May 1, 1919. 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



413 



DISABLED SOLDIERS IN THE RUBBER INDUSTRY. 



By Gilbert I. Stodola. 

 T-HE casualty lists of the great war, although perhaps not so 

 *■ large, compared with the total number of our men under 

 arms, as some feared they would be, yet show a by no means in- 

 considerable number who, because of wounds or other disable- 

 ment, will be unfitted to return to their former vocations. These 

 men are already beginning to return from abroad and the num- 

 ber homeward bound will continue to increase. 



The Vocational Rehabilitation Act passed expressly by Con- 

 gress for the purpose, provides for the reeducation of these dis- 

 abled soldiers, sailors, and marines under the joint authority of 

 the Surgeon General of the Army and the Federal Board for 

 Vocational Education. Reconstruction hospitals have been estab- 

 lished in various parts of the country. In connection with these, 

 after a man has been restored to health and furnished with the 

 most modern type of artificial limbs, where the latter are neces- 

 sary, there have been established thorough courses in various 

 . trades and occupations. While the men are taking these courses 

 an allowance will be paid them, and their families will receive 

 an allotment just as though they were still in active service. 



There are so many instances of men who have done and are 

 doing efficient and often remarkable work in spite of physical 

 handicaps that it would be almost a truism to say that no man 

 is so badly handicapped that he is not capable of doing some 

 work as effectively as an able-bodied worker. 



The Red Cross Institute for Crippled and Disabled Men, New 

 York City, made a careful survey of the rubber industry with 

 respect to the opportunities it ofifers for disabled men. This in- 

 vestigation was confined largely to the factories in the vicinity of 

 New York. It was found that the rubber industry offers many 

 opportunities for the handicapped man, and that employers were 

 very willing to cooperate, being quite ready to accept learners. 

 The factories are for the most part large and have plenty of light 

 and air, certainly a distinct advantage. 



Considering the possibilities in detail, it may be said that there 

 are many kinds of work which a man who has lost a leg, hut has 

 the full use of both arms, could successfully perform. They in- 

 clude such work as operating riveting, spreading, washing, mill- 

 ing, and mixing machines ; running power, sewing or power cut- 

 ting-machines, or performing such work as cementing seams, 

 helping on calenders, threading, vulcanizing, cutting, press mold- 

 ing, etc. The opportunities for the man who has lost an arm 

 are somewhat limited, however, being confined to lighter work 

 in connection with the tubing-machines, rubber-band cutters and 

 rubber-ball machines. 



Of course, there are many positions connected with the execu- 

 tive end of the rubber industry which a reeducated crippled man 

 could fill in an entirely satisfactory manner. It should be under- 

 stood, however, that the causes of military disability are to the 

 extent of at least SO per cent, of a medical nature. The disabled 

 5oldier or sailor is not necessarily a man without legs or arms. 

 He may suffer some injury which leaves no outward sign or 

 may be a victim of gas or shell shock. Even the blind can turn 

 their faculties to protitable account. The employer who accus- 

 toms himself to this way of thinking broadens his view of the 

 war cripple to his own advantage. He need not consider an op- 

 eration in his factory as a possibility for a one-legged or one- 

 armed man. A great many other forms of physical handicap in- 

 volving whole men can be drawn upon. 



In adapting himself to changed conditions, the injured man's 

 mind becomes surprisingly alert. His inventive faculty is quick- 

 ened, and he often turns out to be an extremely valuable worker, 

 especially in industrial lines. Moreover, nature has its compen- 

 sations. For instance, a young man who had lost a leg was 

 placed by the Employment Department of the Red Cross Insti- 

 tute for Crippled and Disabled Men in a factory where gyro- 

 scopes, used for stabilizers for airplanes, were manufactured. The 



youth's sense of touch became so responsive that his skill soon 

 enabled him to earn $75 a week by piece-work. 



The work of the Red Cross Institute was started with the in- 

 dustrial cripple to pave the way for the war cripple. However, 

 it has been found that these men greatly outnumber the cases of 

 soldiers permanently hurt in battle, and that while public interest 

 is easily focused on the war cripple it is not so easily directed 

 sympathetically to the case of workmen who are injured in the 

 shops. The advisability of including them in the Government's 

 program of caring for the disabled soldier has been brought to 

 the attention of Congress and it is possible that something will 

 soon be done along these lines. These industrial cripples are 

 quite as able to work if properly reeducated as the soldier. The 

 matter is one which is already receiving considerable attention 

 among progressive business men. 



Thomas Edison, that colossus of the electrical world, has for 

 years had to contend with the handicap of almost complete deaf- 

 ness. In a recent picture of Mr. Edison he is shown with Mr. 

 F. R. Bigler, discussing the problem of reconstruction. The lat- 

 ter has "made good" despite the loss of his right arm and leg. 

 He worked hiinself up to the position of purchasing agent for the 

 Kansas City Gas Co. and was for a while industrial agent for the 

 Red Cross Institute for Crippled and Disabled Men. 



Another remarkable instance of pure grit overcoming almost 

 insurmountable obstacles is that of Michael j". Dowling, president 

 of the State Bank of Olivia, Minnesota, and formerly speaker of 

 the Minnesota House of Representatives, who attained success 

 in life after the loss of both legs, his left arm and the fingers 

 of his right hand. He drives a car, rides horseback and engages 

 in the activities of the able-bodied man. 



The writer believes that American business men and manufac- 

 turers may be depended upon to give the reeducated cripple em- 

 ployment. They can help him in no better way than by enabling 

 him to become a useful and self-supporting citizen. Think of the 

 extraordinary courage, patience, ambition, and perseverance ex- 

 hibited by the crippled man in reeducating himself. Surely these 

 qualities are highly valuable in a worker who will perforce be- 

 come a better thinker. 



A DEMOCRATIC FORM OF RUBBER FACTORY MANAGEMENT. 



The establishment of a council of industrial relations, giving 

 representation to all employes over eighteen years of age, who 

 are American citizens and have had six months' continuous serv- 

 ice or one year's total service with the factory, has been an- 

 nounced by the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co., Akron, Ohio. 



It will take the form of an executive council consisting of five 

 men named by the factory management, the manager and assis- 

 tant manager of the labor department, two foremen to be se- 

 lected by all Ihe factory foremen, and six non-salaried employes. 

 All questions of industrial relations will be passed upon by this 

 body, and its first duty will be to formulate a plan to establish a 

 legislative body somewhat along the lines of the national con- 

 gress which will give representation to the employes eligible to 

 vote. Through this legislative body more than 20,000 employes 

 will in future have a large voice in shaping the policy of the fac- 

 tory on such subjects as employment, working conditions and 

 the reconstruction problems incident to the return of business to 

 a peace basis. 



Of this important step in the policy of the company, P. W. 

 Litchfield, vice-president and factory manager, says: 



During the last two years our organization was shaped to con- 

 form with the policy of our country, and our aims and plans were 

 set aside until the emergency was over. That time is now past, 

 and we have started again towards the goal of a greater and a 

 better Goodyear. After a period of drain on our resources of 

 I)ersonnel, and meeting of problems on an emergency basis, we 

 now find ourselves with our old men returning to us, and we are 

 able to plan in a broad and consistent way. 



