Detroit evening times., 1945-10-04
WESTBROOK
PECLER
-Fa1
Enough

unfortunate young men who lost
arms or legs in the war will
moderate a shocking estimate
given some of us recently by
Eddie Rickenbacker.
At a luncheon, Rickenbacker
said there were more than 30,-
600 of these patients, and put
the proposal that employers find
work for them in which they
could serve with inner knowl-
edge that they were pulling
their weight and fully earning
their salaries.
He said his airline, the East.
ern, was absorbing a few, and
suggeste that there were
enough substantial and perma-
nent companies, as permanence
goes in business, tc employ them
all in positions of dignity as long
as they might care 10 stay.
HOWEVER, Gen. Omar Brad
- ley. the administrator of the
Veterans Administration. was
instantly skeptical of Ricken-
hackers figure of 10000. and
Tipping a lever on black talk
ing-box on his desk addressed
question TO a voice which an
Swered.
How many amputees We
there, Gen. Bradley wanted -
know.
In two minutes the voice from
the box told Gen, Bradley there
were 1900 such patients from
the army and 1000 from the
navy.
Nor was the general Impetu-
ouSly in favor OF Rickenbackers
plan. taking ft< view, az / un.
derstood him, nat they are re-
markably opiJuistlc men on the
whole, preferr'lg not ~ be dis
tinguiShed from other wounded
men carrying on wi,h sq'Nl, If
less obvious upairmin,s.
In more than Just so reny
words. he conveyed \ belief thst
there waS-in- Ri.ipnbackffs
Wcll-meant plan az element OF
mistaken kindness Uhich would
keep these men constantly re-
minded that they are special OF
different -whereas there are
ever so many normal Jobs. espe-
ciaIly those calling for intelli-
gence, in which they may serve
as we'll as any others.
LIS gentle rebuff recalled
IL Lord Nelson who lacked an
arm and an eye as well: q man
whose name ! disrccall who had
no arms at all and was said 10
shoot better golf than most Of
us. with the handle tucked un-
dcrneath his chin, and the two
indomitableS, Pete Gray of the
Browns with only one arm. and
1t Bert Shepard, late OF the
Arizopa-TeXas League. who, at
any rate, had the cumption 70
challenge the major leagues
year. ~
1t Shepard was shot down
near Berlin in 1874. and came
homo with one leg gone below
the knee, but thc baseball news
last spring reported that he hal
praCticed with the Washington
club and thought good artiA'
cial leg would give HIM enous.
get-around 10 run bases ars
I field a position.
Bruce BartOn's daughter
Betsy. a beautiful girl. If it's
! any OF your business, wrote .
book last year out of long suf-
fering disappointment and pow
! crful courage. called Now I
Live AZ gai n which l think
should be spiritually helpful TO
many of these 1900 men.
DILL CORUM wrote some
- time ago about a friend,
Bill Gibson. who lost a lee in
the other war and yet became
professional tap dancer, and
friend OF mine who last
year lost his right arm at The
shoulder, a rcdoubtable inventor
and gadgeteer, again flies and
builds planes for sale and has
promised himself an arm or. as
he says, reasonable facsimile
thereof, by which 10 accompany
himself on his mandolin as he
sings ribald songs, like radio
cowboy, through his nose.
Gen. Bradley looks mainly TO
such as him. ingenious men with
a personal interest, TO invent
better artificial limbs and tells
Of a soldier who lost both arms
in the other war and who lately
tried a new one on his left arm
and became left-handed that
Hate in life-beeaHsc-it- twas so
much better than his old
fashioned right.
Those who have observed tASJ
dreadful suffering of friends
hurt, know that we cannW
imagine their agonies while the
wounds and nerves are healing.
Rnt Con RradlnN knowing