WORLD WAR VETERANS' LEGISLATION HEARINGS 21.3. BEFORE THE COMMITTEE ON WORLD WAR VETERANS' LEGISLATION SEVENTY-SIXTH CONGRESS FIRST SESSION ON H. R. 5, H. R. 1001, H. R. 2288, H. R. 2293, TO AMEND CERTAIN LAWS AND VETERANS' WAR VETERANS AND THEIR DEPOSITED BY THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA APR 21 '39 WORLD WAR VETERANS' LEGISLATION WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 25, 1939 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, COMMITTEE ON WORLD WAR VETERAN'S LEGISLATION, Washington, D. C. The committee met at 10:30 a. m., Hon. John E. Rankin (chairman) presiding. The CHAIRMAN. The committee will come to order. Let me say, in the beginning, that we are going to follow the rules laid down by my predecessor when this committee was first organized. Under those rules we do not handle private claims, nor have we reported private bills. While we have jurisdiction of so-called pension bills our bolicy is to report compensation measures. They say that the money amounts to the same thing after it gets to the veteran. If we We are also going to confine ourselves to the rule laid down to adhere to the principle of hearing nationally recognized veterans' organizations. I say this now in order that you may understand that we are not doing this to discriminate against any group. were to hear every group that wants to be heard there would be a thousand different groups before we got through, which would come before this committee, wanting to be heard, and we never would get through. I hope the stenographer can get everything that is said for we are unable to correct our remarks, as a rule, before they go to press. In order to expedite matters as much as possible we are going to hear these witnesses in rotation. We will hear the various organizations first and wind up with the Veteran's Administration. I have some bills here that have been introduced at the request of several of the various veterans' organizations. I am going to ask the clerk to pass these around. Just give one to each member. We have with us this morning the various veterans' organizations. We are going to ask their legislative representatives to introduce the national commander, beginning with the American Legion. I will ask Col. John Thomas Taylor to present his commander. Before he does so we are going to ask that their speeches be limited to, say, 15 minutes. Of course, if any of you desire an extension of time it might be arranged. But if it is satisfactory we will ask them to limit their speeches to 15 minutes, possibly. We will now recognize Col. John Thomas Taylor, legislative representative of the American Legion. STATEMENT OF COL. JOHN THOMAS TAYLOR, DIRECTOR, NATIONAL LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE, THE AMERICAN LEGION Colonel TAYLOR. Mr. Chairman and members of the committee, let me say that we appreciate very much indeed, this opportunity of appearing before you and presenting the program of the American Legion. With your permission, Mr. Chairman, I will hand to your stenographer the record of the resolutions adopted at our Los Angeles convention, covering all of the various steps in which the American Legion is interested. I take this opportunity to advise the committee that bills have been introduced both by yourself, Mr. Chairman, and other members of the committee, to carry out these resolutions. I take great pleasure at this time in presenting to you our national commander, Stephen F. Chadwick, of Oregon, who will discuss with you the various resolutions and the bills which have been introduced. The CHAIRMAN. Now, without objection, those resolutions will be inserted in the record. (The resolutions are as follows:) The program pertaining to our disabled comrades and their dependents is an extensive one this year. This program, of course, includes the reiteration of our fourth point of the four-point program which asks for Government protection of widows and orphans of deceased World War Veterans. Resolutions are in their alphabetical order rather than in the order of their importance. Burial award.-The Los Angeles convention reiterated our stand on this proposition as follows: "Resolved, That the present burial law be amended providing that regardless of the date of the burial of the veteran, that applications for the statutory burial award be paid by the Veterans' Administration whenever such applications are completed in accordance with the Veterans' Administration regulations now in force." During the last Congress Representative Richard M. Atkinson, Tennessee, introduced for us H. R. 6380 which asked for the removal of time limit in filing such claims. Burial flags. This resolution is partly a reiteration and partly new and reads as follows: "Whereas the Federal Government is authorized to furnish the American Flag for deceased veterans, and "Whereas the present system of obtaining same is inadequate: Therefore be it Resolved, By the American Legion in Twentieth Annual National Convention assembled in Los Angeles, September 19, 20, 21, and 22, urge the Federal Government to have a sufficient supply of flags stored at each post office in localities where there is a post of veterans and that the postmaster is authorized to furnish flag for deceased veteran's funeral service: Further be it "Resolved, That the United States Government supply said post offices sufficient ammunition for the firing of proper salutes to deceased veterans." During the last Congress Representative Albert J. Engel, Michigan, introduced for us H. R. 6489 which asks that a supply of burial flags be available at all post offices. The Los Angeles convention goes a step farther in asking that the United States Government also supply the post offices with sufficient ammunition for the firing of proper salutes to deceased veterans. Disability allowances.— Another reiteration asks for an increase from $30 to $40 a month in the disability allowance of permanently and totally disabled nonservice connected World War veterans. It will be recalled that the bill H. R. 8729 to carry last year's resolution into effect was passed by both branches of Congress but vetoed by the President on June 20, 1938. The President in his memorandum of disapproval declared that approval of this bill "would undoubtedly entail dissatisfaction between the directly-service-connected and peace-time groups and cause further demands for pension legislation and increase in rates now authorized." Fraudulent statements. There is a resolution concerning the making of fraudulent statements in applications for veterans' celief. Such statements in an application to the United States Veterans' Administration may cause a forfeiture of all rights and benefits. We had such a resolution from the New York convention and Representative John E. Rankin, Mississippi, introduced for us H. R. 9070 which requested that the Director of Veterans' Affairs may have discretionary power to invoke penalties. if any, in cases where fraud is alleged in matters of compensation, pension retirement pay, and insurance and hospitalization. Government reorganization.-A resolution from the Los Angeles Convention requests that the United States Veterans' Administration be allowed to remain as an independent agency reads as follows: "Whereas it is the belief of the committee that the Veterans' Administration should remain an independent agency, and "Whereas the combining of Veterans' Administration activities with those of other Government agencies doubtless will result in less effective service to the disabled, and "Whereas great inconvenience and even hardship may result through chaos and uncertainty incident to the combining of Veterans' Administration activities with other Government functions, and "Whereas it is the desire of our organization to protect the disabled and to avoid any possibility of their suffering unnecessary hardships: Therefore be it "Resolved, That the American Legion in Twentieth Annual National Convention assembled in Los Angeles, September 19, 20, 21, and 22, strenuously oppose any plan that would take away from the Veterans Administration the independence it now enjoys or any move that would place any of its hospitals or facilities under the jurisdiction of any other Government Department.” It will be recalled that when the Government reorganization bill was up for consideration during the last session of Congress the Legion took an active part in this matter by insisting that the Veterans' Administration be exempted from the terms of the proposed legislation. This bill was recommitted to committee but it is expected to come up again during the next Congress. Gunshot wounds.-The resolution on this reads as follows: "Resolved, That the American Legion in national convention assembled in Los Angeles, September 19-22, 1938, the present laws be amended to allow a minimum rating of 10 percent of all service-connected gunshot wounds." Increased allowance for dependents.--This resolution is carried over from the New York convention and reads as follows: "Be it resolved, That increased dependency allowance be made for the dependdents of men dying from service-connected disabilities; that this subject be carefully studied by the national officers of the American Legion, with the view of formulating a proposal to Congress for appropriate increases of such allowances." During the Seventy-fifth Congress Representative Rankin introduced for us H. R. 9069, which would have carried this to accomplishment. Increased Federal aid to veterans' homes.-The Los Angeles convention reiterated our stand in asking for increased Federal aid to veterans' homes to the amount of $240 per annum. The resolution reads as follows: "Resolved, That the American Legion, Department of Pennsylvania, in twentieth annual convention assembled, this 19th day of August 1938, endorses the legislation sought in a bill introduced in the bouse of Representatives, and known as H. R. 9071, to wit, 'A bill to increase annual payments to State or Territorial homes for veterans, etc.'" Insulin for diabetics.-The resolution on this reads as follows: "Whereas it is possible for these diabetic veterans to be admitted to the veterans facilities and receive the insulin necessary to keep them alive, but "Whereas when they leave the veterans' facility hospital they are not now, except in service-connected cases, entitled to receive insulin from the Veteran's Administration, thereby tending to force them to return to the veterans' hospital at a cost to the Government of approximately 30 times the cost of the insulin which would have enabled them to live on the outside of the hospital: Now, therefore, be it "Resolved, by the American Legion, in convention assembled the 23d, 24th, and 25th of June 1938, That the delegates to the national convention be instructed to do everything in their power to cause the American Legion to foster legislation directing the Veteran's Administration to furnish insulin to veterans whenever the use of same is prescribed for the treatment of diabetes, that such insulin shall be furnished to the veteran whenever necessary, as treatment, whether as a hospital patient or in home treatment." Misconduct clause.-The Los Angeles convention reads as follows: "Whereas in conformity with present laws and regulations, pension or compensation is not payable in cases where the disability is the result of so-called misconduct on the part of the applicant, and "Whereas a veteran suffering from a so-called misconduct disease, not entitled to compensation or pension, and unable to support himself, is an object of charity, regardless of the fact that he served his county honorably in time of national emergency: Therefore be it |