Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-09-08
ROBERT J. FULLER
On the Economic Value Of Veteran
Rehabilitation


T EAvING aside entirely the humanitarian
- side Of the question, the economic value
of the rehabilitation of the veterans of the
late war will add to the industrial and eco
nomic resources of the United States sum
vastly in excess of what this rehabilitation
has cost, according to Robert ]. Fuller,
chief of the rehabilitation division of the
Veterans Bureau of the Third DISTRICT,
comprising Pennsylvania and Delaware.
"In PENNSYLVANIA alone" said Mr.. Fuller,
eve have put into training more tnan
1900 men, and there are on the training
rolls Mt the present time about II 800. There
is practically no limit to the kinds OF tram
ing which they receive, and probably ON IN
round figures the men are now learning 20
different trades and occupations. Ihousands
of them have been rehabilitated not only
economically. but also socially.
"As may be guessed from the number OF
various occupations which the men have Sc
lected in which they prefer training, tne
occupations run all the way from an acety-
lene welder to post graduate medical STU
dent.
What Rehabilitation Means
"The fundamental idea of rehabilitation
is to return the disabled veteran to civil life
with an Occupation which he may pursue
gainfully and without any economic loss IN
spite Of his vocational handicap. In other
words, it enables the rehabilitated n, man TO
in that field Of work in which the former
has been trained.
"The economic gain to the industrial and
productive resources OF the United states
from placing these veterans IN position
where they are producers In great many
lines will. in n very short space Of time,
far outbalance the cost of so fitting them.
One of the chief aims of the Government in
doing this work Is to avoid some OF the evils
which followed the Civil War. An important
lesson from this experience has been learned
and bad economic feature has been elimi-
mated. =, .,
"Through this work there has come about
the most serious consideration of vocational
guidance and direction. or the choosing OF
the occupation for which the men are best
adapted. This selection Is based upon the
previous educational background of the man
in question. his previous occupational ex:
periences, his age, his personal history ana
the extent and character Of his disability:
coupled with his desire and his personal
preferences.
at would naturally be unwise from every
standpoint to try to make a physician of
man who had not the previous educational
background for such profession. when
there might be and usually Is one OF the
mechanical arts In which ne would De sue
cessful. All these things have to be care
fully considered in the choosing OF an occu-
patton for the men, but they are generally
amenable to reason in this matter. which is
of the first importance both to them and to
the Government which Is supplying the edu-
cational facilities.
1.-THE counsel given to the men is naturally
more in the nature Of advisement. We point
out to the man himself the spheres in which
he Is most likely to be successful and in
which he can make a choice having In mind
the above considerations.
Choice Not Compulsory
"From our experiences in this line It IS
believed that in the question OF vocational
guidance the adult individual should not be
directed peremptorily or told that he must
do this or that, but that he should be led
to make the proper choice Of vocation him
self. This is, we think, n contribution which
rehabilitation can make and is making to
the educational world In quest Of more ma
terial to guide young men in the correct
selection Of their life occupations.
when the selection OF occupation has
been finally made definite effort is then
| made toward the setting up of the training
program, with rather different steps and GER
| tain time limitations. The training itself
| has been carried on both in institutions and
| in industrial establishments, with approxi-
| mately % per cent Of the men training In
! the latter.
| "The training program then may be either
! intensified courses OF study prearranged be-
tween the Veterans Bureau and the insti-
tuition giving the training, or It may be a
series Of steps carried on in industrial es-
| tablishments under competent counselors.
| which will enable the men receiving the
course to pursue successfully the given trade
| or occupation.
| "In both cases our experiences have shown
that there Is much subject matter commonly
| thought TO be necessary in the educational
| sphere which may be reasonably eliminated
from the training program and thus save
much time for the man receiving the train