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Such a procedure cannot have other than pernicious results. In the first years of war the spirit of patriotism runs high, but experience has shown that men placed on this basis alone find themselves out of a job after the war has been over several years, or in fact, after it has been in progress for a considerable period of time.

A second weakness in this method is that a man who is patronized by giving him a charity job, comes to expect as a right such semi-gratuitous support. Such a situation breaks down rather than builds up character, and makes the man progressively a weaker rather than a stronger member of the community. We must not do our returned men such injury.

The third difficulty is that such a system does not take into account the man's future. Casual placement means employment either in a make-shift job as watchman or elevator operator such as we should certainly not offer our disabled men except as a last resort -- or in a job beyond the man, one in which, on the cold-blooded considerations of product and wages, he cannot hold his own. Jobs of the first type have for the worker a future of monotony and discouragement. Jobs of the second type are frequently disastrous, for in them a man, instead of becoming steadily more competent and building up confidence in himself, stands still as regards improvement and loses confidence every day. When he is dropped or goes to some other employment, the job will have had for him no permanent benefit.

Twelve men sent to twelve jobs may all be seriously misplaced, while the same twelve placed with thought and wisdom and differently assigned to the same twelve jobs may be ideally located. If normal workers require expert and careful placement, crippled candidates for employment require it even more.

The positive aspect of the employer's duty is to find for the disabled man a constructive job which he can hold on the basis of competence alone. In such a job he can be self-respecting, be happy, and look forward to a future. This is the definite patriotic duty. It is not so easy of execution as telling a superintendent to take care of four men, but there is infinitely more satisfaction to the employer in the results, and infinitely greater advantage to the employee. And it is entirely practical, even in dealing with seriously disabled men.

A cripple is only debarred by his disability from performing certain operations. In the operations which he can perform, the disabled man will be just as efficient as his non-handicapped colleague, or more so. In the multiplicity of modern industrial processes it is entirely possible to find jobs not requiring the operations from which any given type of cripples are debarred. For such jobs as they can fill the cripple should be given preference.

Thousands of cripples are now holding important jobs in the industrial world. But they are men of exceptional character and initiative and have, in general, made their way in spite of employers rather than because of them. Too many employers are ready to give the cripple alms, but not willing to expend the thought necessary to place him in a suitable job. This attitude has helped to make many cripples dependent. With our new responsibilities to the men disabled in fighting for us, the point of view must certainly be changed. What some cripples have done, other cripples can do -- if only given an even chance.

The industrial cripple should be considered as well as the military cripple, for in these days of national demand for the greatest possible output there should not be left idle any men who can be made into productive workers.

With thoughtful placement effort, many men can be employed directly on the basis of their past experience. With the disabled soldiers who profit by the training facilities the government will provide, the task should be even easier.

This, then, constitutes the charge of patriotic duty upon the employer:

To study the jobs under his jurisdiction to determine what ones might be satisfactorily held by cripples. To give the cripples preference for these jobs. To consider thoughtfully the applications of disabled men for employment, bearing in mind the importance of utilizing to as great an extent as possible labor which would otherwise be unproductive. To do the returned soldier the honor of offering him real employment, rather than proffering him the ignominy of a charity job.

Douglas C. McMurtrie, Director