Great Falls daily tribune., 1919-01-02
EDITORIAL PAGE
HASKIN LETTER
THE KING OF HELP SOLDIERS NEED.
By FREDERIC ]. HASKIN

Washington d. C., Dec. 3O.-The plan
to teach wounded American soldiers new
trades and professions, which has been
the subject of much work and discussion
thruout the war, is now in actual opera
tion. The federal board for vocational
education, which has charge of the task,
asks for the cooperation of the public in
this business of finding places for dis
abled men.
The term disabled" is not literally
correct except in very few eases. In
this and other countries, men badly
manned have more than made nD for
their physical disabilities by the educa-
ton they have gained while convalescent,
and by the strengthening of will and NOR
al samina which their military experience
has given them.
The difficulty. according to the ex-
perts, is to make the wounded men real
lze tEeir opportunities and needs. A
man who finds himself disabled is natur-
ally discouraged and inclined to exag-
gerate his handicap The public gener-
ously helps him in this by lavishing pity
on him, when the thing he needs is en-
couragement and confidence in his abil-
ity.
Suppose says member of the
board. that wounded, disheartened sol
dier comes back to his home town and
d worthy citizen sees in him a chance to
show his patriotism. and friendship He
offers him position at n good salary
without reference to his former line of
work The ex-soldiers is set to work at
a business for which he has no aptitude.
He does not earn his pay. Some day
that worthy citizen will have crouch
and dismiss him. Or else he will keep
him, realizing that he has made a ser
ious mistake"
This is what every citizen of the Uni
ted States wants to avoid--this haphaz-
ard aid-and the other danger of ex-
soldier unemployment, which may end in
beggary or dishonesty. To place one
hundred per cent of these wounded sol
diers. whose past line of employment IS
closed to them, so that they can make an
honest living. is the program which the
federal board for vocational education
has set itself.
After long period of adjustment and
many difficulties as to the recognition
Of its scope of activity. the board has at
last fitted into q definite place in the
government, and has secured the cooper
alton of the medical department of the
Iut III 1tUoE diil tue
war risk insurance bureau.
Heretofore some of our disabled men
have been discharged from service with
out means Of livelihood. gained in convai-
escent days in the hospital. Now. repre-
sentatives of the vocational board are GO
ing into the hospitals and talking over
prospects with each man without trade
who has been recommended for a dis
charge.
If the man is already fitted to enter
some new line of work thru hospital
study, the vocational board helps TO place
him in position. If he has only an in
ciination for a new trade, he is sent to
some school for training. II be Is at a
loss as to what he can do. the vocational
advisor makes suggestions and interests
him in some line of work.
The school to which he is sent may
be any one of the institutions of learn
ing which have agreed to take men sent
by the board. The one thousand schools
now listed with the board include col