The Washington times., 1918-06-15

OF WOUNDED BIC
PROBLEM TODAY
? By DAVID LAWRENCE.

NCOhllnued from FIRST Page
that this one is. They don't want
your charity-they demand their
chance"
Alice Duer Miller, the novelist,
writing on How Women Can Best
Help" says that practical experience
already has shown that the degree
to which a soldier can recover Is in
large measure a question of his
state. OF mind-aud his state OF mind
Is usually reflection OF the state Of
mind Of his wife or his mother"
Believe In Future.
'The hope OF his future she writes,
Ties in making him believe he has a
future. His return to useful activity
depends upon his own conviction that
he. can be useful. The instant that
be Is content to be an invalid he will
become and remain an invalid To
prevent his losing hope, TO keep Up
his sense OF responsibility is in the
POwer of hts womankind."
Geiet Burgess makes this observA-
ton:
Vague promises Of spiritual benefit
are poor consultations for the soldier
who has been diabled in the service
of his country. A real mans ambi-
ton needs more fuel than philosophy.
II needs a dignified practical field for
endeayor. Many, even most disabled.
men will have chance to be better
on, handicapped though they are.
after the war than before. Not better
OF physically, but actually better on
financially, socially and mentally.
but to bring this blessing about,
you, his friends, and relations must
lhelp. By your attitude you can de-
eide whether he Is to rise to self
respect and usefulness or to fall to
the status OF a mere parasite and
object OF pity. All that Is necessary
is for you to understand his oppor-
tunity and insist that your boy ayaiIs
himself Of it."
Not superhuOus.
These appeals may seem off-bAnd
TO be superfiuous, because it Is sup
posed that, of course, the families of
the wounded men will want the latter
to. accept Government training, but
experience has proved that the iami-
lies prefer to have the disabled come
home for long periods q time.
This means the loss or opportunity,
for the reconstruction work must be
begun at the hospitals and continued
until a useful trade or occupation has
been taught.
after the Government has con-
tTibuted to the soldiers rehabilita-|
tion," writes w. Frank Persons. d.
rector general Of civilian relief Of the
American Red Cross, "all its resources
of treatment, vocational training,
and placement service, he must go
back to his civilian life in his own
community and make his own way.
basing a structure OF self-support
upon the foundation OF a just pen
sion. which will not be reduced no
matter how much he is able to sup
plement 1t. For thousands Of men,
perhaps for all resOurceful returned
soldiers and sailors who take adyan-
tage of their opportunities 10 further
assistance will be needed.
MANY, however, will require
friendly. sympathetic oversight and
encouragement TO carry them
through the first critical months un-
I'll they have found themselves I'M
their new lives. Here is the crown
ing opportunity for. home service.
with its trained workers, already in
touch with the family needs and
problems and its long established re-
Iation of neighborly assistance. the
Red Cross stands ready to take up
the after-care OF disabled soldiers and
sailors at the point where the Gov
Extensive Plans.
Captain Samuels, who is detailed by
the office Of the surgeon general to-
cooperate with Lieutenant Colonel
Wood I'm directing the education cam
paign for reconstruction, gives an
idea Of the extensive plans Of the sur
geon general in this paragraph:
Newspaper magazines. motion
pictures. pamphlets, speeches-these
and other mediums are bringing re-
construction and its significance into
the American home and American
industry. The office OF the surgeon
general, the American Red Cross,
and the Federal board for vocational
education are a small portion OF the
factors making il known. The sue
cess OF the plan will depend upon
the attitude OF the public. Public
opinion is a pretty loose term, as III
is generally applied. In this instance,
however, IL represents several def
mite and concrete elements-the man
himself. his family. his friends. and
his employers. sympathy and en-
couragement are plentiful these days,
while we are in the thrOes Of the