Evening star., 1943-11-23

rAR, Tuesday, Nov. %, 1943
Text of Roos.
FOLLOWING is. the tert OF Pres
ident Roosepelt's message to
Congress today on peterans'
benefits:
To the Congress of the United
States:
All Of us are concentrating nov
on the one primary objective of win.
ming this war. But even as we de.
vote our energy and resources tt
that purpose, we cannot neglect t
plan for things to come after victor,
Is won.
The problem OF reconverting war.
time America to a peacetime basi.
Is one for which we are now layine
plans to be submitted to the Con.
greSs for action. AS I said last July
The returning soldier and
sailor and marine are a part of
the problem of demobilizing the
rest of the millions of Americans
who have been working and liv-
ing in a war economy since l94l.
But the members of the
armed forces have been compelled
to make greater economic sacri-
flee and every other kind of sac
rifice than the rest of us, and are
entitled to definite action to help
take care of their special prob
| lens"
At that time I outlined what
seemed to me to be a minimum OF
action to which the members OF our
armed forces are entitled over and
above that taken for other citizens
First Task After War.
What our service men and women
want, more than anything else. is
the assurance of satisfactory en-
ployment upon their return to civil
life. The first task after the wal
is to provide employment for them
and for our demobilized war workers
There were skeptics who said that
our wartime production goals would
never be attained. There will also
be skeptics who will question oul
ability to make the necessary plans
to meet the problems of unemploy-
ment and want after the war. But
l am confident that if industry and
labor and Government tackle the
problems of economic readjustment
after the war with the same unity
of purpose and with the same in
genuity. resourcefulness and bold
ness that they have employed tc
such advantage in wartime produc-
ton. they can solve them.
We must not lower our sights to
prewar levels. The goal after the
war should be the maximum utili-
zation of our human and material
resources. This is the way to rout
the forces of insecurity and unem-
ployment at home, as completely as
we shall have defeated the forces
OF tyranny and oppression on the
fields of battle.
There are, however. certain meas
ureS which merit the immediate at
tention of the Congress to round out
the program already commenced for
the special protection of the men,
bers of the armed forces.
Generous Program Enacted.
The Congress has already enacted
a generous program of benefits for
servicemen and for the widows ana
dependents of those killed in action.
For example:
Cd Under the National Service
Life Insurance Act. life insurance
at low premium rates is now avail
able to members of the armed forces
in amounts not less than $1,000 and
not more than $4,000 per person.
A total of nearly $4,000 900 900 of
insurance has already been applied
for.
90 In addition, provision has been
made, under the Soldiers and Sail
ors' Relief Act, for the guarantee
by the Government of the payment
OF premiums on commercial policies
held by members of the armed
forces while in service. Premiums
on insurance totaling $l35, ,582 900
have been guaranteed. as a result
of 56.276 applications by servicemen
for such relief.
80 The Congress has also enacted
legislation making provision for the
disqualification and medical care of
all veterans of the present war, and
for the vocational rehabilitation and
training of those suffering from
disability incurred in. or aggravated
by, military service, when such dis
ability results in vocational handi-
cap preventing unemployment. Sim
liar provision has been made for the
rehabilitation of disabled persons in
civil life, who, with proper training
can be equipped to play a useful
part in the war effort at home. Men
who are rejected for military service
because of physical or mental de-
fects, or who are discharged from
the armed forces because of dis
ability existing at the time of in
duction, are thus eligible for such
rehabilitation services and training
as may be necessary and feasible in
order to fit them for useful and
gainful employment.
Death or Disability.
"a BY recent legislation, our
present service men and women
have been assured the same pen
sion benefits for death or disability
incurred in the line Of duty while in
active military service as are pro-
vided for the veterans of prior wars
The pension rates for the families
of those killed in this war were
recently increased by the Congress
The Veterans Administration will
from time to time, request the con-
sideration by the Congress of va
rious amendments of existing laws
which will facilitate administra-
ton, and which will correct any
defects in our present statutory
scheme which experience may dis
close. I am confident that the Con-
gress, in line with the historic pol
icy Of this Government toward its
i'll, injured and disabled service men