CONTENTS Page Adair, Hon. E. Ross. 3582, 3606 Galbraith, William E., national commander---- 3592–3597, 3605, 3609, 3610 American Veterans of World War II. (See AMVETS.) AMVETS: Caserta, Anthony J., national commander___ 3597-3604 3646-3654, 3659, 3660 Cemetery survey, miscellaneous correspondence and statement. 3630-3673 Hall, Ralph E., national executive director__ 3654-3656, 3658, 3659 Callegary, Claude L., former national commander_ Huber, Charles L., national director of legislation. Dorn, Hon. W. J. Bryan__ 3591, 3604-3608, 3610-3616, 3640, 3645, 3646, 3653, 3654, 3656- Holt, Cooper T. (See Veterans of Foreign Wars.) Huber, Charles L. (See Disabled American Veterans.) Hudson, W. Ed. (See Veterans of World War I of the U.S.A., Inc.) O'Brien, Philip F. (See Veterans of World War I of the U.S.A., Inc.) Paralyzed Veterans of America: Burghoff, Leslie P., Jr., president. 3674-3678 Page 3542, 3550, 3581-3590, 3617, 3618, 3622, 3630-3632, 3633-3643 Holt, Cooper T., executive director, Washington office. 3617, 3618, 3641-3643 Scerra, Joseph A., commander in chief- 3620-3622, 3629-3631, 3641-3643 "Top Priority Legislative and Security Goals for 1968". Veterans of World War I of the U.S.A., Inc.: 1 DAV LEGISLATIVE PROPOSALS WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 1968 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, COMMITTEE ON VETERANS' AFFAIRS Washington, D.C. The committee met, pursuant to notice, at 10 a.m., in room 302, Cannon House Office Building, Hon. Olin E. Teague (chairman of the committee) presiding. Mr. TEAGUE. The committee will come to order. The committee is always happy to have the Disabled American Veterans appear before our committee. At this time I would like to recognize Mr. Mark Andrews, of North Dakota, to introduce the national commander of the Disabled American Veterans. Mark, if I might say to the people who are here before we start, almost every Member of Congress has two or three committee meetings and that is why there are some absences this morning, but they will be coming in and out. One of the most disappointing things about being a Member of Congress is time; we do not have time to do all the things we would like to do. STATEMENT OF HON. MARK ANDREWS, A REPRESENTATIVE IN CONGRESS FROM THE STATE OF NORTH DAKOTA Mr. ANDREWS. Mr. Chairman, I am well aware of this problem. I just left a briefing with Secretary Rusk to come here this morning because this, to me, is a very wonderful occasion, not only as a member of the Disabled American Veterans myself, but as a long-time personal friend of a fellow townsman of mine who is now the national commander of the DAV, Francis J. Beaton, whom you will hear very shortly and I do not want to intrude on his time. Mr. Beaton comes from one of our distinguished families in North Dakota. His father served in the State legislature, and he is involved in one of our key industries, livestock. Mr. Beaton is doing a great job as National Commander of this fine outstanding veterans organization. It is a great deal of pleasure for me to introduce him to you to give his report of the Disabled American Veterans. I present to you Mr. Francis J. Beaton. Mr. TEAGUE. Mr. Commander, Mr. Haley of Florida would like to say one word before you start. Mr. HALEY. Mr. Commander and my good friend from your great State, you have a fine Representative serving you here in the Congress. Mr. Andrews is interested in all veterans. I happen to have spent a little time in your great State. I was warmly received, even as a Democrat, out there. Somebody had told me before I went out that it was hunting season and I had better watch out because there was no law against killing a Democrat. But I had a fine time and I appreciated the courtesy extended to me by the good people of your State. You do have a fine State and I want to welcome the national commander of the Disabled American Veterans here this morning. Mr. BEATON. Thank you, Jim.. Mr. TEAGUE of Texas. Mr. Commander. STATEMENT OF FRANCIS J. BEATON, NATIONAL COMMANDER, DISABLED AMERICAN VETERANS; ACCOMPANIED BY CHARLES L. HUBER, NATIONAL DIRECTOR OF LEGISLATION; AND JOHN J. KELLER, NATIONAL SERVICE DIRECTOR Mr. BEATON. Thank you, Congressman Andrews, for those very fine introductory remarks, and thank you, Congressman Haley, for your very special additional remarks about our Congressman and our great State of North Dakota, of which we are genuinely proud. At the outset I would like to introduce some of the staff of the DAV, along with the head of its auxiliary. At this time I would like to introduce to you our national commander of the DAV Auxiliary, Mrs. Viola Green, from the great State of Washington. (Applause.) Next I would like to present to your committee and to the guests our national adjutant, Mr. Denvel D. Adams. (Applause.) Next I would like to introduce a gentleman who needs no introduction to this distinguished committee and its chairman, our very distinguished national director of legislation, Mr. Charles L. Huber, to my right. (Applause.) Next I would like to introduce to you our national service director, Mr. John J. Keller, from Washington, D.C. (Applause.) Working very closely with our national legislative director, Mr. Charles L. Huber, we have an interim national legislative committee. I am sure many of you have had the opportunity to visit with these gentlemen. Mr. Joe V. Adair of Oklahoma chairs this committee. Mr. Adair. (Applause.) Serving with him on this committee are Mr. John W. Bill of the State of New Jersey, and Mr. John R. Davis of the great State of Georgia and also Mr. Lyle Pearson from the State of Minnesota. (Applause.) This concludes the introduction of our staff members and those working closely with and related thereto. Mr. Chairman and members of the committee: It is, indeed, a privilege and a pleasure for me, as national commander of the Disabled American Veterans, to appear before you and present our legislative program for the second session of the 90th Congress. On behalf of the DAV national and State officers assembled here this morning, I wish to express my sincere thanks and appreciation for the cooperation, interest, and help extended to us by your committee throughout the past year. We are also deeply indebted to you for your patience and understanding, and the personal consideration given to our many legis lative requests. The same compliments are extended to the very able staff members of the committee, who have gone out of their way to assist us. As you know, Mr. Chairman, the ingredients of DAV legislative programs are found in resolutions adopted by our governing bodies, the national convention and the national executive committee. Our most recent national convention, held in Denver, Colo., July 31 through August 4, 1967, approved more than 150 resolutions. Å majority of the proposals call for modifications in existing veterans programs, while others would authorize new ones. Additionally, a limited number of proposals relate to our country's policy and position in Southeast Asia. On this last score, with your permission, I would like to voice a few observations about the current epidemic of urban riots and antiwar demonstrations. I am thinking in particular of those who desecrate our flag, the draft-card burners and others who confuse freedom with license. Such matters may not be directly related to the immediate concerns of your committee; but I submit that they are of general concern to all Members of Congress and to all Americans who cherish and understand the full dimensions of freedom. Let me say first that no one, surely, understands better than the Members of Congress how precious is the right to dissent. We also recognize that our institutions have been carefully framed to accommodate all kinds of utterly opposing viewpoints including the merits of our Vietnam policy. It so happens that the DAV is pledged by mandate of our national convention to support our policy in Vietnamand we are proud to be counted in that category. But we recognize the right to those in opposition to disagree. What we do not recognize what we do condemn-what we view with disgust and outrage are the antics of those who abuse their freedom, make a mockery of their rights and who subvert the whole meaning of liberty. Let there be no confusion about the identity of these willful delinquents: I am talking about the so-called demonstrators who burn their draft cards, vilify the sacrifices of American soldiers, desecrate our flag, interfere with the movement of men and supplies, sit-in at the Pentagon and, in other viciously childish acts and protests, render aid and comfort to the enemies of everything we hold dear. No single right of citizenship exists without a corresponding responsibility. Freedom is not license. The right of one individual cannot be equated as outweighing the rights of many individuals. There must be limits to tolerance. Otherwise we are inviting anarchy. It is all well and good for crusaders to argue that personal folly and criminal disorder are the products of ignorance, want, and lack of privilege. But this country, this Government, and this Congress are fighting ignorance, want, and lack of privilege as never before in our history. This great fight cannot and will not be sustained, if citizens cannot walk their streets in safety, if our shopkeepers are terrorized by criminals, if our police are maligned and attacked for doing their duty, |