, 1922-04-18
The Nations Gratitude

THE FEDERAL BOARD of Vocational Education
i is charged with the performance Of so great a
work of Samaritan character while at dany gnps
with business detail that one wonders when the
binding of battle wounds leaves off and the utin-
tartan work Of re-education and preparation Tor fu-
ture usefulness begins
the federal board is now charged with the immense
duty of administering vocational rehabilitation TO the
nations army of industrial %cripples- The magnitude
of the task may be glimpsed when it is realized that
the annual toll of workers injured in industry ap-
proximates 100000. Somebody has computed that
American industry has the unenviable record OF a
workman killed every six minutes, and one injured
every Ia seconds. When the Republican Congress
set up rehabilitation machinery under the federal
board for the relief of these unfortunates, 1t was
realized that such action was long overdue.
Rehabilitation is accomplished by means OF voea-
tional re-education. Nearly every case OF industrial
injury admits of re-education in another trade where
the handicap of injury can be overcome. For instance
the blind have been successfully taught, weaving,
clsair-making and bric-a-brac work; legtamputation
cases have been retrained in vacations where they
can work seated; ~arm-amputation cases ttne most an,
6cult of ALL have been fitted with artificial arms and
enabled to carry on in new tasks where hand skill is
unnecessary. From the despair of pauperism and
helplessness rehabilitation lifts the industrial victim
into a new pride of self dependence and activity.
To establish this merciful undertaking the Con-
press made a first year appropriation Of ~s750,00o,
to be increased to 100000 for each OF the sue
ceeding three years. This original appropriation will
carry the work through the experimental and organ
ization stage.
Industrial rehabilitation is administered in CO.
operation with the states. In each state accepting
the federal act, a state industrial rehabilitation
agency has been set up under a state board for voca-
tional education, which directly administers the work
The federal funds are apportioned among these state
AGENCIES on condition that the state or local authori-
ties match or exceed the federal allotment. In
practice. most of the states appropriate much more
than the federal requirement.
Statistics of the extent of industrial rehabilitation
are not vet available, as all of the states have not vet
orpanized to cooperate in administering the act. Re
norts from % of the states for the last fiscal year
showed 1898 cases listed. 2,132 cases surveyed. ATS
cases nut in training and 623 cases rehabilitated by
states. During the present year rapid progress has
been made in extending the service. For the first
five and one-half months of the year the registration
actually mounted 265 per cent. Thirty-three states
have now accepted the federal act and set up rehabii-i
tation machinery.
Although the direct work of administration is thus
done by the states, the federal board, through its al
of funds, maintains a supervisory and stand
Ardizing direction over the effort as a whole. This
hoard. in addition to the Secretaries of Agriculture,
Labor and Commerce and the Commissioner of Edu-I
cation. is composed of three active members repre-
senting respectively labor, agriculture and manufac-I
ture and commerce.
Although it is early yet to estimate achievements,
it is generally felt that the work of industrial reha-
Utilization is one of the major labor services Of the fed
eraI government. Certainly it touches one of the
most long4standing labor needs. It is Uncle Sam in
one of his most merciful roles.