The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1919-07-08
PUT THRU TWO
GOOD MEASURES
Reconstruction Bills Pass as
Senators "G00f"
BY MILTON BRONNER

WASHINGTON. July s.--whlle
most senators have been taking up
the time OF the senate with "goof"
about tho league OF nations, Senator
w. s. Kenyon OF Iowa republican,.
and Senator Hokc Smith OF Georgia
tdemocraU. working as "A team. have
put thru two great bills designed to
mako 100000 injured and broken
Americans Afsets instead OF liabilities
They have secured passage OF a
measure extending vocational train.
ing of injured soldiers and sailora,
and OF another bill whereby men In.
jured In industry or otherwise may
be trained for work.
Tho bill as regards soldiers and
sailors extends the work already be.
gun. 30 the Federal Board OF Voca.
tonal Training can continue It's op-
erations. 100000 is appropriated
for tho purpose. While men are be
ing trained. they are paid not to ex.
coed s75 per month II they are sin.
gle: II married. SIS per month plus
several sums allowed under the War
Risk Insurance Act. Services OF tho
board are open 10 every man in the
armed service OF the nation who in.
CURED any kind OF disability which
Is n handicap TO him I'm earning a
living.
Bill Was Attacked
There was a lively attack upon the
bill. which evoked the response that
the board already had 1900 OF our
former soldiers and sailors in train
ing schools or in student work. that
10000 had been assigned 20 occupa.
lions: 5000 more were ready for stu
with the board and were being tried
out and classified. There are still
$4,000 in hospitals who are TO be
registered.
But even moro important is the bill
TO extend vocational training TO all
persons who by reason OF n physical
defect or infirmity. whether congeni.
tai or acquired by accident. injury. or
disease. are at present totally or par.
TALLY incapacitated. IL embodles
Kenyon's idea that the training
should be made open even to a bum
who lost his leg riding the bumpers
OF a freight train. IL by that train.
ing he may be made n useful mem.
Der OF society.
Under this law tho government
does not undertake the whole plan
OF education. II leaves this 10 the
states. subject 10 supervision by the
Federal Board for Vocational Train
Ing.
Even Save Buns
all the money. IL matches dollar for
dollar with the states. For this pur.
pose 100000 Is provided for the cur
rent year. $4,000 for the next year.
and thereafter for two years 81 900. 900
per year. The sums appropriated are
to be allotted to tho states In the pro.
portion their population bears 10 the
total population OF the nation But
In no event is a state to get less than
s. 600 per year.
The underlying purpose OF the bin
Is TO encourage states TO undertake
this work and To leave the develop
ment OF the plans very largely 70
the states. subject always to ap
prevail by the federal board.
Its a singular thing" said Ken
yon. in speaking or the bill. that
only one state. New Jersey. has a
plan for vocational training of those
injured In industry. Every year sees
thousa nds OF men and women in
jured at work. They lose an arm or
an eye or some fingers. are consid-
cred unfit for further work. and are
virtually thrown on the scrap-heap.
They become a burden upon the com
munity. when. with proper training.
they could be made self-sustaining.
happy. cheerful. sclf.rcspecting MEM
bers OF society"
The two bills have gone TO the
house for action. The soldier bin will
be quickly passed. but the other one
will face n fight unless the people
help by writing their congressman