New-York tribune., 1919-07-13

andN was to have been given greater
speed and certainty by the amendment
to section two Of the vocations re-
habilitation bill which ] have to-day
signed and which places the whole re-
sponsibility for vocational training in
a single agency, virtually transferring
from the war risk insurance bureau to
the Federal Board for Vocational Edu-
cation $6,000,000 with which to support
erous figures of $50 a month for sim
gle man and 500 month for a man
and his wife.
Wants Troops Assisted
ut is a matter of very grave con-
Germ, therefore, that at the very mo-
ment when these disabled men are
coming in constantly increasing num-
bers to the government to avail them
selves of this general plan, there should
appear in the sundry civil appropria-,
ton bill, which | now return, limiting
clauses which will do much more than
seriously cripple and retard the bene-
flclal work Of restoring these men to
useful and contented lives. Those
clauses would probably, in fact, if put
into effect, nullify the whole purpose
of the act and render its adminstra-
ton practically impossible.
THE section Of the bill which I now
return which governs the appropriation
Tor this work provides the sum of
S6,000,000 for all the expenses Of re-
Mobilization, including the support of
tho disabled men in training, and this
sum is stated to be in lieu of the
appropriation contained in tho act ap-
proved July, 1919, amending section
two of the act approved June 81, 191S,'
lnasmuch as there are already over
1000 disabled soldiers, sailors and ma
rlnes in training; and inasmuch as an
other 1000 would be put into train
ing now that the amendment to sec
tion two has become law, it is clear
that even at the rate Of only $50 a
month sum approximating SS,O0O,OOO
will be required for the mere support
Of these men, and that under the pres
ent appropriation nothing will be avail
able for their tuition and travel or for
placing them where they can earn a
living, and it will be impossible to
meet the needs of the new thousands
who are every week seeking the bene-
fits of the rehabilitation act. In the
offices Of the board in the District of
Columbia and in fourteen great CEN
tres of the United States Immediate
help Is being given to men in need of
these services, and these offices are
used for the essential purpose of keep
ing accurate records, of providing
proper medical survey of the men, Of
caring for them in their illness, and
for the various administrative costs
inseparable from different work Of
this kind, which must, in the present
circumstances, reach to every corner
Of the United States.
Salaries Are Curtailed
Furthermore, the same section of
the sundry civil bill places such limi-
tations upon the salaries which the
Federal Board for Vocational Educa-
tion is permitted to pay that it will
inevitably result in the loss by the
vocational board of a very large num-
ber of men who have made them
selves especially valuable, and indeed
indispensable, in this new work by
reason of their native ability, their
proved general experience and their
special training, and to whose advice
the disabled men must look, as we'll
as for superintendent in the matter
of training and employment.
Among these are the vocational
advisers, whose special duty it is to
study the men in the hospitals, con-
fer with them and lay out their vo-
catlonal plans. These hospital cases
must, il these men are to be dis
missed or allowed to resign, get along
entirely without such advice and SUI
pervision until they have been able,
after their discharge, to make their
way on their own initiative to the
distant Offices of the Federal board.
Asks for Revision
"These serious limitations upon the
amount Of money available and the
uses to which it is to be put in
volved, therefore, an actual dlsrup.
ton of carefully built up service
at tho very moment when the dis
ableQ soldiers, sailors and marines
now In the country or returning to it
are mast Immediately in. need Of help.
This is matter OF the gravest conse-
quence. 1t cannot but have farreach-
ing and disastrous effects upon the
plan so carefully thought out for the
immediate and thorough rehabilitation
OF mon IN the service of the country.
Il therefore return the bill with
tho hope that the Congress will re-
consider this section Of the law. re-
store tho six millions appropriated un
der tho act amending Section 9, and
most literally revise the salary lmi
tations, SO that this benencent wsrk
may 20 on and go on ut once. am
convinced that in this matter speak
the sentiments and the hopes Of those
who have most carefully studied tho
needs of the returning soldiers and
who arc best qualIncd to carry out
a purpose which | am sure the coun-
trv haa vnrv x,,u,h h~.~.