The Columbus dispatch. (Columbus, Miss.) 19??-1922, 1919-10-26
PLAN TO RECLAIM
DISABLED YANKS
FeGeraI Board Estimates That
$4,000 VIII Have to Be
Fitted for Vacations
1856 ALREADY III TRAINING
Government Works on Four Year
Program, but Funds Are Needed
to Complete Plans-eoard Re
views 1000 Cases a Day


Washington.-W Working to overcome
The handicaps of men injured in the
war tie federal government is
striving to place the vocatioualiy DIS
abled soldier back IN the economic
ranks of the country, able 90 compete
with other whole men and TO earn
IN independent income for himself.
According ~ information just made
public by the federal board for Voc
.au0nal education it is likely that
as many as $1,000 men Who served
N the war will have 10 be re-cdu-
ated. either yocationalIy or occupa.
iolally.
Under this plan the federal board
S now working on what is practi-
cally a four-rear program, although
appropriations SO far have been made
only up to July 1920 In another
month, It Is estimated 1900 men
viii be approved 10 go into Immediate
training with the opening for the
fan terms OF the professional and
technical schools of the country. The
10000 or $4,000 men disabled in The
service Of the country will all be
placed In training for various lines
Of activity and nearly all of them
will have completed rehabilitation by
the summer of 1913 Hy far the ma
iorlty Of the men to be rehabiita,eG
will have finished their retraiuug. it
is expected, within a year or two
years, some Of them In less than six
months, and viii be back on their
feet in that time in professional and
industrial ranks
May Extend Work.
So far 40 provision has been made
by Congress for rehabllitatIug men
whose disabilities do not amount to
IA vocational or occupational handi-
cap. II is said by those best informed
On reconstruction legislation that con-
Gress may yet be asked to provide
some means of compensatory train
ing, as wen as the compensation al
ready paid through the war risk bu-
reau TO men who have simply suffered
physical disabilities, without economic
loss to them, in their counhy's service.
70 carry out such program, IL is es-
timated that the federal government
would have to expend upwards OF
half a billion dollars.
Up to the present time the voca-
tlonal education board has got in touch
with some $4,000 men and has actuel-
~ surveyed aud interviewed llO,l35
soldiers, sailors and marines injured
In service during the war The ma
jprity of these will not be able 10 OBJ
tain retaining under the act Of con-
gross as II now stands, even with re-
cent amendments.
All Of the men more than 10 per
cent disabled will receive money COM
pensation TO the extent TO which they
are disabled, but only those whose
disabilities mean Il handicap 10 them
in the occupation or vocation they ful-
lowed or IN ordinavy lines of work can
be retrancd and fitted for new
trade or profession. OF those already
interviewed 1876 have 5cen approved
for training. and 1856 of these have
actually been placed in training. Sew
eral thousand additional men VIII
have been approved by October
according 90 recent figures reported
TO the bureau OF war risk insurance
by the army, 1888 men have been
discharged from service with disa-
bility.
"Only cases showing 10 per cent dis
ability have been reported" the report
states. at this rate it seems prob
able that Tie total number Of cases Of
disability resulting from the war and
entitled TO monetary compensation
viii be close 60 100000"
S350,oOo,o 900 Needed.
A central case board has been es-
tabIshcd in Washington to finally ap-
prove al cases sent in by the, distant
boarls. This system, il is explained,
is necessary because the board is op-
Grating under a budget system OF ex-
peusc from congress. This board re-
views an average of 1000 eases a day.
The majority of these have TO be re-
jected. though. If a more liberal law
should be passed by congress i'm the
future these cases would DE reopenod
and 1t is supposed the majority Of
them would then be approved. The
documents and evidence i'm each case
are carefully preserved so that the ex-
pense Of obtaining them again win be
minimized.
Should a more liberal law BE- +s,ssed
opening up possibilities for training
for such a group of men it Is now es-
tlmated it would take at least $500
100000 to pay the support, tuition,
and textbook cost alone. Further pro-
vision would have to be made for
travelling expenses OF the men, med
ical attention. and mechanical applt
ances and for equipment and admins.
tration Of the broader law A. pres.
ent the board is paying the tuldon
travelling expenses. textbook cost, and
other special expenses for the men q
approves. I'm addition to paying S1Ol