Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1919-10-07
Federal Board Estimates That
$4,000 viii Have to Be
y Fitted for Vacations
1856 ALREADY IN TRAINING
Government Works on Four Year
Program, but Funds Are Needed
to Complete PIans--Board Re-
views 1000 Cases Day.


ranks of the country, able to compete
with other whole" men and to earn
an Independent income for himself
According to information JUS made
public by the federal board for Vo-
cational education it is likely that
as many as 10000 men who served
in the war will have to be re-edu-
Gated, either vocationally or occupa-
tionally.
Under this plan the federal hoard
Is now working on what Is practi-
cally a four-year program, although
appropriations so far have been made
only up to July, 1920. In aDolher
month, 1t Is estimated, 1000 men
will be approved to go into immediate
training with the opening for the
fall terms of the professional and
technical schools of the country. The
10000 or 10000 men disabled In the
service of the country will al be
placed Ia training for various lines
of activity and nearly all of them
will have completed rehabilitation by
the summer of 1923. BY far the ma
jority of the men to be rehabilitated
will have finished their retraining, it
is expected, within year or two
years, some of them In less than six
months, and will be back on their
feet in that time in professional ana
Industrial ranks.
May Extend Work.
So far no provision has been made
by Congress for rehabiitating men
whose disabilities do not amount to
vocational or occupational han1i-
cap. 1t 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 well as the compensation al
ready paid through the war risk hll-
reau to men who have simply suffered
physical disabilities, without economic
loss to them, In their country's service.
To carry out such a program, it is es-
timated that the federal government
would have to expend upwards OF
half a billion dollars.
Up to the present time the voca-
tional education board has got in touch
with some $4,000 men and has actual.
ly surveyed and interviewed 110,135
soldiers, sailors and marines injured
in service during the war. The ma
jority Of these will not he able to OBJ
tain retaining under the act of con-
gress as it 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 n handicap to them
in the occupation or vocation they fol-
lowed or IN ordinary lines of work can
be retralned and fitted for new
trade or profession. OF those already
interviewed 14,S76 have been approved
for trimming, and 1856 of these have
actually been placed in training Sew
eraI thousand additional men will
have been approved by October.
According to recent figures reported
TO the bureau of war risk insurance
by the army, 149 433 men have been
discharged from service with a dlsa-
bility.
only cases showing 10 per cent dis
ability have been reported" the report
states. "At this rate it seems prob.
able that the total number of cases of
disability resulting from the war and
entitled to (monetary) compensation
will be close to 100000"
s35o,ooo, 900 Needed.
A central case board has been cs.
tablished in Washington to finally an
prove all cases sent in by the distant
boards, This system, 1t is explained,
is necessary because the board is Oh.
Grating under budget system of eX-
pense from congress. This board re.
views an average of 1000 cases a day.
The majority of these have to be 70.
Jected, though, If Il more liberal law
should be passed by congress in the
future these cases would be reoprncd
ana 1t IL supposed the majority of
them would then be approved. The
documents and evidence in each case
are carefully preserved so that the OK.
pense of obtaining them again will be-
should more liberal law be passed
opening up possibilities for training
for such group Of men It is now os.
timated II would take at least $3.50.
100000 to pay the support, tuition,
and textbook cost alone. Further uro-
vision would have to be made for
travelling expenses of the men, med
ical attention, and mechanical a,pli.
ances ana for equipment and admins.
tration Of the broader law Al pres.
ent the board is paying the tuition,
travelling expenses. textbook cost, and
other special expenses for the men il
approves, IN addition to paying 500
TO men with dependents ana $50
month to men without dependents,
and family allowances to the former
class.