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Show "EVADING" THE LAW. A curious situation has developed in connection with the retraining of j disabled soldiers, sailors and marines. It is no more nor less than a plain j evasion of a clear law by one of the j government's chief administrative boaics the federal board for voca- tional education. However, it is sn evasion which is likely to be applauded j rather than condemned. Yet it is a , peculiar phase of laws and lawmaking, j A literal interpretation of the statute j and that is the ouly one that can be . givenmakes it out- that an alien who j has served in the forces of the t'nited j States and who has been so severely , injured that he is entitled to compensation compen-sation from the war risk insurance bureau bu-reau is entitled to free vocational retraining, re-training, while a citizen of the United States "who has served in the armies of the allies, fighting for the same j i cause, is not entitled to receive this training from his own government. This, however, is only au apparent condition, and not by any means the : true one. I When the war broke out in Europe, j and long before the United States en- t tered the conflict, thousands of citizens i of this country, actuated by a sense of j justice and a loyalty to the cause of j j humanity, hastened to enlist with the i ! Canadian, British and French forces. . j Many of these have returned in a , maimed state, in impaired health, , I wounded, and unable to 'make a living! k in their formC." vocations. Under the j law, these can not receive compensation compensa-tion r.or may they receive education j which would enable them to utilize their remaining capabilities so as to afford them a livelihood. ! There is no doubt that congress will adopt an amendment to the present f law extending its privileges to these i "first overs.'' In the meantime, the i federal board lias managed to obtain a 'gift fund," which congress has authorized au-thorized it to maintain for "enier-. "enier-. gc'icy and otter cases." Strictly, it is! Y doubtful if this fund could be legally ! used to supply the deficiency hitherto j anted. Nevertheless the federal board j ; is taking the common sense view, and, j i through large contributions by gen- erous donors, is undertaking the re-j re-j ' habituation of these "first to fight" Americans ami giving them the same privileges and benefits accorded to members of the regular establishments of the United States. The board is now endeavoring to find this class. Whether congress remedies the over- sight or not, it is a certainty that no one will rai.-e objection to the course adopted by the board. It is an in-stro-e where an ' eva.-ion " of the l.'f.v is rr.u.Ji better tiian a rigorous observance ob-servance of it. |