Evening star., 1946-02-17
By Maj. Thomas M. Mol
Associated Pres. Sioff Writer

Veterans Guide will be a place in
The Sunday Star where you will
find help. It's for all ex-service
men and women and their families,
That's practically everybody-since
there's scarcely a family in this
country without at least one men,
ber who is or was in the service.
I've been mixed up with the trou-
bles of service men and women or
ex-service men and women for the
last four years. Out Of uniform for
several months, have had chance
to study up on what rights we have
coming to us.
So my job in turning out Veterans
Guide is to report for you the facts
on national developments that affect
veterans. I must keep abreast, and
maybe often ahead. of things that
mean much to the ex-GIs who need
some help.
We veterans have certain rights.
Congress has said so already, as
have some of the States. Some of
the benefits are OK, and II you
watch this series Of articles. I'll
give you details to keep you up to
date
Other rights given to us as ex-
service men haven't worked out too
we'll. All of you have heard of the
GI Bill of Rights. It's Public Law
346, passed by the Seventy-eighth
Congress in June, 1914.
Well, Congress is in the process of
operating on that bill. Apparently
it needs some changes because a few
parts of it haven't turned out to be
of much help for veterans. There
are many other laws that affect
veterans, some Of which need to be
cleared up.
No predictions such as those
made by some experts" who tell
you today what will happen tomor-
row and next day tell you why it
didn't happen. And no politics as
we swing into the job of reporting
veterans news.
Benefits for Veterans.
You and know there's much mis-
understanding being booted around
about the benefits for veterans. Now
rights, later developments, and more
veterans by the millions may con-
fuse the future before it becomes
clear.
Any one who reads the service
mems readjuStment laW-eyery one
calls it the G1 Bill of Rights-is
likely to become exhausted by a
wrestle with its whereas wording
it's "provideds," provided, how
evers," and Notwithstanding"
That's the reason you may get
some good out of this Veterans
Guide column. Not only the CT bill
but many other laws and rulings
affect veterans. Most of them make
pretty tough reading, but I'll try tc
explain them so even I can under
stand what I'm writing.
The CT Bill Of Rights, to give a
small example. uses the term "re-
adjustment allowances"
Now what's readjustment allow
ance? Well, it amounts to unem-
ployment pay. How do you get it3
The bill doesn't say-it just says you
are entitled to it,
None of the benefits due you as q
veteran will come to you. You must
60 after them. It's like that consti-
tutional guarantee Of the pursuit OF
happiness-you have to catch uI
with it yourself.
Anyway, you're entitled to a re-
adjustment allowance or unemploy-
ment pay, If you had 80 days service
(part of which was after September
16, 1940) and if you were discharged
under conditions other than dishon-
orable.
If you were released because of a
disability caused by service in line
Of duty, you're eligible also-even
though you didn't serve a full 90
days.
Let's assume you qualify thus fa1
and you lose your job, or are en-
ployed only part-time at something
under $23 a week. If this happens
within two years after your service
discharge, or within two years after
the wars end-whichever is later
you should go to the nearest United
States Employment Service office
At that Office there1l be an unem.