Evening star., 1941-11-21
President Calls
For Program 10
Help Disabled
Asks Mobilization
To Return Them to
Productive Capacity

President Roosevelt today called
on the Government and private re.
Mobilization agencies for a new pro-
gram to help return physically
handicapped men and women to
productive capacity"
In a message to the National Con-
ference on Employment Of the Dis
abled at the Wardman Park Hotel.
the President asked the services rep
resented by about 200 delegates to
mobilize" for the task. The letter
from the Chief Executive was read
to the group by Frederic G.. Elton
of New York City, chairman of the
conference, who is District super
visor of vocational rehabilitation for
the New York State Education De-
partment.
In presenting the Presidents
message. Mr.. Elton outlined the
aims and purposes of the confer
ence and declared that this country
must be prepared to produce more
and more war materials as "our
only defense against suffering the
fate Of other nations at the hands
Of brutal mechanical power"
The conference, which will con.
tinue through tomorrow and Sum
day. will be addressed by many
speakers from both Government and
private organizations concerned with
rehabilitation.
100000 More Available.
President Roosevelt said it was
deeply gratifying" that delegates
from all parts of the country were
here Ito make plans for the utiliza-
ton Of the productive capacity Of
that group of our citizenry who are
physically handicapped"
I'VE all know" continued the
President. that the greatest assets
in any undertaking are forward
thinking and intelligent planning.
In this Nation there are several
millions of men and women who,
although limited in physical capac-
lty. are making substantial con-
tribution to our productive effort.
There remain. however, at least
100000 persons whose services can
be utilized if the obstacles to their
employment are removed"
i am convinced that these OBJ
stacles can be removed" the Presi-
dent wrote. We have genius and
We have the facilities. I am con-
vinced, also, that both labor and in
dustry will cooperate in this un-
dertaking. May I urge. therefore.
that you devise program that will
mobilize the services of all isgovern-
mental and private agencies to the
end that every potentially produce
tive handicapped man and woman
in this Nation will be afforded the
opportunity to participate in our
domestic economy.
If you accomplish this end you
will have made significant contri-
button both to the strength of our
democracy and to the welfare and
happiness of our people. In this
endeavor you can be assured of my
whole-hearted interest and support
Program Outlined.
A four-point program was pre-
sented by Chairman Elton. Briefly
the points were:
The disabled can be and have
been refSted for employment and
satisfactorily employed in defense
work.
Due to the speeding up of indus
try and men leaving for military
service there has been an ever in
creasing number of accidents to peo-
pie who should be returned prompt
ly to productive work.
In the event of war more able
bodied men will be called into serv-
ice, and the disabled then become
the backlog Of necessary produc-
ton to maintain the fighting forces" D."
In the event of war also, to the
already increasing injuries resulting
from production speed will be added
those disabled in active military
service.
Among the specific proposals aG-
vanced by Mr.. Elton to help bring
more disabled people to production
was a breakdown Of the barriers
of employment examinations" He
criticized those physical examira-
tions which in the hands of misin-
formed doctors prevent the employ
ment of the disabled rather than
their ALLEGATION to suitable jobs"
Coordination Asked.
Calling for coordination in de-
veloping widespread new program
the conference chairman said: 1--WE
cannot meet this need nor can We
take advantage Of this opportunity
until all the programs by Federal
agencies and private organization,
are welded into one great service
for the disabled. ''' The one word
is production and you cannot have
production without having workers y
: Capt. Watson B. Miller. assistant
administrator of the Federal Sc
curity Agency, told the conference
that defense has awakened Amer
ica To the realization that il il is