The journal. (Caldwell, Ohio) 1934-1961, 1959-06-25

niversary of the signing of the
Declaration Of Independence.
The day of July 4, 1776 was
significant one in that it marked
the point of departure for the
British colonies in North Amer
lea. 1t was the D-Day Of the
Republic. More significant than
the day itself and the Declara-
ton that was made is the fact
that, with grim determination
and little else, independence be-
came a reality in a few short
years. The political experts of
that day, both in Europe and
North America, offered little
hope that the colonials could
make their Declaration of In
dependence stick. Significant, in
deed, has been the fact that, for
1873 years, men in arms and men
around the council tables have
maintained and preserved this
bulwark of freedom. 1t has taken
both combatants and diplomats
to achieve this miracle of free
dom. In the military field,
America has called millions of
men and women to arms through
the years, and the cost has
assumed astronomical figures. Of
the 3l.8 million veterans who
have served in our Armed Forces
since the Revolution, approx
mately 22.7 million are living
today.
Each time that Congress con-
siders bill for the benefit of
veterans, the fact becomes more
apparent that the cost of free
dom does not end with the sign
ing Of peace treaty. Both those
who have become disabled by
reason of their service and the
servicemen who later become
disabled from other causes are,
to some extent, cared for by the
United States government. Com
pensation for wartime disabilities
and pensions for non-service-
connected disabilities for vet
Grams and their dependents are
part of our national philosophy
of gratitude to those who have
participated in our wars for
national survival. Since the be-
ginning of our nation, the United
States has expended more than
$40 billion for disability pen
sions. I was interested to note
that that $40 billion is broken
down in the following manner:
about $12.5 billion for the vet
erans of all the wars prior to
WWI; nearly 81 billion for vet
erans of WWI; about 1a billion
dollars for veterans of WWII
and $18.5 million for veterans Of
the Korean Conflict. The pen
sion cost at the present time for
veterans of all wars is some
thing in excess of $l2 billion per
year. This is being paid to a
portion of the 22,000,000 living
veterans and 55,000,000 depen-
dents of veterans.
The average age of the vet
| Grams of WWI, and there are
about 100000 of them, is 65
years. The average age of the
100000 veterans of WWII is
40 years. The average age of the
| veterans of Korea is little Bit
less than 80 years. If this nation
| should be so fortunate as tc
escape all further conflict in the
foreseeable future, yet the mill
tary cost, or cost connected with
| our previous military actions
would continue. At the present
time there are about 1,250,00(
pension cases. 1t is expected that
the peak, which will include the
veterans of WWI, will come
in 1870, when the pension case
load for all veterans will be
about 1000, 900. The peak year
for WWII cases will be reached
in 1895, when it is expected that
As million pension cases will be
handled by the federal govern
ment.
In observing the anniversary
of our nations independence, we
should be ever mindful of the
noble sacrifice of great Ameri-
cans to gain and preserve it fol
use of the great expenditure OF
lives and dollars which was nee
essary to obtain continuing free.
dom, a cost which continues fo1
half a century beyond the tumult
of battle. Our freedom has beer
purchased and earned for us by
the brave of many generations
We should be resolute in oul
determination to preserve thai
which our veterans and their
departed comrades obtained fol
US. We must preserve it by peace.
full means, where that is pos
sible, for the cost of another
major war in lives and dollars
would surely be greater thar
any conflict we have yet known
probably greater than the tota
of all the wars in which the
u. S. A. engaged.