The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1920-08-05
PROBLEM OF INDUSTRIAL
|CR|PPLES DISCUSSED BY.
|6FF|CER FEDERAL BOARD
VOCATIONAL EDUCATION

l New York. Aug. 5.-The lessons
k1eafned by the United States in It's
work OF rehabilitation of soldier and
peauor veterans of the war. IL applied
ITO the problems of the Industrial Grip
pie would mean not only the return
20 Independence Of these injured work
fers but an actual increase in the
Ywealth of the nation OF So, 800, 000, 900
wear, according to Raplh Y. Fisher,
district vocational officer Of the Fed
erai Board for Vocational Education in
New York district in an address here
l~recently before the New York Rotary
Club.
I'm point of dollars" said Mr.. Fish
restraining the industrially Grip
NpIed men means an increased product
five value to the nation of amounts
heretofore little understood. I believe
We are easily within conservative
estimates in saying that any seriously
4 disabled man who can be vocationally
rehabiitated will nave his earning
capacity increased by a total of at
kleast s12,500 for the remaining period
POI his life and that his increased pro-
ductive value to the nation will easily
reach $50. 900.
THE Federal Board for Vocational
1Education is just now gathering data
on the subject, but if, for immediate
estimates, we assume hat not more
Than one-fifth of the permanently
disabled require retaining, we would
}have $4,000 men a yea to be trained.
II is "A simple matter of computation
TO sec that if each restrained man
returns $50, 900 in the remainder of his
life the increment a%ccruing to the
wealth of the nation would mount to
1.-TWO and one-half billion dollars. This
enormous figure. 1t must be remem-
< bered, is the estimated result Of train
ffng those persons crippled in indus
Etry in one year"
Mr.. Fisher said it was estimated
] by the board that four or five times
tas many persons are disabled in in.
tdustry in n year as were disabled
in the American expeditionary forces
during the period Of war. He said
that at least $50 900 persons are per-
manently disabled in the United States
each year through industrial acct
dents.
The problem, said Mr.. Fisher, will
always be largely a state problem.
"The state" he said, (which is
} responsible for the most industrial
cripples is likewise reaping cores
pending profits. from the industries
In that state which are responsible
for those cripples. Consequently, the
funds for industrial rehabilitation
should come chiefly from sources
Of state taxation, assuming that the
state will, in turn, derive taxes for
that purpose from the profits of those
Industries which are responsible for
the accidents"
Mr.. Fisher praised the act Of con-
ress in passing almost without re-
M1ction the ninety million dollar ap-
preparation for the rehabilitation of
war veterans. This action, he said,
1 made it possible to prove beyond a
I. 3pubt the feasibility of rehabilitation
cripples.
#"New York state is to be c%ongratu-
lated" Mr.. Fisher asserted, ION hav-
ing recently passed a law calculated
to accept the provisions Of the fed
eral act recently approved. which
does not provide for the support OF
the industrially disabled who are un-
kdergoing vocational training but pro-
J pose to standardize, supervise and
encourage industrial rehabilitation in
tthe various states. The New York
t1aw d~esignates a state advisory com
mittee for the rehabilitation of handi-
tcapped persons which viii cooperate
a with other state agencies concerned.
sfFor immediate encouragement con
gress has appropriated $3.50, 900 to
be allotted to the states, covering a
period of the next four years, on
condition that the states meet this
appropriation dollar for dollar.
I "New York has lone the character
istic thing in anticipation Of the
federal act. so that the simple ac
ceptance by the governor OF the
state will complete the formalities.
Whether it is viewed as a war
rocuper1tive measure or as an in
dustrial recrperative measure" said
Mr. Fisher, lit cannot help but APP
\ poal to right minded citizens, because
n it is calculated not only to solve
MI economic problem. but to solve
at the same time one of the great
social problems of democracy-a con.