The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1920-08-06
REHABILITATION
WORK. Is PRAISED
What Application to Problems Of In
dustrial Cripple Would Mean Are
Pointed Out.

New York, Aug 5.-The lessons
learned by the United States in its
work of rehabilitation of soldiers and
sailor veterans of the war, if applied
| to the problems of the industrial GRIN
pie would mean not only the return to
independence of these injured work
ers but an actual Increase in the
wealth of the nation of $4,000, 900. 900 a
year, according to Ralph 7. Fisher, dis
trict vocational officer of the Federal
Board for Vocational Education in the
New York District in an address here
today before the New York Rotary
Club.
Tn point of dollars said Mr.. Fish
er 'retraining the industr:alIy Grip
pied men means an increased produc-
tive value to the nation of amounts
heretofore little understood. I believe
we are easily within conservative es
Inmates in saying that any seriously
disabled man who can be vocat:onallv
rehabllftated will have his earning ca
pacity increased by total of at least
Sl2,5o0 for the remaining period of his
life and that his increased productive
value to the nation will easily reach
$50. 900.
The Federal Board for Vocational
Education is just now gathering data
on the subject, but If, for immediate
estimates, we assume that no more
than one-fifth of the permanently dis
abled require retaining, we would have
$4,000 men year to be trained 1t is
simple matter of computation to see
that if each retrained man returns
$4,000 in the remainder of his life the
increment ACQUIRING to the wealth of
the nation would amount to two and
one-half Billion dollars. This enor-
nous figure, it must be remembered.
is the estimated result of training
those persons crippled in industry in
one year."
Mr.. Fisher said it was estimated by
the board that four or five times as
many persons are disabled in indus
try in one year as were disabled in the
American Expeditionary Forces during
the period of the war. He said that at
least 100000 persons are permanently
in the United States each year
through industrial accidents.
The problem, said Mr.. Fisher. will
always be largely a state problem.
The state" he said, which is re-
sponsible for the most industrial Grip
plies is likewise reaping corresponding
profits from the industries in that
state which are responsible for those
Consequently, the funds for
rehabilitation should come
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- |
gress in passing almost without reduc- |
ton the ninety million dollar appro- |
priation for the rehabilitation of war |
veterans. This action, he said, made 1t |
possible to prove beyond doubt the
of rehabilitation of cripples
New York state is to be congratu-
ated," Mr.. Fisher asserted, on having |
passed a law calculated 10 &C
,ept the provisions of the Feder'A act
recently approved, which does not FIo- /
vide for the support of the industriaily
disabled who are undergoing vocation
Il training but purposes to standard
re. supervise and encourage industrial
in the various states
rhe New York law designates state
advisory committee for the rehdoin-
alton of handicapped persons walch
viii cooperate with other state asen-
lies concerned. For immediate en-
congress has appropriated
g. 750, 900 to be allotted to The states,
covering a period of the next four
rears. on condition that the states
meet this appropriation dollar for dol
ar.
New York has done the characters
&c thing in anticipation of the Federal
ct. so that the simple acceptance by
he governor of the state will complete
he formalities.
Whether this is viewed as war re-
operative measure or as an Industrial
measure" said Mr.. Fisher,
it cannot help but appeal to right
llnded citizens, because it is calculat-
d not only to solve an economic prob
I'm, but to solve at the same time one
( the great social problems of democ-
acy-a contented citizenry.n T.
@@ o . &c &c |