Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1944-05-14
Veterans Deal
Seen Coming
RI ODer, L. Scott.


veterans Deal" for postwar Is be-
ing shaped by Congress TO take the
place of the New Deal OF prewar. The
veteran definitely is not to be the Tor"
gotten man of the period that Wall foi-
low this war.
Such interest as Congress Is showing
in the men who are in the military serv-
ice is in sharp contrast to Its relative
lack of interest in the postwar prospect
of industry and of the industrial worker.
Contract termination and surplus mate
rial removal, world money staoiiization
and world investment, dismissal wages
and unemployment insurance fan TO
excite great interest.
When war ends in Europe, the united
States probably will be caught snort on
plans for cushioning the adjustment
within industry and among industrial
workers. It definitely will not be caught
short, however, on plans and programs
for the men In the armed forces VINO
are coming back.
Congress already has approved severai
laws affecting veterans. 1t is about to
approve an omnibus measure that VIII
result in extensive benefits. 1t then VIII
get down to the business of approving
soldiers bonus plans. The rounded pic
ture that will result is the one described
In what follows:
The man who left job to enter mill
tary service, If he had not previously
taken that job from predecessor who
had left 1t to enter service, is entitled by
law to have his job back, If he wants 1t.
This means that many present workers
probably will be required to give up their
jobs to men who will be discharged from
the Army and Navy.
At the time each man is discharged
he will receive 5000 as mastering -out
| pay If his service was in this country
or $500 If it had been overseas. This
will be the initial nest egg to help tide
over the first period of adjustment. It
Is to involve payments of about $780,
100000.
Then, If the veteran has no Job to
return to. or If he Is unable to find a
job, there will be special unemployment
insurance to tide him over the next
period. Congress is in the process of
approving payments of from SIS to $25
a week for period of from Is to 50
weeks for any unemployed veteran. The
cost Is expected to be about $3.50, 00o, 900
year for few postwar years.
These are just the preliminary bene-
fits that go with service.
veterans who have service connected
disabilities now are entitled to pensions
and Congress is about to vote a Is per
cent increase in those pensions to COM
pensate for higher living costs. Cost
OF pensions for all wars, after the pres
ent war, will average about $3.50 900 600
year.
Then for any veteran, whether or
not disabled, who wants to 60 to school,
there will be assurance of at least one
year In high school or college with a
s5O-a-month subsistence allowance and
5000 year for other expenses. such as
tuition. Those who make good can get
up 70 four years of schooling on this
oasis Final action still has to be taken
on this and some other plans, but 1t is
assured. The cost of this and of added
vocational education will be about $780,
ooo,oo0 year for period of years.
congress also Is in the process of
approving special loans of from 81 600
10 $l,o00 to veterans who may want to
ouy homes, or start new business. or
purchase farms or buy machinery and
livestock for farms. There will be no
interest charged during the first year
and per cent interest thereafter with
amortization Of the loan on a verv
easy basis
10 make sure that veterans have ade-
quate postwar medical care, Congress
is voting 500000,000 for use In con-
structing new veterans hospitals. These
are IN addition to the military hospitals
Ihey will assure another 100000 beds
and will provide large degree of State
nnanced medical care for an important
part OF the population. The cost of
disqualification and hospital care for
veterans will run about $3.50 900 600 a
year in postwar.
All OF this Is before consideration of O.
soldiers bonus. A bonus, or adjusted
compensation payment, is almost GER
tain. The only question concerns its
size. One plan favored by veterans
organizations, other than the American
Legion, calls for payments as high as
$4,000, as maximum, with an overall
cost of about $35 200, 100000 in 10 wears.
The minimum plan is expected to call
for about $4,000 ,O0o,0 spread over 10
years. Most plans involve issuance of
ponds to veterans which will mature In
10 years, with the privilege of borrow
Ing up to 20 per cent of the fact value
in any one year.
On the basis of the Veterans Deap
taxing shape in Congress, the Nations
taxpayers can look forward to a post
war cost of from $4,000 100000 to S.
ooo,ooooo0 a year, depending upon the
Size OF the bonus, as an average for
or 10 years after peace. If there ara
other things that veterans or veterans
organizations want, it is probable that
they will get those things, inasmuch
as former soldiers and sailors and their
families will make up a very large pro-
portion of the Nations voting popuIs-
ton. Congress even now shows that II
is very sensitive to this fact.
factor ioduapo;,n