Great Falls daily tribune., 1919-01-02

| leges and technical schools of the high
est standing. Some of them offer tuition
free to former soldiers. Others accept
the regular tuition fees, which are paid
out of the $2,OO0,O00 appropriated by
| congress for the board last June
Besides the schools, factories are CO.
operating with the board This is es-
pecially important, because some trades.
such as printing, can be learned most
easily through factory apprenticeship.
The ex-soldier is i'll no case under any
expense for tuition, and throughout the
time of his instruction he receives S65
month for expenses, with the same al
IoWance for dependents as during his
service in the army. He leaves the
school or shop self-supporting and with
out fear of being drag on his COM
munity
The connection of the bureau of war
risk insurance with the vocational edu-
cation board is not generally understood.
Enlisted men injured in service so that
they are disabled, either totally or par
TALLY, are entitled to monthly compen-
sation from the war risk insurance bu
rcau, matter entirely distinct from a
war risk insurance policy. When a dis
abled man applies for this compensation,
and it is awarded, the war risk bureau
informs him that he is eligible to receive
aid from the vocational education board.
Without decision of the war risk bu
reau, awarding compensation for dis
ability. soldier cannot be considered as
an applicant to the vocational education
board for government training IN a
school or shop.
The first practical attempt to find
new places in civil life for the wounded
soldiers was made by a Belgian in
French city. A group of homeless Bel
gian wounded applied to the speaker of
the Belgian house of representatives for
aid. : He took them into his home and
when he found that they wished to try
again the old trades he let them cobbla
shoes in his parlor, raise vegetables in
his garden and turn his dining room in
to general workshop. He found that
they were SO much happier when they
were working, and that some picked up
trade by watching the others.
He appealed to the Belgian minister
of finance for funds in order to increase
the number of men under his care. Later
the Belgian congress provided money to
build extra shacks about the house. In
this way vocational help for the wound
ed got a start. with such excellent re-
suits that France. England, Italy, Can
ada, and finally the United States. fol-
lowed the Belgian example.
IN the 2u HospllalS overseas WHICH
shelter American wounded the same help
by vocational advisers is offered as in
this country. Application cards are
given to disabled men leaving the over
seas hospitals with the invitation to fill
them out and mail them to the vocational
education board when they reach the
United States. These cards have just
begun to come into the boards offices.
President Wilson has emphasized the
Importance of the re-education of our
wounded in a letter to the director of
the board. His plea is to the citizens
of the United States, as he says: THE
cooperation and interest of our citizens
is essential to this program of duty.
justice and humanity. 1t is not a char
ity. 1t is merely the payment Of draft
Of honor which the United States of
America accepted when it selected these
men and took them in their health and
strength to fight the battles of the ma
ton