Evening star., 1945-09-06

urge that you act on 1t now.
A single administrator can dt
much to obviate the confusion
which still exists in this field, anc
will be able to expedite the dispose
of the many billions Of dollars ol
surplus property.
The disposition Of plants anc
equipment is Of particular urgency
They should be disposed of promptly
by sale or lease on a basis that i.
fair to the Government and to in
dustry. Our objectives should be tc
provide early and continuous EN-.
ployment, and through private pro.
duction, to supply hungry markets
and check infl.ationary tendencies
Leases may often enable the Gov.
ernment and the operator to deter.
mine actual value by actual ex.
perience. The sooner we can put
plants and equipment to work, the
sooner We can discard our wartime
controls in the transition from wal
to peace.
Is. Small Business
During the war special attention
was paid to small business. The
American small business Is the
backbone Of our enterprise sys.
tenn. The efforts Of the Congress
in protecting small business during
the war paid high dividends, not
only IN protecting small business
enterprise but also in speeding vic.
tory. In spite of the fact, however
that many businesses were helped
and saved, it is true that many
thousands of them were obliged tc
close up because Of lack of mate.
rials or manpower or inability to
get into war production.
| 1t Is very important to the econ
omy Of the United States that these
small businesses and many more OF
them be given opportunity to be-
come a part Of American trade and
INDUSTRY. To do this, assistance
Should be given to small businesse.
to enable them to obtain ADEQUATE
materials, private financing, tech
nological Improvements and surplus
/ property
While some special facilities TO,
small business are required, the
greatest help to it will come from
the maintenance of general pros.
perity and full employment. It il
much more difficult for small bust.
ness to survive the hazards which
come from trade recessions anC
widespread unemployment. What
small business needs chiefly is q
steady supply of customers with
stable purchasing power.
am sure that the Congress will
see to it that in its legislation ade.
quate protection and encourage.
ment will be given to the small
business Of the Nation.
Is. Veterans
| 1t has been a fundamental oh.
Jectlve of the Congress and of the
administration to make generous
provision for those who have served
the Nation in its armed forces, and
lor the dependents of those who
have died in their countrys cause
Although full list of what has
been done toward this objective
would be entirely too long to emu
merate here, 1t might be well to
list some of the major steps already
taken:
% Adoption of National Service
Lie Insurance Act under which
about TN million insurance appli-
cations have been approved. result
ing IN insurance coverage of more
than $l35, ,000. 900 900.
CD Provision of increased com
pensation or pension for disabled
veterans.
90 Extension and expansion OF
hospital benefits.
% Vocational education and
training for veterans having a
service-connected disability consti-
tutlng a vocational handicap.
90 Mustering-out pay ranging
from 500 to $500 dependent upon
length OF service and rate of pay.
go Education or training for any
veteran whose education or train
ing was interrupted by entrance
into the service.
Cd Guarantee of loans to vet
Grams for the purchase of a home.
a farm, or business.
I'D Legislation to protect the vet
eran's right to Unemployment in his
preservice job, If desired.
90 Provision of unemployment
allowances for veterans who become
unemployed at any time within two
years after discharge, of $40 per
week for not to exceed 81, weeks.
Q0) Civil service laws to insure
preference to veterans in govern
mental service.
CID There has also been insti-
tuted in each State pursuant to law
an efficient system whereby the
counseling and placement needs of
veterans will be the responsibility
OF veterans appointed for that spe-
cial work.
All Must Aid Veterans.
The transition of veterans from
military to civilian activities can
not be accomplished satisfactorily
by the Federal Government alone or
the State alone, or, indeed, by both.
Government can help chiefly
through organization and overall
planning. But the real work must
be done IN each community, through
cooperation Of the industrial, labor
and civic organizations interested
IN the welfare of the communitv
and Of the veterans.
There have been established in
formation centers in all the field
activities Of the Selectiye Service
Systm. United States Employment
Service and Veterans Administra-
tion totaling more than 5000. Vet
Grams may there obtain information
on any question Of interest to them.
Also, the Retraining and Re-em-
ployment Administration in co-op-
Grafton with the leadership of local
communities has established ap-
proximately 1,450 community in
formation centers. There are there
fore 5000 information centers of all
types throughout the country avail
able to veterans for information
DllrpOSeq With reayect tn a1rf.