Evening star., 1948-02-05
Veterans Get What They Ask

Representative Dwight L. Rogers, Demo-
crat. of Florida, voiced in a one-SenCence
speech the general attitude OF the House
in overwhelmingly passing legislation IN
creasing veterans benefits under the GIL
training law. There is nothing TOO gooo
for our veterans" Mr. Rogers said, IN JOIN
ing in a veritable "Me too, parade OF rep
resentatives seeking to get on record IN
favor of two politically important Gl
measures. The dominant theme OF the
many lengthier speeches in support OF
the bills was the same. Every one was
thinking of what was good for the vet
erans, but no question was raised as to
whether a s35O,OOo,OOO increase in veter-
ans payments would be good for the
country as whole. +.
In fact steps had been taken to make
certain that both bills would have clear
sailing. Ordinary rules of procedure were
SUSPENDED so that no effort to amend
either bill was in order. Chairman Allen
of the Rules Committee frankly said that
amendments were suspended to avoid the
possibility of "emasculation" and to insure
quick passage So, with only five votes
against one measure and six against the
other, the House adopted legislation to
raise from $65 to $75 month the allow
ance to CT students and to lift ceilings on
the amount which on-the-job trainees may
earn before becoming ineligible for Gl
benefits.
1t is true that living costs have risen
since the original allowances were estao-
ished. But General Bradley, former vet
erans administrator, was speaking sense
when he told Congress last year that unless
a ceiling is applied to payments under the
GI Bill of Rights there will be no end to
the costs-that for the Government to
underwrite all the living expenses OF Gl
students and trainees under all conditions
was out of the question. The best the
Government can be expected to do is to
aid the veterans within reasonable limits
without argument, however, the House
approved ceilings for the on-the-1ob-
training program which will allow tralnees
to earn more than the average American
worker before becoming ineligible to re-
ceive CT aid If the trainee has wife and
two children, he will be permitted to earn
$4,000 year before losing eligibility. Yet,
census SUdUlSGlCS SIlOW GlAdC 4Coo oAAAAA VIA ~
per cent of Americans in industry earn
that much Most of them earn less. The
average annual earnings per worker. in
1o46, the last for which figures are avail
able, totaled $2,357 The figure is un-
doubtedly somewhat higher than that
today, but nowhere near the lowest
approved ceiling for on-the-job trainees.
1t seems that it is just asking too much
of Congress in an election year even to
debate such matters as veterans benefits.
Not a Congressman mentioned the fact
that only one day earlier the House had
resoundingly passed tax reduction bill
which would deprive the Treasury OF
ssla billion it otherwise would have to
pay veterans and other obligations. 1t is
not known what President Truman will
do about the veterans legislation when
1t reaches his desk. If he follows the line
he laid down in his budget message last
month he will veto both bills, for he said
then that he felt that CT benefits are
lover the peak" and that a reduction is in
order. His veto would probably be futile
gesture, for Congress has made it clear
that the veterans are going to get nearly
anything they ask for