South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1919-02-23
PLAN CONFERENCE
ON RESTORING
DISABLED MEN
Meeting Of Industrial and
Scientific Importance Un-
der FED Cross Auspices.

LlOnal IN us repreSe MA uOn ana the
scope OF subjects 20 be discussed,
Will be held N New York during
the month OF March under the
auspices Of the Red Cross Institute
Tor Crippled and Dfsa bled Men. a
departmental branch OF the Ameri-
can Red Cross. Cooperating IN the
call 20 the conference, and direct
ing that part OF the program TO the
work FOR blinded soldiers, Is the
Red Cross Institute for the Blind
OF Baltimore.
The sessions will continue for five
days. morning. afternoon. and eve
ming from March IS 90 March %.
Two OF the evening meetings will
be popular sessions. open 10 the
public. and will be held in Car
negie hall.
Representatives OF practically the
governmental agencies in the allied
countries dealing with disabled sol
diers will attend. acceptances hav-
ing already been received. Among
the authorities 10 be represented
are the British ministry of pen
si0ns the French National Institute
for War Cripples, the Belgian Mill
tary Institute for Crippled Soldiers,
the italian ministry OF pensions, the
Canadian inValided soldiers COM
mission. the Australian department
OF repatriation, and the bureau of
reeducatiOn and reconstruction OF
the American Red cross in France.
IN addition TO other individual or
sanizations in the respective cOun-
tries.
Among the authorities in the
United States which have promised
representation are the federal board
for vocational education. which is
providing for American disa bled
soldiers training for self-support;
the division OF physical recOnstruc-
ton OF the Office OF the surgeon
general OF the army. which is pro-
education during the convalscent
period: the bureau OF war risk in
surance, which furnishes artificial
limbs 20 amputated soldiers of the
American expeditionary force, and
pays disability compensation, and
the American Red Cross depart
ment OF civilian relief, which,
through is home service sections
provides social after-care for dis
abled men.
OF Scientific Importance.
In making announcement today
OF the plans for the conference
Douglas c. McMurtrie. director OF
the Red Cross Institute for Crippled
and Disabled Men said the gather
ing would be unofficial in the gov
ornamental sense. but scientifically OF
great authority as many Of the
lenders in the rehabilitation work
abroad viii come 20 the United
states for the first time 20 attend
its sessions. Their presence here
VIII afford opportunity To American
workers in the same field TO Cra|
iipor the experience OF the foreign
feleeates for the solution OF Local
problems.
While activities I'm behalf OF the
disabled soldier viii figure largely
I'M the program OF both popular and
-cientific sessions. the interests OF
he disabled Industrial worker viii
come i'm for a considerable share
.,f attention. The invitations TO the
conference designate it as "A con
ference on the rehabilitation OF tbs
military. Although the concentra-
ION OF interest on the injured sol
der has been responsible for the
evolutionary change in nationa
policies toward the disabled where
Nv chief dependence is placed nc
longer on pensions. but rather or
The training or men 20 earn theii
own living-it being generally recog-
nized that many more men are dis
sbled arnue,ly I'm industry than have
been ir Appreciated by military serv
ice. II is the present aim OF authorl-
les having an interest in the cripple
i'm general 20 apply 10 the treatment
90 the disabled civilian the same
methods as have been developed e
meet the needs OF the invaded sol
der.
one or the aims OF the conference
viii be 10 direct public attention e
the economy OF putting disabled mer
back on the pay roll rather than per
hitting them 20 exist in idleness. sup
ported by war pension or workmen:
compensation.
The preliminary program calls fol
The discussion OF specific questions
az the in0lN1dual sessions rather ludl
the presentation OF general papers
covering a wide field All speakinl
viii therefore be directly 10 the
point under consideration and a
least half the time viii be reserved
Tor questions and discussion from th'
Hoor. There will be thus debated q
considerable number OF subjects
ranging from bedside occupation:
and the fitting OF artificial limbs e
placement in a job and supervising
after-care.
\ New Science.
The science OF restoring disabled
men 70 self-support is so new thai
there remain many open question;
10 be proftabIy debated. one poin
81 difference is whether the handi
capped pupil may be more salts
factorily trained in a regular voCa
ton school or in special school OF
special class for he disabled. An
other question TO be discussed Il
whether reeducation should begiI
while the man il still soldier pa
tient IN the hospital or after dis
charge from the hospital and from
military service