Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-07-25

an asset, 'tNfOUSh thS ~
operation of the federal government
with the states. In these days o
acute labor shortage this is an eco
nomic measure just as much as ;
humanitarian measure-and the hun
dreds Of thousands who will annual,
have restored to them the satisfac
ton of being able to earn their OWL
living can only be guessed at. fol
there are no statistics possible as tt
how many may be injured in acct
dents or how they may be injured
Under the industrial rehabilitation
act the Federal Board of Vocational
Education has been intrusted WIFI
this work The new law provides FOL
the allotment of federal funds to OF
matched dollar for dollar with funds
appropriated by any state that APP
proves the plan and to be utilized In
the re-education for useful employ
ment of any one who may be injured
so as to incapacitate him for contin-
uing the work to which he has beer
accustomed.
Two Other Acts Similar.
The federal board is already admin
istering two other somewhat similar
acts@1) the vocational education
act, under which the board was insti-
tuted for carrying on vocational edu-
cation in cooperation with the states
c. the soldier rehabilitation act car
ried on entirely with funds provided
by Uncle Sam. and (3) the industrial
rehabilitation act, where the states
are again invited to share with the
federal government in re-education
of the industrial cripples that they
may not become burden on society
No special machinery has been set
up for the administration of this new
act, because the federal board is al
ready cooperating with the same
state authorities in the administra-
ton of another act. L. S. Hawkins,
chief of the division of vocational ed
ucation. who was formerly director of
vocational education for the state Of
New York, is in charge of the office
work from the federal headquarters
under the new act. L. H. Carris. who
formerly was director of vocational
education in the state of New Jersey.
kes been assigned to the immediate
development work. or field work. un-
der the new act. and has just re-
turned from a trip to the Pacific
coast, meeting with state boards at
ceptance of federal cooperation.
Train Disabled Men.
It is not proposed that the federal
government shall take the disabled
men and train them, but that each
state that does it shall have the CO.
operation of the federal government
in allotment of funds and the help of
the federal board in planning the
work and carrying it out.
For the present fiscal year-1921-
there is a federal appropriation of
$3.50, 900. and for each fthe next
three years Uncle Sam has pledged a
million dollars. That has been allot-
ted to the several states on the basis
of the proportion the population of
the state bears to the total population
Of the United States. There is also a
special fund which guarantees a
minimum allotment of $4,000 to a
state. The four-year provision was
made. according to debates in Con-
gress. as the best estimate on the
amount needed to stimulate the states
to act. 1t is a four-year try-out to
determine the scope of the problem.
There are no reliable statistics to
indicate the number of disabled per-
sons. and none whatever to indicate
the number that may be available
for education industrially under
the act. Charles H. Verrill of the
United States employees compensation
commission calculates that the per-
manent disa bilities in industrial oc-
equations from amputations of the
hand, arm. leg, feet or a total loss
of sight Of one or both eyes will be
more than $4,000 a year. The New
York industrial commission has re-
ported 5000 suffering permanent
partial disability and 5000 who suf-
fered amputations. 1t is guessed that
100000 to 100000 impaired persons
will be re-educated each year under
the act.
Six States Cooperate.
Already six states have accepted
the federal cooperation. three by
direct, specific vote of the legislatures
and three by act of the governors.
In 1918 Minnesota and Nevada passed
state laws providing for vocational
rehabilitation. and. as the bill was
then pending in Congress. Minnesota
and Nevada anticipated its passage
and accepted its provisions. The state
of New York during the spring leg!s-
lative session Of 1920 also anticipated
its passage and passed state law
accepting the terms of the rehabili-
tation act
The federal act provides that
where state legislatures do not meet
between the date of approval of the
federal act, June 2 and Decem Der
81, the governor may accept the pro-
visions of the act until such time as
the state legislature has been in
session sixty days. The act has thus
been accepted by the Governors OF
Tennessee. Arizona and Indiana. The
Georgia legislature is now in ses.
sion and has acceptance bill
pending The Governor of Iowa Ave
years ago. in a public address. point.
ed out the Importance of rehabilita
ton work and last week said it hi.
intention to accept the federal act.
Other states, including California
Illinois, Massachusetts. New Jersey
North Dakota, Oregon, Pennsylvania
Rhode Island. Virginia and West Vir
ginia, have state acts. passed befor.