The Dominion THURSDAY, AUGUST 30, 1917. RESTORING THE DISABLED

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3177, 30 August 1917, Page 4

The Dominion THURSDAY, AUGUST 30, 1917. RESTORING THE DISABLED

A problem which will demand attention for a long time to como in this country, as in all others concerned in the war, is that of restoring disabled soldiers to civil life physically and intellectually re-equipped, and under the best possible conditions. It is a problem which must be attacked in no halfhearted spirit. The simple and easy thing to do is to give at disabled man a pension, provide in the same way for his dependants (if he has any), and leave him to his fate. _ It cannot be too strongly emphasised that such a policy is from overy point of view open to condemnation. The immediate economic loss that would be involved in failure to restore our disabled soldiers to the highest possible, level of physical 'and mental efficiency is a comparatively small matter. We can well afford to satisfy tho material needs of our maimed and crippled herpes and their ■ dependants, and if only an economic question were involved it might bo left at that. But the true nature of the problem appears when it is considered that to leave undone anything that can be done to reetore tho disabled soldier to his former place as a useful member of civil society is to imperil, if not to sacrifice his future happiness and welfare. Work, it is pointed out by Professor Jules Amau, a great French surgeon who is doing splendid service in restoring men disabled in war to civil efficiency, is the regenerator and solo fortifier of , ihe mino and body. It alone (ho declares) furnishes material sources of profit and those moral resources without which manhood is bui; a weary burden. The disabled can be made to grasp this fact, and once he lias done so ho has advanced, materially towards regaining that feeling of selfreliance which work, however simple, always gives. It is with an eye to this basic truth and all tho moral and material issues it involves that wo in this country must shape our policy in dealing with disabled soldiers. Wo have a great deal to learn in the matter, but may readily acquire tho nepessary knowledge by taking note of what is being done in Great Britain and other countries where tho problem of dealing with tho disabled, though it assumes Vastly greater magnitude, raises precisely tho same principles as in this country. Most valuable assistance under this head is given l>y a journal, Recalled to Life, which is now being issued under the auspices of the British War Offico, tho Pensions Ministry, and the Red Gross and Order of St. John of Jerusalem Joint War Committee. Tho first number of Recalled to Life, which is henceforth to bo issued periodically, is a hsindsomo illustrated magazine of more than two hundred pages, dealing exclusively and in capably written articles with tho development of widespread activities in Great Britain and other countries in tho interests of disabled soldiers and sailors. Tho appearance of such a publication is in itself a striking indication of tho magnitude of the iprpblem and tho spirit tin which it is being attacked. Itis impossible oven to indicate in brief compass the wido sec-po and character of the work that is being done in Britain, France, and elsewhere in the care, re-education, and return to civil life of disabled sojdors and sailors. As to this, it must suflko meantime that theaim pursued is to stimulate ambition even in those disabled men whoso casft seems.most hopeless and not merely to provide for the comfort and immediate welfare- of those who return mlaimed or crippled from tho war, but to enable them to take tho iesh .nlaco which, tho fullest possible-

development of their powers will permit. It is impossible to scan tho record of what has been and is being accomplished in this direction without realising that in this, country we have hardly touched tho fringe of tho problem of dealing with disabled men, and British experience at once emphasises our neglect and indicates tho remedy. It will bo remembered that in'the report of tho Discharged Soldiers' Information Department, presented in the early days of the present session, tho Hon. A. L. Hekdman stated that although facilities had been provided for tho training of disabled men in agricultural pursuits, trades,, and accountancy, returned, soldiers had availed themselves of theso facilities to a very limited extent. Tho Minister was influenced by this state of affairs in withholding his support from a proposal to establish special training colleges for. disabled men. As matters stand wo are in danger of falling into a policy of mere drift whore tho treatment of disabled soldiers is concerned, and in tho interests of the men themselves this tendency must be- strenuously resisted. One obstacle to /an effectivo policy which should be removed at tho outset is that disabled men apprehend that if they become really efficient industrially and increase their earning power tho pension onco awarded to them as disabled men may be cancelled or reduced. In Britain this fear is groundless, and in inducing disabled men to undergo tho training which will onablo them to rcsumo an a-ctivo part in civil lifo strong emphasis, is laid upon tho fact that tho pension onco awarded can never bo taken .way or diminished. Once a disability has been determined and a 'pon'sion 'is finally fixed by tho Medical Board, no reduction whatever can bo made on account of what a man may eani._ The adoption of a similar provision in New Zealand would undoubtedly do a .great deal to facilitate tho restoration of disabled men to active employment. Under tho existing law tho Pensions Board is empowered to review its determination in tho event of the circumstances of a pensioner or of a claimant for a pension being altered, or for any other sufficient reason. So far at least as disabled soldiers aro concerned justice plainly demands that this provision should bo repoaled. Probably it is not intended that a pension once awarded to a soldier on account of a definite physical disability should ever bo withdrawn or reduced, but as the law stands there is a possibility of a penalty being imposed on the energy and enterprise of disabled men who contrive to increase their earning power, and ,tho possibility should be eliminated. This matter apart, the fact that disabled men have as yet shown littlo inclination to avail themselves of facilities for special training should not for a moment be taken as a guide to policy. Experience in Britain and other countries where magnificont progress has been made in restoring tho disabled emphasises the necessity of bringing all pessible persuasion to bear on the rr.en whom it is intended to benefit. As an article in Recalled io Life points out, the disabled man, beyond his actual and apparent disablement, has had a prostrating experience. IlaVing a pension ho may bo inclined to take tho line of least resistance, but sooner or' later ho will regret it. "Homo and homo lifo and home ways are his first and strongest desire; very soon tlt-ro will be added to that tho desire, to do the best with himself as a man; for a disabled sailor or soldier is not less of a man, but more of a. man than ho was before tho wiar." These are facts demanding a practical recognition they have not yet received in Now Zealand.