Browning chief. [volume] (Browning, Mont.) 1941-1953, 1947-10-17
Plea for Hiring Handicapped
Highlig hts Annual Observance
Physical Defects
Prove No Barrier.
Surrey Indicates
WNU Features.

It's ability not disability, that
counts.
That message is being broad
cast throughout the nation this
week in connection with the an
nual observance of National
Employ the Physically Handi-
capped Week.
Objective of the observance is to
seek national action in behalf of the
handicapped, the action being
spurred by official figures disclos-
ing that at the present time there
are 5000 employable handicapped
job applicants who have not been
able to find jobs even though en-
ployment nationally in the last two
years has thrust upwards to the all
time high of 60 million. Estimates
of the total number of men, women
and children in this country who
have physical defects of one sort
or another range as high as Is to
% million.
Launched in 1915.
National Employ the Physically
Handicapped Week was first OBJ
served officially in 1915. In that
year congress passed a joint resolu-
ton designating the first full week
in October each year as the date
for the observance. In this act it
was requested that the President is
sue annually an official proclama-
ton calling upon rublic officials and
all citizens to make every effort to
enlist public support for a sustained
program aimed at employment and
full use of the capacities of handi-
capped workers.
1t is estimated by the federal
interagency committee for en-
ployment of the physically ham
dicapped that total of six mil
lion handicapped persons are
now in the civilian labor force
either working or seeking en-
ployment. Of this number, all
but 100000 are employed. Not
all handicapped persons who
want to work, however, are in
the labor force. 1t is estimat-
ed that million disabled per-
sons not now ready for employ
ment could be ehabilitated so
they could do useful work if
suitable job openings were avail
able.
Last year $4,000 job placements
for physically handicapped workers
were made by local offices of state
employment services in October,
the month in which NEPH Week
was observed. This represented
sharp increase over average month
ly placements.
Seek Sustained Drive.
In issuing his proclamation for
National Employ the Physically
Handicapped Week, President Tru-
man directed attention to the reser-
voir of unused skills and strengths
represented in the thousands of ham
dieapped workers now unemployed.
Stating that handicapped workers
have demonstrated their ability to
do good work, the President called
upon the whole nation not only to
observe the week but also to carry
on sustained drive to open up en-
ployment opportunities for the
handicapped job applicant.
The President said that new
studies by the department of la
Dor had demonstrated that
physically handicapped workers
have made excellent records in
terms of low absenteeism, small
turnover and high safety rec
0rds. Thousands of handicapped
workers have demonstrated, he
added, that physical handicaps
are no insurmountabl BILE bar to eff
ficient and productive labor.
This years National Employ the
Physically Handicapped Week OBJ
jectives, as outlined by Edward L.
Keenan,, deputy director of the Unit
ed States Employment service and
chairman of the federal interagen-
cy committee for employment of the
physically handicapped, are:
To promote employer acceptance
of men and women with impair
ments as workers in jobs for which
they have been prepared and for
which they are qualified.
J To find jobs promptly for the
Z 100000 handicapped workers now
unemployed.
I To effect better job adjustments
- for those handicapped workers
who are capable of doing better
jobs.
4 To develop rehabilitation, train
ing and job opportunities for
the 100000 handicapped persons
who can be made employable.
The slogan for the week is
Hire the Handicapped - It's
Good Business" The campaign
this year stresses the proved
fact that handicapped workers,
when placed in jobs they are
qualified to do, are as good or
better workers than the able