The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1919-05-21

ton act, and absolutely necessary for
it's successful administration and to
the welfare of the men for whom the
act was designed. Loans to the men
made promptly at the district offices
of the Federal board in order that they
may be put into training Immediately.
This is necessary since it is not pos
sible for any Government agency &c
pay money to men in advance to put
them in training. Arrangements will
be made so that these loans will be
paid back by the men as soon as thew
have received the amounts due them
from the Government. In this way
the soldier will be treated not as a
problem of social relief but as SOL
der of the Republic in straitened cir
cumStances because assets due him
from the Government are unpaid. As
the result it will be possible for Fed
eral board to put at least thousand
men in training almost Immediately
whose cases have been dragging for
many weeks.
Rising to meet this situation the
War Risk Insurance Bureau has
promptly agreed that on the face of
certain records furnished by the Fed
eral board it will accept the cases as
being prima facie compensate and
will place the man upon their con-
pensation lists and send his checks 10
him promptly. With these two de-
vices it will be possible to speed up
from so to 120 days all the whole pro-
gram of the care and treatment, edu-
cation and placement of disabled sol
diers, sailors, and marines.
With the same vision and broad IL
berality the National Elks War Re-
lief Commission has provided through
it's funds for the entire support and
training of these worthy men who, be-
cause of any technicality, lie outside
the purvieW of the War-risk insur-
ance act, and therefore of the voca-
tional rehabilitation act. A man vino
was injured by some accident previ-
Gus to October 5, 1917, will be cared
for under this arrangement. Those
who, for technical reasons, are ruled
not to be entitled to compensation.
who need retraining because of inju-
res or disease incurred in the SER
vice will be cared for. In addition,
those American citizens who rushed 70
the support of the allies before we
entered he war by joining one of the
armies, or who since we entered the
war have, in the spirit of adventure.
entered other services and were in
jured while fighting the Hun, are 10
be re-educated and placed in employ
ment through the medium of the fund
which the Elks have provided. AS the
Members of Congress, will instantly
recognize, this is not possible under
the war-risk insurance act or the vo-
cational act, since both provide only
for those who are disabled in the SER
vice of the United States. against Ger
many and her allies. Foreigners serv-
ing in our American Army are entitled
to the benefit of the two acts, but Am
erican citizens serving with the allies |
are not. Hence the liberal provision
which the ElkS have made to cover
their cases, in order that they. too.
may have chance for the future. and
the country may be saved from the
spectacle of dependency on the part
of those willing to give their all in the
fight for democracy.
Realizing the above program and
desiring to participate directly in it. |
the Benevolent and Protective Order
of Elks, through the National EIks
War Commission, has placed at the
disposal of the Federal board quar- |
ter of a million dollars to be used
in this humane and practical work.
enabling the Federal boardA to Carry
on much Of its work without being sub
jected to the delay of technical rules
and regulations, which, in many cas-
es, would defeat the object of the
vocational education law.
The Elks fund thus provided is the
first instance of the kind in the his
tory of the country where a great |
patriotic fraternal organization has
come to the aid of the Government in |
SO timely, helpful, and substantial a
manner. This will be used to help dis
abled men who desire TO enter inme- |
diately upon vocational training. but
who are without funds to meet their
immediate needs.
The necessity for quick action in get