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In general, the tendency since the Civil War has been in the direction of unusual liberality. There is no need here for recording this legislation in detail. It is sufficiently well known to everybody that in some directions the system has been extravagantly extended, so that, in the words of an American general, "It has come to pass that those who were merely on the rolls for a few days, and the malingerers and the deserters all march as veterans of the great conflict."

One other feature deserves mention, however. This feature is the state and federal Soldiers' Homes. The former number in excess of thirty, all told; in some of them the wives, mothers, widows, sisters, or daughters of the beneficiaries are maintained, as well as the disabled and invalided soldiers themselves. The total number of individuals maintained in these state institutions is about 11,000. The federal institutions are two in number, both situated in the District of Columbia. One of these, the National Home for Volunteer Soldiers, has ten branches in various parts of the country. The number cared for in the federal homes has varied between 18,000 and 30,000.

The lot of the industrial worker who is disabled by accident has in the past been very unfortunate. Up to a few years ago he had no redress except through the courts and the employer had many technical defenses which could be offered. For the most part the injured man slipped back in the social scale and frequently became dependent on relatives, or friends, or on public charity.

Even after the recent advent of compensation legislation which has done much to remedy the injustices involved in industrial accidents, the situation has not been greatly improved because while the money compensation went to support the man during the period of idleness ensuing the accident, it did nothing constructive to put him back on his feet again and to restore him to useful employment. Too often the man has lived on his compensation as long as it lasted and when it expired been forced to appeal for charitable assistance. Amputations and other injuries are great economic levelers, and it has been found in several studies that the skilled worker before the accident has been reduced after it to employment as peddler, messenger, or watchman. In this process a vast deal of potential ability and productiveness has been lost to the community.

This statement gains force when it is considered that in eighteen states alone there are being injured in industry over 750,000 men per year. Over 35,000 of these accidents represent permanent disability either partial or total. It is estimated by competent authority that the permanent disabilities produced annually through industrial accident in all the states number over 80,000 of which over 2,000 represent total disability and over 28,000 amputation cases.

Up to modern times, therefore, the cripple has been always an object of charity if not of actual neglect and mistreatment. Public opinion has conceived the cripple as helpless and almost insisted that he become so. Charity has been readily proffered, but almost never the opportunity to make good and get back on his own feet. Educational advantages have been closed to the disabled man; the employer has refused him a job.

Successful cripples are unanimous in evidence to the effect that the greatest handicap is not a loss of limb or other disability but the weight of public opinion. They have had to fight constantly against it in order to make their way and assume a useful place in the work of the world.

Even the social workers who have a natural interest in all the unfortunate classes have been forced practically to give up the crippled man. There have been sporadic attempts in various large cities to operate employment bureaus for the physically handicapped, but in almost every instance the work was given up because it was impossible to get employers to take men and because for disabled men who needed training prior to placement there was no possibility of obtaining the requisite educational opportunity.

For decades every indication has pointed to the need of special training facilities for the disabled. But the community did not see fit to provide them.

CHAPTER II
BREAKS IN THE WALL

About the first move of a constructive character looking toward putting disabled men back on their feet must be credited to Belgium. In 1908 there was founded at Charleroi in the Province of Hainaut a school and shop for men crippled in industrial accidents. It was pointed out by a public spirited lawyer, Paul Pastur, that it was better to train the disabled for work which they could perform than to be content with paying them compensation and permitting them to remain in idleness. The subjects taught to the adult pupils in this Belgian school were bookbinding, shoe repairing, tailoring, saddlery, harness-making, and clerical work. There were likewise shops for the seriously disabled and older men for the making of grass carpet and baskets.