There is considerable discussion among doctors, at present, regarding the fundamental qualifications which the trained nurse should possess; and there have been charges of over-education and a tendency to commercialism which result in unrest and in losing sight of the basic principles of their profession. The charge of commercialism is so unworthy of the medical profession that I shall let it pass without comment but I do not consider it beside the present question to touch upon the statement of over-education. It may be conceded that a nurse, possessing a preliminary graded school education, who has been carefully taught for two or three years in an accredited hospital, is able to give nursing care, under medical supervision, to the sick bed patient. Her greater value to the physician and to the patient because of greater knowledge due to higher educational standards need not be discussed here. However, it should be conceded, also, that the influence of nurses on the patients of the Veterans’ Bureau is more constructive mentally and morally than is the influence of nurses who care for the acutely sick; which is, usually, particular personal care for a comparatively brief period. To care for convalescent and Veterans’ Bureau patients is to serve long hours of duty in which little change in the physical condition of the patients is noted; and yet so great is this responsibility, so important is the work from humanitarian and economic viewpoints that the nurses must ever be on guard against the insidious lack of interest which comes from routine care; and they must keep themselves so alert that their great opportunities for personal influence among these men shall not be neglected in any particular. With any degree of sickness, there is distorted judgment and predisposition to give undue stress to trifles. The educated nurse knows this and knows also that the semi helplessness of protracted convalescence and the resultant sense of dependency, are among the chief factors which must be considered in dealing with these special patients. She must influence the patients to be receptive to hospital restrictions; she must counteract the tendency to destructive criticism and disloyal statement; she must be sympathetic but not maudlin; she must recognize that they are ill but she must not encourage helplessness: she must suggest activity and encourage pride in endeavor and accomplishment. She must present the best viewpoint to the particular patient and this means an individual understanding of him and his needs. Only educated nurses (meaning that the aim of education is to develop the faculties of the mind and body) who have courage, refinement and dignity, who are loyal to their country without the stimulus of war, and who strive to maintain the high ideals of their profession can be definitely successful in co-operating with other agencies to restore these men to health. Reconstruction and Rehabilitation of the ex-Service men cannot be an