THE BRITISH DISABLED MEN.

Dunstan Times, Issue 3142, 6 November 1922, Page 2

THE BRITISH DISABLED MEN.

(London Daily Telegraph.) That it should, now, sonic four years after thci last gun of the war was ifircd. be necessary to consider further and more elaborate measures for aiding tho men who wore disabled on military service, must disturb the national conscience. The necessities of the men broken in the war., we all recognise, ought to be sii first charge upon their fellow-countrymen. The recent report of Sir John Davidson's Committee makes it dear that there are a very large number of these- disabled ex-Ser-viee men who have yet no chance of earning an adequate livelihood. At the present time some 900.000 men are receiving disability pension®. There is and can be no official return of how many of these are out of employment, but 'the British, Legion estimates that the total is not less than nOO.OOO. The of unemployment among the disabled is appreciably higher than amongst other men. That, obviously, was to be expected. Tn such industrial depression as we have been passing through to find occupation for workers of something less than normal efficiency must be difficult. What we might not have expected is the evidence that "the sentiment in favor of preferential treatment and general uympathv towards 1 the disabled ex-Service man'is on the decline." The number of linns on the King's National Roll, which has never been as great as it should be. is now decreasing. The Ministry of Labor believe that if all employers would set their names to this Roll, that is. would join in the voluntary system for securing employment for' tlie disabled, the problem would be solved. But there is thus far no sign of this co-operation becoming complete. While less than half the number of local authorities are on the Roll, wc can hardly expect the private employers to give unanimous support. The committee describe this state of tilings as the natural -esult of he lapse of time ai.d failing memory of the war. "God is forgotten and the soldier slighted" is oneo again the conclusion of the whole matter. But we mav fairly plead some facts in mitigation, of that stern judgment The most public-spirited of mm ctnnot accomplish in the midst of •'ndustrial depression tt-hat he would gladly do m normal times. This is not a time at which firms of modest resources choose to undertake or can meet fresh obligations. An ei.iplo- r who has been dismissing or putting upon short time Ins best workmen cannot find places for the disabled It is to no remembered that there is very great difficulty in lifting partially efficient men into the elaborate organisation of modern industry. More than one firm having contrived to arrange light employment for a disabled man has been met by a trade union demand that this partially efficient workers should he paid full rates. Undoubtedly this makes the employment of the disabled more difficult. The important matter now is not to distribute censure. but to discover what a mend incuts can be made to alleviate the present distress. Some witnesses urged that tho only sure relief For the disabled is to be found in the application of compulsion. The Committee were impressed, and did in their report suggest that it may "become necessary to compel those engaged in industry to employ a reasonable percentage of disabled ex-service men on the basis of a compulsory King's Roll, despite all obstacles." But to this rather shadowy proposal they proreeded to enumerate objections and difficulties so powerful that we cannot easily discover bow any scheme of compulsion could be applied. It is true that some form of the compulsory principle has been applied to the problem of disability in France. Italy. Germany, and elsewhere. But no conclusions can be drawn as to the application of compulsion under British conditions. .France lias not yet tested her system. (formally, like France, has no unemployment, and has brought under the compulsory law only a small number of n i'ii. The case of Italy compels the Committee to pronounce that they cannot tell whether her success is due to compulsion or decentralisation. The lesson of these examples is that our own voluntary system should he amended and developed. We may well learn decentralisation from Ttaly. arousing on behalf of the disabled that force of local opinion which is far more potent in dealing with particular and diverse cases than general agitation. The Committee pronounce in favor of recasting the voluntary system by the establishment in each county and l>orougb of King's Roll Committees with the care of the disabled of the district. Such bodies would clearly be in a far better position to appeal to individual employers than a Government department. It would be in their power to bring to hear the stress of public a-jv proval and disapproval, to rouse public sympathy and effort far more potently i ban any Ministry. Tho/ knowledge that tin- place or that bad upon its conscience a certain number of men who had fought and suffered would be a more effective stimulus than national statistics. Moreover, the essence of this problem of disability is its variety. What one firm can do in the matter of employment another cannot What one disabled man is fit for is quite beyond the capacity of another. The hardships cannot he overcome by any general system, however ingenious and however energetically applied. What we need is first such an awakening of feeling as shall rouse in this task of providing employment such a determination and consciousness of duty as that which inspired local care of wounded men and soldiers' wives during the war; secondly, individual study of individual cases to devise and provide the apt form of occupation : thirdly, and not least imYXMtwvt, vwud-will aud co-operation between employer and employed. Without that, indeed, all else cannot win complete success.

Mr Henry Ford lias heen fined £'7 for .speeding through Lerov. New York. according to the Now York Herald. The local authorities claim that he dashed through the town at 13 miles an hour. .Mr Ford will get no advertising out of the incident, as he was not joy-riding in one of his own cars at the time. The engagement is announced of the Rev. Sir Gonille Cave-Brow tie-Cave, Hart., and Emma Juiln, daughter of Sir Diglvy Piirott and Ladv Pigott. of the Lodge. Slieriligham, Norfolk. Hehas hcen soldier, sailor, miner, cowboy, big-game hunter, traveller, and farmer. Sir Genille is the twelfth haronpfc. He left England for the United States in 180.5. He went with the Hoxer expedition to China, and served with the United States army in the Swinish-American war. Formerly a Weslevan .Methodist, lie joined the Church of Fnglaud. and was ordained at Chelmsford in 1920. Sir Genille Cave-Tirowno-Cave is .">2. "When T say that all Governments are alike T consider that in no Government power can he abused long; mankind will not hear it. Tf a sovereign oppresses his people they will rise and cut off his head. There is a remedy in human nature against tyranny that will keep us safe under any form of Government."—Dr Johnson,