Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1942-05-23
MORE CRIPPLED
PERSONS GETTING
EMPLOYMENT NOW
JOBS FOR PERSONS HANDICAPPED
PHYSICALLY. INCREASE DUE
TO WAR EFFORT

Employment Of physically handi-
capped men and women Is expanding
rapidly, particularly in the nations
industrial centers where they are be-
ing successfully used in many manu-
featuring and production jobs, accord
ing to a study by an insurance COM
pauy.
Needs of war industry combined with
draft exemption are making 1t possible
TO place thousands Of crippled or other
wise handicapped persons IN both
skilled and unskilIed jobs They are
proving efficient, satisfactory workers
where properly selected and placed, &C
cording to the study, which complies
figures furnished by government en-
ployment offices from Maine 70 Texas
showing increases ranging from 30
percent to over 300 percent In place
ments of handicapped persons COM
pared with a year ago.
Connecticut shows rapid increase
in absorption Of physically hanu-
capped persons into industry with q
Jump Of nearly 800 percent IN num-
Der of such placements in the year,
1871. compared with the year, 1890,
and a further increase OF more than
800 percent IN placements during the
first quarter Of 1912 compared with
the first three months Of 1871. Skilled
and semi-skilled persons who nave
rShysical impairments, according 70 the
report from Hartford, are readily &C
cepted by war industries regardless
of the severity Of the disability II
they can meet the actual requirements
of the lob. UnskiIled and seriously han
dicapped persons find 1t much more
difficult to secure employment, but are
nevertheless being placed IN many m
stances bv cooperative efforts on tine
part of the government employment
service and the vocational rehabinta-
tion service of the state department. OF
education. A wide variety OF jobs are
being satisfactorily filled IN Connecti-
cut Industries by handicapped persons,
as tooImakers. machinists, machine OPP
orators inspectors, general factory Ia
borers. bench workers, clerks, DOCK
keepers, etc.
In Ohio, public employment offices
placed 1881 handicapped persons In
1e4l compared with 2,238 in 1910, an
increase of over so percent, while In
the first three months Of 1912, S8S
placements were made as against 59l IN
the corresponding period Of 1041, thus
maintaining approximately the same
steady rate of increase, the study
states.
AS another outstanding example OF
increasing use made OF handicapped
persons, the study cites figures for the
state of Illinois, where 1896 handl-
capped persons were placed IN employ
ment in 1e41, an increase Of more than
loo percent over the total Of 4,2T4
placed IN 1910. In the first three
months Of 1912, 2,132 were placed as
compared with 1,708 In the cores
bonding period Of 1941.
Similarly rapid increases are shown
In placements Of handicapped persons
in MARYLAND, New Jersey, Wisconsin,
Iowa, Minnesota, Texas and numerous
other areas.
The report also cites the fact that
while employment of ablebodied work
ers has risen rapidly, hiring OF the
physically handicapped has risen much
more rapidly; In Illinois, for example,
OF handicapped persons rep
resented 2.6 percent of total place
rents in 1g40. but represented 4 per-
cent of a much larger number of total
in 1941, by government en-
offices in that state.
The United States employment serv-
ice for Maryland finds that most in
dustries will consider handicapped
person for any job for which his train
ing and ability fit him The majority
of semi-skilled and tmskilled place
nents have been in small parts assem-
Div, lens making, in packing and wrap
ping Jobs, and as watchmen.
One Of the most noteworthy trends
IS the increasing placement Of physi-
cally handicapped persons in actual
and production jobs, as
compared to the previously larger
number placed in clerical or sedentary
work.