Evening star., 1933-10-02
Roosevelt's Legion Speech
President Urging National Unity, Opposed to Sec
tionalism and Class Distinction, Pledges Aid
to Combat founded.

ernmcnt itself is bankrupt We realize
now that the great human values, not
for you alone, but for all American citi-
zens, rest upon the unimpaired credit
Of the United States.
It was because Of this that we under
took to take the National Treasury out
Of the red and put it into the black
And IN the doing of it we laid down
two principles which directly affected
benefits to veterans-to you, and to vet
Grams Of other wars.
The first principle, following the
obligation Of citizens to bear arms is
that the Government has a responsible
ity for and toward those who suffered
injury or contracted disease while serv-
ing In its defense.
The second principle is that no per-
son, because he wore a uniform, must
thereafter be placed in a special class
OF bene1ciarieS over and above all
other citizens. The fact of wearing a
uniform does not mean that he can de-
mand and receive from his Government
benefit which no other citizen re-
ceiveS. It does not mean that because
a person served in the defense of his
country, performed basic obligation of
citizenship, he should receive a pen
sion from his Government because of
a disability incurred after his service
had terminated, and not connected with
that service.
Entitled to Compensation.
It does mean. however, that those
who were injured in or as a result OF
their service are entitled to receive ade-
quate and generous compensation for
their disabilities. It does mean that
generous care shall be extended to the
dependents Of those who died in or as
q result of service to their country.
To carry out these principles, the
people Of this country can and will paw
in taxes the sums which it is necessary
to raise. To carry out these principles
will not bankrupt your Government nor
throw its bookkeeping into the red.
Every person who has made honest
study knows that mistakes, many Of
them, have been made during the course
Of is years. I personally know that
mistakes in individual cases and in
equalitieS affecting various groups have
occurred during the past six months.
But at the same time there stands out
the fact which you know-that many
Of these mistakes have been rectified
and that we have the definite purpose
of doing justice not only to the mass,
but. in so far as possible to every in
dividual as we'll Furthermore, it is my
hope that in SO far as justice concerns
those whose disabilities are. as a matter
Of fact. of war service origin. the Gov
ernment will be able to extend even
more generous care than Is now pro-
vided under existing regulations. 1t is
to these men that our obligations exist.
To these two broad principles the
time has come, I believe. for us to add
a third There are manv veterans Of
our wars to whom disability and Sick
ness unconnected with war service has
come. To them the Federal Govern
ment owes the application of the same
rule which it has laid down for the
relief Of other cases of involuntary want
or destitution.
In other words, il the individual
affected can afford to pay for his own
treatment he cannot call on any form
of Government aid. If he has not
the wherewithal to take care of himself
it Is first of all the duty of his COM
munity to take care of him and next
the duty Of his State. Only if under
these circumstances his own community
and his own State are unable, after
reasonable effort, to care for him. then
and then only, should the Federal Gov
eminent offer him disqualification and
care.
The young men of this country who
today in the event Of war would bear
the first brunt of national defense think
of us of the American Legion as mid
dle-aged people You and I are not
yet ready to admit that We have lone
foot in the grave" We think of our
selves, and with some justification. per-
haps. as people Of some experience. OF
some maturity of judgment. of a posi-
ton in the community which carries