The Republican., 1921-07-14

meeting all demands, but to better
meet them and the better to specialize
/ in the treatment of those who come
under our care.
There has been paid out in allot-
ment and allowances the sum of $685.
465,658 and nearly $4,000, 100000 of
Government insurance is in force.
In vocational training and rehabili-
tation of disabled soldiers there have
been enrolled to date 107, ,S24 men. To-
day there are 1882 men who are
training with pay, at the maximum
cost of $160 per month; 8,20S training
without pay, but at tuition and sup
ply outlay of $35 per month.
Four thousand disabled men have
completed their training and have been
returned to gainful employment. These
earned an average of ,051 per year
before entering the army and are
earning today, in spite of their dis
ability and in spite of diminished wage
or salary levels, an average of $3.50
per annum.
1t is an interesting revelation and a
fine achievement, attended by both
abuses and triumphs. Congress has
appropriated $65,OOO,O0O for this no .
BILE work for the current year, but the
estimated acceptance of training for
the year before US contemplates an
average of $4,000 disabled men, and
the cost will be in excess of $163, ,00O,-
900, or nearly hundred millions more
than Congress has provided.
This additional sum must be made
available. With the increase of avail
ability to training, as recently urged
upon Congress, the estimated addi-
tional expenditure will be $468, ,OOO,-
600 per annum until the pledge of
training is discharged.
These figures suggest neither neg
lect nor ingratitude. 1t is more than
the entire annual cost of Federal Gov
ernment for many years following the
Civil War and challenges every charge
of failure to deal considerably with
our nations defenders.
do not recite the figures to suggest
that it is all we may do, or ultimately
ought to do 1t is inevitable that our
obligations will grow, and grow enor-
mously We never have neglected
and never will neglect the dependent
soldier, and there is no way to avoid
times remorseless classifcations.
Contemplating the tremendous La
bility which the Government never
will shirk, / would be remiss in nv
duty If l failed to ask Congress to
pause at this particular time, rather
than break down our Treasury from
which so much is later to be expected.
The defenders of the republic amid
! the peril of war would be the last of
our citizenship to wish it's stability
menaced by an individual pittance of
peace.
| know the feelings of my own
! breast, and that OF yours and the
grateful people of this republic. But
no thoughtful person, possessed of all
the facts, is ready for added compen-
sation for the healthful, self-reliant
masses of our great armies at the cost
of treasury breakdown which will
bring its hardships to all the citizens
of the republic. Its enactment now in
all probability would so add to our
interest rates that the added interest
charge on new and refunded indebted
ness may alone exceed the sum it is
proposed to bestow.
When Congress was called in eX-
itraordinary session, l called your at
tention to the urgent measures which
l thought demanded your considera-
ton. You promptly provided the
emergency tariff, and good progress
has been made toward the much need
ed and more deliberate revision of our
tariff schedules.
There is confessed disappointment
that so little progress has been made
in the readjustment and reduction of
war time taxes. 1 believe you share
with me the earnest wish for early ac-
complishment.
1t is not expected that Congress will
sit and ignore other problems of legis-
lation. There are often urgent prob
lens which must enlist your atten-
ton. l have not come to speak of
them, though the organization of war
risk and vocational training, now
pending, would hasten the efficient
discharge of our willful obligations to
the disabled soldiers.
But | want to emphasize the sugges-
tion that the accomplishment of the
major tasks for which you were asked
to sit in extraordinary session will
have a reassuring effect on the entire
country and speed our resumption of
normal activities and the rewards
which tend to make a prosperous and
happy people.
!