Evening star., 1928-04-29
BY REX COLLIER,

oalVag1Qg America 8 human scrap
heap"--a task undertaken by the Fed
eral Board for Vocational Education in
cooperation with State authorities
for Uncle Sam.
No one had doubted from the first
that the job of making over human
derelicts into useful citizens was a
commendable humanitarian project, but
there were some who felt that the
undertaking would be too costly and
would produce no tangible returns.
Seven years of operation of the
vocational rehabilitation law, during
which 1t has been made operative in
Al States. have shown, however, that
rehabilitation Of men and women is
profitable.
If some one goes into the junk salvage
business and in one year shows a clear
profit of S6000,000 on an original in
vestment of Sl,000,000. the accomplish
ment Is worthy Of Nationwide notice.
Shows Big Profit.
Yet in his business of rescuing and
rebuilding human wreckage, Uncle Sam
effected a gain to the Nation in one
year of S6225, 700 at a cost Of only
81 ,l24, ,500-and but few persons know
about it,
In that single year, 1925, nearly 5000
persons who had become liabilities TO
themselves and to society by reason of
accident or disease were made over into
| national assets and put back on the
pay rolls of American industry. Instead
Of being added to the population Of
poorhouses or becoming wards Of
charitable organizations. these rehabiIi-
tated employees rolled up earnings total
ing 1880. 200.
Speaking of influences that are
undermining our institutions" nothing
has had such a deleterious effect on the
Nations almhouses nor struck so ef-
facing blow at that municipal "insti-
tuition" the corner beggar. than the
act of Congress of June. 1920, provid-
ing for Federal agency Of vocational
education
Despite the safety crusade in business
and industry, approximately 10000
persons are permanently disabled from
industrial and public accidents each
year in the United States Some one
dies from accident nearly every six
minutes. Of the persons permanently
disabled annually, about $4,000 Of them
require assistance-lest they be con-
signed to Americas human junk rile
Human Junk Pile"
This junk pile is made up of pitiable
aggregation Of wrecked. broken, dis
heartened men and women. Some
have lost an arm. which was their
mainstay in business. Some are minus
leg or two legs, depriving them of
their means for gainful occupation.
Others are lame. halt or blind: sick,
diseased or crippled from birth. In
their present plight they are a burden
on their fellow beings, debit on the
economic ledger Of the people
Accidents are no reSpecter OF per-
sons. They seem to strike their VIC
Tins in the most vital spot. They rob
travelling statesmen Of their legs. typists
and stenographers of their right arms
or their eyes. mechanics of their fingers.
and so on. With each such accident an
artisan or a tradesman or a follower
of the professions is robbed of his
means for pursuing the only occupa-
ton he knows.
Under the old order Of things these
crippled employees we're replaced by
able-bodied substitutes and the world at
large forgot about the unfortunate ones.
In the busy whirl of this workaday
world none seemed to care what be.
came OF those accurSed by q stroke Of
fate. through no fault of their own.
The same situation prevailed with
regard TO those afflicted bv disease or
congenital deformitieS. The task of
caring for these unlucky ones was left
to relatives or friends or charitable in
Stitutions. No public attempt was made
to transform the afflicted ones into self
supporting citizens. The State or the
Federal Government merely extended
facilities of public institutions to those
sR@f,s - d. ~
budgets of poorhouses and charitable
refugees.
Costs $225 Per Head.
To make these stricken individuals
over into industrious. self-suStaining
citizens costs an average OF s255 per
individual
To sustain these individuals in a
poorhouSe would cost from $500 70 $500
year for the remainder OF their lives,
or for perhaps 20 years
The first cost under rehabilitation IS
the only cost. while almShouSe charity
requires an annual expenditure and pro-
duceS no return.
The amazing dividends produced for
the Nation during seven years OF re-
habilitation activity have resulted in a
movement to extend the work into the
few States Still adhering to the poor
house plan of aiding the disabled.
The latest move has been 10 provide
a rehabilitation law for the District OF
Columbia. When the original law was
adopted no provision was made for the
National Capital. although her citizens
become just as much disabled ana are
In need of Just as much vocational
training as citizens from other States
Sponsors District Law.
Representative Summers of Washing
ION is championine the local bill. Dur
ing the hearings ON this measure before
the House committee on education cfi-