or al
best employed him as jester or court
fool. And in our experience there is
justification in the view because We
have seen many cripples at street cor.
ners, making public exhibition Of
their deformity or amputation and So
Letting aims of the passers-by. The
number Of these beggars is small II
comparison to the great body Of ply
sically handicapped men who are use
. fully employed, but the few have Wig
, orously advertised, have made a con
siderable impression on the suscepti
bilities of the community, and hav'
, reaped a profitable harvest. A banl
teller reported recently the case o
crippled street bggar who deposited
in savings account after paying hi
living expenses, $40 a week
"That the beggar cripple has beef
permitted to play his trade is a grea
, injustice to the disabled men Of char
acter and independence. The prac
, tice should have been stopped in tn
: past; 1t is absolutely necessary tina
, ii be prohibited in the future. For witt
the expectation Of our soldiers VIII
!. will return disabled from the front
the public should have no excuse 70
associating their prospective caree
with that of the mendicant. On tn
contrary every influence should b
brought to bear upon the public t
show that physical disability is an oh
stacle, but easily superable with char
acter and ambition; and that the Grip
. pie may be made into a useful an
productive citizen.
"In several cities there have bee
inaugurated campaigns to drive tn
} crippled beggar from the streets, an
give him the alternative of productiv
employment or stay in Jail. Sue
I efforts should be initiated in ever
community and persevered in unit
the unfortunate conception of tn
/ cripple shall exist no more. Such az
tivity may we'll be undertaken as
first step in preparation for the re
\ turn of our disabled soldiers an
I sailors. >
! Frank r. Bigler, a one-armed an
cne-legged business man, loaned"
\ the Red Cross Institute by big Mis-
souri, corporation, to act as its Indu.
trial agent during the war, in ampl
\ f1cation of Mr.. McMurtrie's statemeI
said that q crinn1n came to the Inst