The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-09-16

IN all the allied countries one of the
most important Of the postwar prob
! lens has been the endedVor to deal With
| atdinled and blinded soldiers so as to
| ft them to reenter civH life In such a
| tody as to be not only most helpful to
the community but as little irksome as
| possible to themselves. As Canada has
| been oonSpicuousIy successful along
| these lines, the Canddidn Section Of TIE
SUN has inpited the Minister IN special
| charge OF that cork to give some dc-
| count of the methods adopted IN the
| Dominion. BeIop toill be found the first
half Of the paper courteOuSly sent to THE
SUN:
! BY SIR JAMES A. LOUGHEED,
| Minister Department Of Soldiers Civil Re-
| establishment, Ottawa, Canada.
Written Especially for the Canodian
] Section Of THE SUN.
I FIRST ARTICLE.
| Canada has made provision for the
care Of her soldiers and sailors who
suffer from disabilities due to the war !;
provides, when necessary. for their in
dustrial retraining so that they may
become Independent economically, and
has established offices so that those who
require work may be placed In touch
with employment opportunities These
matters are under the Jurisdiction of the
Department of Soldiers Civil Reestab-
| lishment. and 1t is the purpose of this
article to deal with the activities OF that
| organization.
War displaced more than half a
million men from the industries. the
| commercial organizations and the edu-
cationa institutions OF Canada, thus
! causing an abnormal situation. Hence
| an unusual problem WIS presented when
| 1t became necessary to dsmobtlize the
! force thus recruited and return these
men to the economic life of the
Dominion.
While these men were forming part OF
the forces engaged in fighting the great
| battle for liberty. the usual work of the
nation was carried on and new condi-
| tons were created by the organization
\ of war industries. Another army of
! labor was organized and accorded its
place. To furnish the fighting forces.
one In every six OF the adult male
population of Canada had been taken.
TO recruit the necessary industrial army
an almost equally large force Of men
and women was recruited. For in
stance. the munition industry. solely
| war development, alone required the
services of 100000 people. With the
signing OF the armistice this work ended
and an Immediate industrial readjust-
ment became necessary. The flow OF
troops to Europe ceased. The tide turned
to flow in the direction of Canada, and
the process then began Of releasing the
soldier and sailor and returning them
to their places In civilian life.
Work of Rehabilitation.
| It was obvious that the important
problem of rehabilitation must not be
| left to chance or to the haphazard
theories OF Missionaries. 1t is an easier
matter to evolve an army than to re-
| store the conditions which had pre-
viously existed. But having done so
and having effected the training of an
| exceedingly efficient war weapon while
being confronted by the most highly
organized army the world had known.
similarly effective methods were evolved
to produce an equally proficient peace
organization
| When II became evident that the ordi-
nary government machinery could not
deal efficaciously with the problems
arising from the great war In Europe.
steps were taken to create a special de-
partment for the purpose. When such a
department had been established 1t was
placed under the charge OF q Minister,
thus securing for the ex-member OF the
| forces direct representation In the
Cabinet and insuring means OF providing
speedy legislation when required.
1t was recognized that the forces
which Canada placed in the field and
afioat are made up of citizens who
dropped their vocations temporarily and
would resume their places in the agricul-
tural and industrial life of the country
when released. Therefore. 1t was con-
sidered advisable that the Department
organized to aid their reestablishment
should be a civilian one. Accordingly
the Department OF Soldiers Civil Re-
establishment is a civilian organization
throughout The officials are civilians
and those who come under their care dc
SO only on discharge from the army and
navy Canada, having demobilized heI
temporary army. desired that her citi'
Gems should resume their callings and
proceed with the development of the
| Dominion.
The great majority OF the men en-
ployed In the Department. 70.1 per cent.
have seen service in the Canadian Elk
peditionary Force. or the remainder
a percentagc ID been rejected as unh
! physically or exempted owing to specia
considerations, while a small percentage
had been retained in Canada owing t.
Especial technical qualifications.
/ The staff throughout is a paid one. M
voluntary workers being employed.
The work of the department Is divided
into three chief branches Medical Ser
I vices" Vocational" and Information
: and Service" There are other branche!
equally important in securing efticlen
Z administration, but the three named arr
the ones more directly concerning thu
ex-members OF the forces with whom
the department deals.