removed from the training roll, either by rehabilitation or otherwise. Of the total number enrolled to training 50 per cent have been successfully rehabilitated. The approval of the World War veterans' act of 1924 has delegated to subdistrict rehabilitation committees authority which in the past has been retained in central or district offices. By careful supervision, persuasion of authority and wise use of acquired experience, rehabilitation officers expect to bring about successful rehabilitation of the remaining 40 per cent in training. REGISTRATION During the year it has been the function of the registration section to exercise control in eligibility, induction and regularity of termination. Pending inductions have been reduced to minimum, as has the instruction interrupted load. The audit of cases which has been conducted was responsible for suitably rating cases as lapsed eligibility, and determining the correct status of cases hitherto rated not feasible. The determination of need for training has been based on accurate evidence. The 107 forms have been kept current. Except for those held for further investigation, they have been regularly referred to the auditing section within an average of 48 hours. Changes of employment objectives have been held to a minimum, and train-programs submitted have been greatly improved. The transfer procedure, calling for certification of letters of introduction, as initiated by this district, has been the means of reducing delays in induction of transfer cases to minimum. It has been possible for receiving districts to induct prior to receipt of folder and 1303 card. TRAINING Training activities have progressed satisfactorily. An important factor in production has been the work done in conference. On five occasions during the year local training supervisors have met with subdistrict managers, registration officers, and district officers to plan uniformity of training policy and procedure. These conferences have been the means of developing master training programs for all employment objectives. A complete prognostic report has been compiled. This provides for ready reference data concerning each training officer's field of supervision, rehabilitation dates and prospective number in training in successive months. This report has proven of special value in forecasting needs of personnel and traveling expenses, and has made possible the careful checking of rehabilitation activities in subdistrict offices. District office supervisors have made careful survey of training institutions, and, where necessary, have arranged changes of training courses in many schools. They have, in many instances, advised transfer from institutional to placement training, especially from such institutions as have sprung up since the war. This has usually shortened the length of time in training, and with advantage to the trainees. Through supervision much criticism of rehabilitation activities has been lessened. In many instances it has been found expedient to consolidate institutional training in particular employment objectives into one well-established institution. This has been to the advantage of trainees, in improving the quality of instruction. Through advice of district training supervisors the number in institutional training has reached a point below the number in placement training. In agricultural training this district has advocated long-term leases of farms for project trainees with limited capital. Under this plan project training has been made available for men with limited capital, and for whom purchase on installments was not advisable. A concerted drive in the commercial field resulted in the shortening of period for institutional training and lengthening the time in placement. This worked to great advantage in rehabilitation, especially with men training as salesmen. In the trades and industries group it was advisable to shorten institutional training and increase placement. By survey it has been definitely proven that the average trainee is more successfully rehabilitated through a division of time, half in institutional and half in placement, than with a greater portion of institutional training. A noteworthy accomplishment has been the consolidation of all training in art in one subdistrict, under competent instruction and supervision. Comparative figures of rehabilitations are as follows: Rehabilitations during fiscal year: 1923 1924 1, 585 3, 960 Increase of rehabilitations during fiscal year 1924. 2, 375 Men in training July 1, 1924 - - - . 4, 042 The district has rehabilitated 6,186 men, of whom 3,960 were rehabilitated during the fiscal year. Of these there is record of 128 only as being without employment. Of this number a large percentage have been offered numerous jobs which they have declined. Others are in hospitals. An extensive program for advertising employment needs of rehabilitated men has been developed. Through cooperation of owners of broadcasting stations, the needs of employment have been proclaimed throughout the district. Organizations both social and commercial have been canvassed, and have lent efficient aid. Circular letters have been sent to over a thousand employers, and chambers of commerce throughout the district have mailed prepared unemployed lists to all members. The Pittsburgh Civil Service Commission has granted a 15 per cent preference on examination to rehabilitated men. The Philadelphia Civil Service Commission has arranged to interview and advise them of examinations best suited to capabilities. The governors of Pennsylvania and Delaware have issued proclamations relative to needs of employment. District States DISTRICT NO. 4 District organization as of June 30, 1924 (E. T. Hitch, inspector. F. J. Kelly, chairman board of appeals. Washington..... A. J. Dalton....E. T. Hitch, administration. W. J. Heffner, M. D., medical. N. E. Martindale, claims. Progress in administration of veterans' relief in district No. 4 obtained through the close application of the experience obtained in the previous year, and the increased efficiency resulting from the coordination of the many functions of the districts into one coordinate activity. It is particularly significant that, while the work throughout the district materially increased, there was nevertheless a marked decrease in the number employed. At the beginning of the fiscal year there were 926 employees on the rolls of the district, while at the end of the year there were 739, representing a reduction of approximately 20 per cent in personnel and a pay roll reduction of approximately $383,000. During the year two of the seven subdistrict offices were consolidated. The Clarksburg, W. Va., office was consolidated with the Huntington subdistrict office in November, 1923, and the activities at Norfolk, Va., were consolidated with those at Richmond, Va., at the same time, although a medical unit was retained in the former city. In June, 1924, the West Virginia office was moved from Huntington to Charleston. EXECUTIVE OFFICE A decided saving was effected by the consolidation of the duties of the executive officer and district inspector with those of the administration division. During the fiscal year the investigation section completed 1,393 reports, of which 95 per cent were investigated by experienced inspectors, and cut the average cost per investigation from $9.92 in the first half to $8.11 in the last half of the year. By the reorganization and reestablishment of the cooperation section many difficult and embarrassing cases were successfully handled, and service organizations and contact personnel kept informed of the development of new policies and laws. Through the adjustment service, which was established in this section an average of 20 claimants were interviewed and 30 cases reviewed daily, and many com plaints of claimants, both justified and otherwise, have been satisfactorily and amicably adjusted. The coordination section has been successful in preventing the issuance of conflicting instructions and in checking and harmonizing the many activities of the district. ADMINISTRATION It has been the policy of this district to place so far as possible all administrative duties under the administration division, and with this in mind there has been established a stenographic pool, a messenger pool, and a miscellaneous or general file. The stenographic pool was established in December, 1923, in order to obtain the greatest possible service from the stenographic and typist personnel of the district office and was organized by transferring all stenographers and typists not doing highly specialized work to the pool, under the direct control of the chief of the administration division. In a similar manner the messenger pool and miscellaneous files were placed under the direct supervision of the chief, records section, of the administration division. The introduction of these innovations has relieved division and section chiefs from much administrative responsibility, and has established in one division units from which to call for stenographic help and messengers, and created a central point from which all divisions and sections could obtain general correspondence regarding policy, procedure, etc. On March 25, 1924, the lease and contract section was established under the direct supervision of the chief, administration division, to handle all leases and contracts and to check all purchase orders before release in an attempt to eliminate overdrawing of the budget. The property section has secured contracts for all classes of trainees' supplies, thus standardizing the equipment issued to trainees and eliminating advertising, delays, fluctuation of prices, etc. Small articles are delivered to trainees by registered mail, thus giving the bureau an automatic receipt. During the past fiscal year this section handled 8,781 purchase orders, of which 1,332 were miscellaneous and 7,449 for trainees. During the same period this section received 13,710 letters and sent out 23,955. All accounts are practically on a 60-day basis. The discontinuance of the preparation of pay rolls by the personnel section and the abolishment of salary record cards and all files necessary to the maintenance thereof, made possible a material reduction of force in this section. The following figures will give an idea of the personnel turnover during the past fiscal year: The activities of the accounts section were greatly increased by the decentralization of compensation payments and the establishment of the budget system. These additional activities were absorbed, however, by means of a slight change in the organization of this section and the employment of only four additional persons. During the year this section disposed of 30,423 vouchers and has a balance on 'hand as of June 30, 1924, of 541, as compared with 951 at the same time the previous year. In the disbursing office the personnel has been increased by only one, although there has been a large increase in the amount of work due to the decentralization of compensation payments. During the fiscal year 1924 a total of 21,435 vouchers were paid, for which 170,022 checks were issued. These figures represent an increase over the previous year of 8,900 vouchers paid and 24,899 in checks issued. The total disbursements were $8,804,884.70. CLAIMS During the year 2,145 new claims were received, or an average of 175 per month; 322 original awards were made; 70,084 other awards; 1,716 claims disallowed; 22,697 claims rerated; 281 disallowed claims awarded, and 2,954 awards discontinued. June 30 there were 404 pending claims in the district. After the passage of the World War veterans' act, in order that all changes in former legislation might be properly complied with, a review of all claims on file in the fourth district was begun and is now well under way. It is estimated that from 50 to 75 per cent of the claims on file will be affected in some manner by this new legislation. The appointment of a guardianship officer in this district has proven the need of one person whose entire duty is the general supervision of all guardianship matters. The effect of the guardianship officer's efforts in supervising the adjustment of funds on behalf of incompetent claimants can not be overestimated, since heretofore there has been a decided tendency toward laxity of guardianship, either because of ignorance or inattention to duties. BOARD OF APPEALS In the past year in order to have accurate reports of the hearings in the board of appeals stenographic records were made and the claimants and witnesses duly sworn before testimony was heard. It was found that the average time for action of the board of appeals was three days, and that approximately 5 per cent of those men who were granted personal appearances were given transportation. The following statistics show the activities of the board during the past fiscal |