The Washington herald., 1922-06-22
Meat of Statistics.

"A to let their lights shine among men, They
find no satisfaction in hiding their candles under
bushels in turning on the DINNERS when they
speed along the thoroughfares where the populace
gathers On the other hand, some of them hire
press agents to hold those same candles aloft-
fearful lest any should pass in the night and not
behold The flame
Just now officials of world war veteran socie-
ties are making some unkind remarks about the
particular brand Of press agenting used by the Vet
Grams Bureau-that OF presenting imposing sta
tstics
Here is a sample-an extract from the latest
envelope of propaganda sheets received in Wash
ington newspaper office:
"In addition to the 10000 factories and indus
trial organizations which are afording' placement
training to 36,7o4 veterans, there are 3,22S addi-
tona institutions engaged in the work OF remak-
ing men who fought in the world OF this
number there are I62 universities 253 colleges, 90
State normal schools, I,o4I commercial schools,
3o3 professional schools. 244 public schools. and
z64 institutions teaching miscellaneous subjects.
On Nav 1, 1922, there were IoS.oIo in vocational
training"
pretty as church bells on a Sabbath morning. But
such statistics are apt to misead the paying pub
lie sadly OF course, il they do, it is no fault OF
the bureau or its press agent He has given the
facts Let people make whatever deductions are
inspired by their own wicked hearts.
But officials OF the American Legion tell US,
inst such statements in the past have been liable
to misinterpretation There number of trit-
ling points which would rejoice to see the Vet
Grams Bureau clear Up. For instance, that item
about 10000 factories giving employment to 10000
vcterans-about to factory.
Is it not fact that in most of these factories,
the men get no training whatsoever that they would
not get if employed there in regular position
without taking the Veterans Bureau into considera-
ton at all? Is not fact that the easiest to
dispose OF a complaining veteran is to pay him 800
a month. like sum- let him continue his
regular Job and check the off on the books
as placement traning?" Why many factories
for so few men, Why the whole 10000 not
grouped together in. let say, 1000 factories or
less where there would be some facilities for CIV
ing them real training? In other words, has not the
bureau come to the conclusion that all work is
educational and that the employee of the Washing
ton street department is learning something? What
more could be expected of George Washington
Georgetown universities If, officials of the
American Legion indicate, this is often the case,
the veterans involved only are getting good
from their training in many cases they are done
actual harm. Some day the SIoo month will stop
and they will be forced to living Will they
be better fitted for the task?
We do not question but that the Veterans Bu-
reau has some remarkable of rehabilitation to
its credit 1t is well known that they have few
those which they use for prize exhibits when the
tax-paying public drops in for a call. But we
would like to know whether the present system of
placement training. taken whole, is not ridicu-
lous. American Legion officials have said much.
Let Col. Forbes give clear answer, with facts to
support his claims
The Veterans Bureau is spending a great deal
of the pubc's money. 1t is money which no man
begrudges them if they can show practical results
But if it is just distributed at random, producing
no good for world war veterans, there is another
question to
The bureau press agent, poor fellow, fac
ing hard proposition this week. After the legion
activities he was forced to find something good to
say about the department from which he draws his
salary. After entertaining with these old statis-
ics which mean nothing whatsoever wnen analysed,
-, provides the following for the delight of news
~.,cr readers:
1'ne half dozen courses in greatest demand are
commercial, agricultural, professional, mechanical
trades electrical trades and the various crafts"
What strange ideal Who would have thought
that world war veterans would have any interest in
such things? We presumed most of them wished
be astronomers, grand opera singers or lightning
bug collectors. But will take the press agents
word for it. It's real nice, isn't itl
At any rate, the above quoted statement is on
par with the rest of the article. 1t means moth
ing. Neither do the statistics, We have desire
to take sides in a controversy between the Veter-
ans Bureau and the American Legion. But we
want facts which mean something from both sides
not nonsensical mess of figures such as the bu-
reau is broadcasting these days