Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1920-07-29
help FOR men
DISABLED WHILE
AT DAILY WORK
Fisher Seeks to Introduce
Vocational Training For 4
Workers.

HAoW 1OTh. July IS.-Tne lessons
learned by the United States in its
work Of rehabilitation Of soldier and
sailor veterans of the war, IL applied
to the problems Of the industrial
cripple would mean not only the re-
turn to independence of these injur-
ed workers but an actual increase in
the wealth Of the nation of $2.560,-
100000 q year, according to Ralph
T.. Fisher, district vocational officer
Of the federal board for vocational
education in the New York district In
York Rotary club
I'm point of dollars" said Mr..
Fisher "retraining the industrially
productive value to the nation Of
amounts heretofore little understood.
believe We are easily within conser-
vative estimates in saying that any
seriously disabled man who can be
vocationally rehAbilitated will have his
earning capacity increased by total
OF at least $12,500 for the remaining
period of his life and that his in
creased productive value to the nation
will easily reach $4,000
"The federal board for vocational
education is just now gathering data
on the subject. but If, for immediate
estimates, we assume that not more
than one-fifth Of the permanently dis
abled require retraining. we would
have $4,000 men a year to be trained.
It Is a simple matter of computation
to see that II each retrained man re-
turns $4,000 in the remainder Of his
life the increment accruing to the
wealth Of the nation would amount
This enormous figure. it must be re-
membered. is the estimated result of
training those persons crippled In in
dustry in one year."
Worse Than War.
Mr.. Fisher said it was estimated
by the board that four or five times
as many persons are disabled in in
dustry in one year as were disabled
in the American expeditionary forces
during the period of the war. He
said that at least ESQ. 700 persons are
permanently disabled in the United
States each year through industrial
accidents. = .s.
The problem. said Mr.. Fisher. will
always be largely a state problem.
1.-The state" he said, which is re-
sponsible for the most industrial Grip
pies is likewise reaping correspond
ing profits from the industries in that
state which are responsible for those
cripples. Consequently. the funds for
Industrial rehabilitation should come
chiefly from sources of state taxation,
assuming that the state will, in turn,
derive taxes for that purpose from
the profits Of those industries which
s Mr. rsPSas'f Psher' pssss s1ie aet g. con-
sress IN passing almost without re-
ductions the ninety million dollar ap-
propriationS for the rehabilitation OF
war veterans, This action. he said
made 1t possible to prove beyond q
doubt the feasibility of reha abilitat tion
Of cripples.
Iaade New York.
New York state$is to be ,congratu.
lated" Mr.. Fisher asserted, ION hav-
ing recently passed law calculated
to accept the provisions Of the federal
act recently approved. which does not
provide for the support Of the indus.
trially disabled who are undergoing
vocational training but purposes tc
|industrial rehabilitation in the variou.
states The New York law designate.
state advisory committee for the
rehabilitation Of handicapped persons
which will cooperate with other state
agencies concerned. For immediate
encouragement congress has appro
priated $3,750,000 to be allotted tt
the states, covering a period of tn.
next four years. on condition that the
states meet this appropriation dollar
for dollar.
New York has done the charac
teristic thing in anticipation Of the
federal act, SO that the simple ac
ceptance by the governor of the stat.
will complete the formalities.
Whether this is viewed as a wal
recuperative measure or as an indus
trial recuperative measure" said Mr.
Fisher, 1T cannot help but appea
to right-minded citizens, because it /!
calculated not only to solve an eco
nomic problem, but to solve at tn,
same time one of the great socia
problems of democracy-a contentet