Imperial Valley press. (El Centro, Calif.) 1907-current, 1933-10-02
LEGION HEARS
lPLA|N WORDS
( BY PRES|DENT
Tells Convention Non-Combat-
ants Not Entitled To Any
Special Consideration.
RE- DY TO AID DESERVING
Inj4stices To Service Disabled
Veterans Under Economy Act
To Be Rectified.

CHICAGO, Oct. 2. - The nom
combatant war veteran must take
his chances with other citizens i'll
earning a living, President Roose-
Welt said today in straight from
The shoulder speech carrying his
economy fight before 10000 men,
beers OF the American Legion.
Mr.. Roosevelt spoke boldly in his
cruciaY address before the Legion
conyelhti.n which had potentialities
OF vim g the veterans whole
healrtedly or arousing revolt against
the Presidents drastic compensa-
tibn cuts.
He laid down three principles in
dealing with the veterans and de-
Glared that his policy of financial
}retrenchment was imperative If the
country is to thrive. His principles
= were:
/. Governmental responsibility for
those who suffer injury or disease
in the war
Q. No special class of beneficiaries,
over and above all other citizens.
g. Federal aid for non-connected
service disability cases but only
when all other agencies fail.
1.-The fact of wearing uniform
does not mean that he the vet
eran can demand and receive from
his government benefit which
no other citizen receives" the Presi"
dent declared. 1T does not mean
that because a person served IN the
defense of his country, performed
a basic obligation of citizenship, he
should receive pension from his
government because of disability
incurred after his service had ter
minated, and not connected with
that service"
In shanKing the Legion for its
loyalty and service he appealed for
unity and the elimination Of Sec
tionalism and class.
"If the spirit of sectionalism is
allowed to grow strong, or to pre-
vail, it means the end of national
unity and of patriotism" he said.
You and I are aware OF the
simple fact that as every day passes,
the people of this country are less
and less willing TO tolerate benefits
Tor any one group Of citizens which
must he paid for by others.
You have been willing to fight
for the benefits of American life.
You have been willing to live for
American unity. You have UNDER
stood that this is the very ioun-
dalton of the Americanism foN
which you stand, in which you be-
iieve. and to which you and I swore
allegiance when we became Amerl-
can Legionnaires."
Cites Economy Need
Mr.. Roosevelt referred to his
economy program in citing tie
realities of The depression and OBJ
served that millions were out of
work, the banks were closed, the
credit of the government itself was
threatened" The car was stalled,
lie said. Obviously, the first objec-
1--WE was to get the engine running
again.
SIT is true" he added, I'VE sue
ceeded in reopcning the great ma
jority of banks, but this would not
have been possible If at the same
time we had not been able to re-
store the credit of the government.
I'm speaking OF national credit
we are again dealing with a real
.hing, not theory In books. There
is such a thing as national credit.
1t depends ON national unity, with
l., it the government cannot get
| money to give. You and I de-
Id upon it. and in right sense
| our welfare and mine rests upon
1'That is not just an academic |
OPPOSITION. Industry cannot be re-
ored, people cannot be put back
| b work, banks cannot be kept open,
pman suffering cannot be cared
lr, if the government itself is
Ankrupt. We realize now that the
teat human values, not for you
lone but for all American citizens. |
,st upon the unimpaired credit of
e United States.
'"It was because of this that we |