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Here, then, is the chance for your soldier or sailor to recover his self-respect, his hope, his happiness and his usefulness to himself and to society. Perhaps you are one who thinks that a grateful government, after he has given so much in its defense, should provide for him a life of perpetual idleness. No doubt you are willing to support him, thinking he has done his share.

But of all kindnesses this would be the most destructive. Only by the surmounting of obstacles does a man grow and attain his full mental and moral stature. Then do not, no matter how much you long to have your boy at home, deny him this chance of self-development. Insist that he benefit by this great technical schooling. For then, after he is restored to you -- and to himself -- he will be not a victim, but a victor!

Blazing the Trail

PENDING the adoption of a definite national program of reconstruction, the American Red Cross established in New York, through the gift of Jeremiah Milbank, the Red Cross Institute for Crippled and Disabled Men, to train the wounded or injured for selected occupations in which they would be capable of self-support after discharge from the Federal forces.

The purpose of the Institute is to build up an experienced training organization to conduct industrial surveys with a view of determining occupations from which the cripple will not be disqualified by his physical handicap, to develop the technique of placement, to collate and publish the experience of foreign countries in the field of re-education, and to bring about through a campaign of public education an enlightened attitude on the part of the people toward the disabled. At present, instruction is being given in six trades: mechanical drafting, printing, manufacture of artificial limbs, oxy-acetylene welding, motion picture operation, and certain branches of jewelry work.

The students as yet being trained in these courses come from civilian ranks. The teachers in most part are themselves handicapped and are thus able to demonstrate to the pupils that the various operations are not impossible. The field work is quite extensive. The Institute is thereby enabled to get in touch with prospective pupils, to bring to light the history of men who have succeeded in surmounting their handicaps as well as to determine the best opportunities in the various industries and their limitation and extent.

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Recently a training course in vocational re- education was conducted by the Institute in cooperation with the Federal Board for Vocational Education to prepare men to act as vocational officers under whatever form of national organization Congress decides shall handle the re-educational work. The course included a trip to the various Canadian reconstruction centers through the courtesy of the Invalided Soldiers Commission and the Ministry of Militia and Defense.

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Experiment -- what's the use of owning a variety of mental tools if they're left to rust in idleness.

A carpenter unfamiliar with the resources of his kit isn't much of a builder. Neither will you be until you become an adept with your various faculties.

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The roomiest thing we know is a man's head. Columbus had space in his sufficient for a new world. Carnegie's skull was large enough to accommodate a square mile of steel mills.