East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1922-08-14
TAKES GOOD
CARE OF HER WOUNDED
MEN, VISITORS SAY

INDIANAPOLIS, Aug. 14.-Rcturn-
ed tourists from Germany visitinG Am
,erican, Legion headquarters here tell
of a nation sunk low economically-
nation paying in part the penalty of
an unjust War-but caring for her
sons who fought These visitors praise
the speedy effort put forth by the Ger
man government is caring for the de-
pendants of her dead and disabled,
and in rehabilitat,ng the wounded lOr
gainful occupations.
Most of these who have come in
contact with the work done and being
done by the German government 10y
ally aided by the public along these
lines declare they marveled at the eX-
pediton with which the nation under
took the big task, and how successful
lv it has carried it out. in view of the
sorely depleted national treasury, and
the lack of facilities Without draw
ing odious comparisons, they inquire
closely into what our own country has
done since the great war ended and
the problem presented itself
A. A. Sprague, chairman OF the ma
tional rehabilitation committee OF the
American Legion, in recent letter 10
Brig. Gen. c. f. Sawyer, personal phy-
sician of President Harding and chiet
coordinator in charge of the plans Tor
| the treatment and care of disabled
American veterans, accused the gen.
| eral of seriously delaying and inter-
| fering with a hospitaliation program
already agreed upon and ordered by
| congress. =.a... t-
The American Legion declares more
| than $500 mental cases are still con-
| fined in contract institutions unfit for
| their care. and of the remaining AIS
victims of mental disorders due to the
war, only $500 are in government ln-
stitutions devoted entirely to their
care. .a.- gt
Hardly had Germany's millions OF
disa bled been returned to their homes,
| those who have studied the work there
say, before the government began pay
| ing out of it's scant treasury money
to the wounded and the dependents of
the dead, at the same time starting the
disa bled in vocational traininS-often
carried on by those who had not been
wounded. But that is not all. -Ns
Realizing that the disabled men and
| widows of soldiers cannot live solely
on the compensation grants, Germany
| some time ago set about to get JOBS
| for every wounded man, not totally
| disabled. The infinite amount OF
work involved in getting the disabled
| placed is in the hands of patriotic
| organization headed by Joachim Won
| Winterfeldt, land director of the pro-
| vince of Brandcnburg. ,.
Won WintcFfeldt. in the early days
of the war, perfected an organization
| for Brandenburg which has now been
! copied by every province in Germany
In each province, the organization is
SO complete that no badly wounded
soldier has to go far to report his case
\ and make known his needs. After
local Headquarters has considered the
case of the disabled man. he is sent
to Berlin, where full record Of his
life and needs is made. After
thorough examination, the employ
ment director takes charge of the dis
abled man. finding out the type of
work for which he is best suited and
obtaining job for him as near the
disabled mans home as possible.
Germany has hit upon scheme
by which German manufacturers, who
may have profited by the war are
made to help support disabled SOL
diers. A law has been enacted, where
by every business which employees
more than 20 persons must give en-
ployment in two percent of its jobs to
badly wounded soldiers.
The duration of the soldiers job
depends upon his giving satisfaction,
but it is said that German employers
have not been drastic and the disabled
men are making good. Disabled men
are being given virtually the same
salaries as the men who are normal.
In Brandenburg. there are SO reg
ional offices outside of Berlin. These
offices have taken care of more than
$4,000 wounded soldiers. $4,000 of
whom we're classified as badly wound
ed. OF this number, all but 600 are
at work.
German manufacturers. showing
that they were eager to make the dis
abled mans lot as easy as possible.
have installed special machinery in
their factories for blind men and men
with only one arm or one leg. At
these machines the disabled men are
able to turn out as much work as nor
NAL men.