Evening star., 1937-11-07

All Other Desires Give Way to That Of
Making Living After Devoting Lives
to Success of National Arms.

maintain an employment service,
through representatives in Washington
and its field facilities it co-operates
with the United States Employment
Service of the Labor Department, the
Works Progress Administration and
other Government agencies to secure
work for eX-service men.
When the World War began, and
throughout its subsequent history, it
added many responsibilities to those
of Congress. not the least of which
was responsibility for the welfare of
100000 veterans affected by the in
cidents of their military service. Be-
cause of the circumstances and condi-
tions which produced them, the prob
lens of the World War veteran were
unique.
PROBLEMS which had never pre-
sented themselves at the conclu-
sion of prior wars arose Immediately
upon the return of the World War
veteran to civilian life, and straight
way comprehensive program for vet
erans' relief began to develop. In its
technical sense, the pension system"
was not embraced. Compensation was
provided for disabilities originating in
service or aggravated by service. Vo-
cational training was provided for vet
Grams who were precluded from enter
ing prewar vocations because of ILL
ness or injury, or, as in the case Of
younger disabled veterans, had never
received special training. Disabled
veterans were awarded COMPENSATION
based not alone upon the degree of
their disability, but upon impairment
OF their capacity to resume prewar oc-
cupations as well.
This series of problems was heaped,
at first, upon two major committees
OF the House-committees not pri-
marily concerned with this type of
business. Because it became evident
that these considerations were not
especially germaine to the Jurisdiction
OF these committees, and that legisla-
tive requirements of the veterans we're
individual, due to the effortssof a group
of World War veterans then members
of the House. the World War Veterans
Committee came into being on jan
uary 18, 1924.
At this time more than half of the
membership of the new committee
were actual veterans of the World War.
most of them with overseas service.
There have been only two chairmen
to date-the first, Representative Royal
c. johnson of South Dakota, and the
second and present chairman, Repre-
sentative John E. Rankin of Missis-
sippi. Both were veterans of the
World War and Representative Rankin
is the sole member Of the original
committee.
- Creation Of this congressional COM
mittee made it possible to centralize
all legislative affairs of veterans. which
are handled exclusively, with the ex-
ception of the World War adjusted
compensation legislation, which is
also under the committees jurisdic-
tion.
The present scope of activities of
this congressional body is to provide
appropriate legislative authority for
payment of compensation to World
War veterans, their surviving widows
and dependents, with special recent
reference to Gold Star Mothers, hos
pitalization for veterans, including
creation of the right to hospitaliza-
tion and authorization of adequate
facilities and provision of appropriate
legislation covering the insurance af-
fairs of the veterans.
IN ADDITION to the great numbers
of bills seeking to improve the
status of World War veterans that
pass through the hands of this COM
mittee it is called upon to supply much
information with regard to the rights
of veterans and must answer individ-
ual requests for assistance. This lat
ter responsibility is shared with a
Veterans Administration liaison Office,
which acQuaints the veteran with his
rights under existing laws and gives
him an opportunity to have his sug-
gestions for new legislation sympa-
thetically received and considered.
While the committee has jurisdic-
ton over legislative proposals of gen.
eral application to veterans OF the
World War, private bills and claims
are not referrable to it.
There is a great deal of public in
terest in all bills affecting veterans
legislation, and certainly the veterans
are well represented on the Hill, for
there are 140 members of Congress
who are World War veterans. OF all
phases of relief, none has received
greater consideration than that hav-
ing to do with the enactment of laws
on adjusted compensation-better
known as the soldiers bonus"
On January 81, 1886, the Seventy
fourth session of Congress passed the
bill providing for the payment of ad-
justed service certificates. This meant
that more than 3,500,0 900 veterans be-
came eligible to receive bonds and
cash exceeding in value $3,450, 900 by
June is, 1886.
Some 1900 additional clerks III the
veterans Administration alone had
to be engaged, trained and supervised
In order that the bonds might be
issued within four and a half months
from the date of passage of the bill.
So well did these co-ordinated efforts
succeed that by June 80, 1895, a total
OF 3,227,829 applications-98.9 Der
cent OF the number received-had been
certified to the Tr&sury Department
for payment. Col. Edwin A. Halsey.
secretary Of the United States Senate.
signed the bill which authorized paw
ment Of this vast amount Of money.
There were 2,973 bills introduced
into Congress last year pertaining to
veterans benefits. Many of these had
for their purpose material changes
In existing laws affecting veterans re-
lief.
More than II per cent of the male
personnel and IL per cent of the
female personnel of the Veterans
Administration in Washington are ex.
service men and women. There are
about $4,000 employees on the rolls Of