The CHAIRMAN. I know. But I do not believe we have lost this many veterans. Mr. RICE. Perhaps you have not. These figures were compiled by the Veterans' Administration, that is as to the totals and all of the percentages except the fifth column of statistics which I compiled myself. Mrs. ROGERS. What page is that on? Mr. RICE. Page 17. Mrs. ROGERS. Thank you. Mr. RICE. These figures were compiled by the Veterans' Administration on the basis of the number of adjusted-service certificates which were distributed to World War veterans. Now, it may be that there may have been a greater number or a lesser number of 60-day veterans from certain States, not entitled to or not having for adjusted compensation, which would influence the final results of such compilation. But generally speaking, on the basis of the law of averages, I think you will find that such distribution would be about the same in all States. Therefore, I cannot help but believe that these figures pretty well reflect the condition that prevails in and as to each State throughout the country. The CHAIRMAN. Now, in Louisiana you had 76,000 and now they have 63,000. Mr. RICE. Right. The CHAIRMAN. That is a drop of only 12,000. Mr. RICE. That is right. As a matter of fact, a drop of only 0.06 percent, proportionately to the percentage of the total who enlisted from Louisiana. Mr. PETERSON. Georgia dropped about 36,000, or one-third. The CHAIRMAN. Georgia had 103,000 and dropped down to 67,000? Mr. RICE. Yes. The CHAIRMAN. That is about 36,000, isn't it? Mr. RICE. That is right. The CHAIRMAN. Thirty-six thousand. Now, I do not know who compiled these figures Mr. RICE (interposing). The Veterans' Administration compiled the figures originally. The only figures that I compiled were the percentage of each State's population which consists of veterans. You will note that the percentage of veterans to total population varies very widely, all the way from 1.67 percent in Mississippi up to 6.69 percent in the District of Columbia which consists of veterans. The CHAIRMAN. The State of Idaho dropped from 22,000 to 15,000. Unless the death rates are a great deal higher than I think they are, I am not willing to accept these figures as final. Mr. RICE. My reason for submitting them, Mr. Chairman, is to demonstrate that veterans do migrate from one community and one State to another community and State and that they tend to become concentrated in certain communities and States. Therefore, it is unfair to such local communities and States, that have a proportionately higher percentage of veterans, to have to assume the burden of taking care of the veterans who become handicapped and disabled, whether service connected or not, and to take care of their dependents. You will note that these statistics generally show that disabled veterans move into the Southern States, where there are somewhat easier liv ing conditions, and where they can get along a little bit better on the small amount of compensation which they receive. Therefore, as the years pass on, and as they grow older, there will tend to be a greater and greater concentration of the older World War veterans in certain Southern States as well as certain far western States, such as California, where they go in search of health. Mr. BRYSON. California and Florida. Mr. RICE. Yes. These statistics show great concentrations of both able-bodied and disabled veterans in the States of California and Florida. The statistics will also show that there has been a migration of disabled veterans out of such States as New Jersey and New York, and a migration of able-bodied veterans into such States as New Jersey, Michigan, and Illinois in their search for jobs. It is a case of searching for jobs on the part of both able-bodied men and disabled men, and on the other hand, a search for health or easier living conditions on the part of disabled veterans. Mrs. ROGERS. There is shown a drop in California. I should think there would be an increase. Mr. RICE. California is shown as having a very substantial increase in the number, absolutely and proportionately, you will note, of both able-bodied and disabled veterans. Mrs. ROGERS. Oh, I see. I had the wrong line. The CHAIRMAN. Yes. Mr. RICE. There were 162,000 from the State and there are 237,000 living there now. Mr. PETERSON. That is an increase of 75,000. Mr. RICE. You will note that in California there is a faster concentration of disabled veterans than of able-bodied. But there is a decided concentration of both into the State of California. As to the Northern States, where living conditions are pretty difficult, the disabled veterans are inclined to move out, in order to seek more agreeable climates in which to live. The comparative liberality of the rating boards may have something to do with the concentration of disabled veterans in certain States. Also the comparative efficiency of the rehabilitation service which may be maintained by the several veteran organizations or State service officers, or the State adjutant general's office in the respective States, has considerable to do with the percentage and number of compensated disabled veterans who reside in each State. But my primary purpose was The CHAIRMAN. I understand. I am not questioning your purpose. But I am questioning this table. Now, for instance, you show a gain of a few hundred for Wyoming and a loss of 7,000 in Idaho. Now, the same impulse would take a person to Wyoming, in my opinion, as would take one to Idaho. They are both Western States, and they have a good deal of raw materials. Mr. RICE. Let me call your attention to the fact that there are a couple of Veterans' Administration facilities in Wyoming and none in Idaho, which could account for such contrasting situations. The CHAIRMAN. Mississippi also has veterans' facilities. Mr. RICE. And you have a concentration of disabled men in Mississippi? The CHAIRMAN. We have two veterans' facilities in Mississippi and a soldiers' home. Mr. RICE. There has been a very substantial increase in the number, proportionately, of disabled veterans in Mississippi, about twice as many, proportionately, as in the average State. I mean almost twice as many disabled men who are compensated are residing in the State of Mississippi as should ordinarily be expected. The CHAIRMAN. Yes; because they go down there on account of the warm climate. Mr. RICE. Yes; correct you are. The CHAIRMAN. Then that would offset that. And then comes a loss of something like 20,000. Mr. RICE. That is right. Well, you must consider The CHAIRMAN. It can only be accounted for, in my opinion, by the death rates, because we have a great many World War veterans, and the only ones we have lost are a few Negroes who have gone North. Mr. RICE. It might be more than that. The CHAIRMAN. We only had 16,000 Negroes in Mississippi. Mr. RICE. You had almost as many colored as you did white veterans. I have the statistics on that if you wish to have it. At this point I would like to put the statistics in my testimony to show the number of veterans who enlisted or were enrolled from each of the various counties in the State of Mississippi, and also showing the number who were discharged with disabilities, classified as to colored and white veterans and also as to the number who were home-service veterans and who were overseas veterans. - The CHAIRMAN. A percentage of the veterans have gone to Alabama, and this table shows Alabama with a greater loss than have gone to Tuskegee. Mr. RICE. May that table be put in the record? The CHAIRMAN. Yes. (The table referred to is as follows:) Classified tabulation of Warld War veterans (exclusive of Navy men) in 81 out of 81 counties in Mississippi, from data compiled by Work Projects Administration project No. 4960, Jackson, Miss. [Count made by members of Veterans of Foreign Wars Post No. 687, Jackson, Miss.] NIANFORD LIDNAN NILV |