SOLDIERS’ REHABILITATION.

Evening Star, Issue 24288, 1 September 1942, Page 2

SOLDIERS’ REHABILITATION.

The Returned Services Association is to be commended for the interest it is showing in the case of returned men who may find it necessary for financial reasons to resume work before they are sufficiently recovered from war disabilities to make that course advisable. At last night’s meeting of the Executive Committee it was reported that a number of such cases had come under notice, and proposals, were nut forward for the consideration of tho Dominion Executive, meant to obviate the necessity. Tho problem is not an easy one with which to deal. In a broad way, as was admitted by the committee, the first object of any rehabilitation policy must be to get ex-servicomou back into civilian life and into employment as soon as possible. At the same time, it was pointed out, the authorities must recognise that in some eases men are not fit To resume at tho end of even three months, and that they should be given further leave with pay or such pension as will make it unnecessary for them to return to work until they” are quite fit. Tho thought should bo unbearable of any man whoso health had suffered from his war experiences being required to enter again upon his ordinary activities when that might be prejudicial to his complete recovery. On ttio other hand there are men, whose injuries or ailments have produced certain nervous effects, to whom grave injury may bo done if they are encouraged to consider themselves as something like chronic invalids when that has no need to be their condition. For them work, nob too laborious, and tho diversion of their minds from everything associated with past experiences, may be most effective as a final cure. It seems a first necessity, ns was laid down by the committee, that before men who have been invalided are given leave of absence without pay they should he subjected to a searching medical examination to detormi.no their fitness to resume their former occupation. The committee makes recommendations that are very much to the point as to aid that should bo given while a man is being prepared for a now occupation, and the general wisdom of its counsels is summed up in the last point that it makes: “ There should be no limitation, as at present, to the period during which a man may receive full Army pay and allowances. Every case .should be treated on its merits.