Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1919-01-02
Wounded Service Men
Now Being Trained
BY Frederic ]. Hasldn

| new trades anu proi easIons, which has
been the subject of much work and dis.
susson throughout the war, is now in
actual operation. The Federal Board fni
Vocational Education. which has chare,
Of the task, asks for the cooperation oi
the public in this business Of finding places
for disabled men.
The term disabled" is not literally
correct except IN q very few eases. III
this and other countries, men badly main.
ed have more than made up for their
physical disabilities bv the education
they have gainhd while convalescent and
by tho strengthening ot will and mora
stamina which their military experienc,
has given them.
The difficulty, according 10 the experts
is to make the wounded men realize Their
opportunities and needs 4 man who
finds himself disabled IS naturally dis
courapcd and inclined to cXaggcratc ms
handicap. The public generously help.
him IN this by lavlshing pity on hirn
when tho thing he needs Is encourage
ment and confidence IN his ability.
GIVEN WRONG JOB
Suppose" says n member Of tho board
chat wounded, disheartened soldier
comes back to his home town, and 9
worthy citizen sees in him a chance to
show his patriotism and fricrdshIp. He
| offers him positi on al a good salary
without reference 10 his former line Of
work The cx-soldier is set to work ~ 2
| business for which he has no aptitude.
He does not earn his pay. Some day hat
| worthy citizen will have n Crouch and
dismiss him. Or else he will keep hir
realizing that ne has made serious
| mistake
| This is what every citizen Of the United
States wants to avoid-this haphazard aid
ana the other danger cf cx-soldicr m
| employment, which may end in bcggaFy
| or dishonesty To place one hundred per
| cent OF these wounded soldiers, whose
| past line Of employment is closed to
| them, so that they can make an honest
| living, is the program which the Federal
Board for Vocational Education has set
itself
After long period of adjustment and
many difficulties rs to the recognition
Of its SCOPE Of activity. the board has at
last fitted into /. definite place in the gov
ernmcnt. and has secured the eo-opera-
ton of the Medical Department ~ the
army, the Department Of Labor and the
" ar Risk Insurance Bureau
Heretofore. Some of our disabled men
have been discharged from service with
out means Of livelihood save q limited
knowledge of wireless operating or block
printing, gained in convalescent days IN
the hospital Now, representatives II
the vocational board are going into the
hospitals and talking over prospects with
each man without a trade. who has been
recommended for discharge.
BOARD HELPS PLACE Hra
II the man is already fitted 70 enter
some new line of work through hospital
study, the vocational board helps to
place him In a position. Ii he has only an
inclination for new trade. he IS sent to
some school for training If he IS at a loss
as TO what he can do, the vocational adj
wiser makes suggestions and interest
him in some line Of work.
The school 10 which he is sent may Ic
anv one of the institutions of learning
which have agreed TO take men So, by
the board The one thousand sch aoW
listed With the board include q anc
technical schools Of the highest standing
Some Of them offer tuition free TO former
soldiers Others accept the regular tuition
fees, which are paid our of the s., ,000, 600
appropriated BY Congress for the board
last June
Besides the schools. factories are co
operating with the board This is espe-
cialiv important because some trades
such as printing, can be learned most
easily through factory apprenticeship
The ex-soldler i III no case under any eX-
penSe for tuition and throughout the
time Of his instruction he receives sixty
FIVE dollars month for expenses. with
the same allowance for dependents. Is
during his service in the army He leaves
the school or shop Self-Supp0rtIng and
without fear Of being q drag on his conf
munity.
The connection OF the Bureau Of " ar
Risk Insurance With the Vocational Edu-
cation Board is not generally understood
Enlisted men injured in service 80 hag
they are disabled cJher totally or partially
are entitled To monthly compensation
from the War Risk Insurance Bureau q
matter entirely distinct from War RISh
INSURANCE pohcE
When u disabled man applies for this
compcI satnn. ami i Is awarded the
Nar Risk Bureau informs him that ne i
eligible 10 receive aid from the NocationaI
Education Board Without a decision of
the War Risk Bureau, awarding com
ponsation for disability a soldier cannot
be considered n an applicant to the Vo-
catIonal Education Board for govern
nent training in school or shop
The first practical attempt 70 find new
places in civil life for the wounded sol
diers was made by Rerian in French
city 4 group Of homeless Belglan
wounded applied to the Speaker Of the
Belgian House Of Representatives for
aid Tie took them into his home and
when he found that they wished 70 try
again the old trades. he let them coDble
shoes in his parlor raise Vegetables in
his garden, and turr his dinincroom INTO
a general workshop lie found that they
were SO much happier when they were
working and that some picked Up a trade
by watching the others.
lie appealed 10 the Belgian minister of
finance for funds IN order to increase the
rumber of men under his care Later The
Belgian Congress provided money to
build extra shacks about the holiSc IN
this way vocational help fcr the wounded
got start, with such excellent results
that France England Italy. Canada and
finally the United States follow ed the
Belgian example
In the Two hundred hospitals overseas
which shelter Anoric ia wounded. the
sans help "a vocational advisers IS cf-
feFed is III this country Application
cards are given "a disabled men leaving
the overseas hospitals with the invitation
To tlll them out and mail them to the
' ocational Education Board when they
reach the United States These cards have
just begun to come into the boards Of
fees
President Wilson has emphasized the
Importance of the re-education Of our
wounded in a iqftnr ~ fhn Jirant,.,. 80 81.