ary 31, 1955, and July 1, 1963, is highly commendable because, in order to achieve their prescribed objectives, many programs of education or training will require all of the time allowed. Institutional on-farm training is such a program. In final analysis, the strength and security of any nation is, to a large measure, dependent on: the ability of its agriculture to efficiently produce the food and fiber needed by its populace and industry; the technically trained manpower to support an automated industry; and an educated populace capable of maintaining and expanding our national economy, security, and democratic ideals. If after 2 to 4 years in the armed services a young man finds that, because of responsibilities, he must go immediately to work without training, we have lost a potential farmer, scientific agriculutralist, engineer, technician, or scientist. Where are all these traned workers going to come from to maintain our national welfare? A program that will assure educational opportunity to our veterans holds great promise of meeting these needs. Furthermore, when one's educational program is interrupted by a period of time in the armed services, his experience and contacts during this period of time are such that his career objectives may well be altered unless there is an opportunity for him to readily resume his educational program where he left off upon entering the service. Vocational educators throughout the country have a deep concern and interest in the potential that well educated veterans have for the future welfare of our Nation and democratic ideals. This interest is evidenced by the resolution adopted by the American Vocational Association, the professional organization of Vocational educators throughout the country, meeting in Chicago, Ill., on December 10, 1959. The resolution is as follows: "Whereas the education of veterans provided through Federal legislation has greatly helped veterans to become self-supporting contributing citizens; and "Whereas these benefits have been limited to those inducted into the Armed Forces prior to February 1, 1955: Be it hereby "Resolved, That the AVA continue to support Federal legislation to extend educational benefits to all those veterans who have served honorably in the Armed Forces and who were inducted into the service on or after February 1, 1955; and be it further "Resolved, That the proposed educational benefit legislation for the said cold war veterans be similar in content to the educational benefit legislation extended to Korean conflict veterans under Public Law 550 and that this proposed legislation be the direct grant, not a loan type of scholarship." We, in vocational education, have great confidence in the legislative branch of our Government. We know that this great body will make every effort to pass legislation that will best serve the individual citizen and the Nation as a whole. We strongly urge your enactment of legislation that will provide education and training benefits to veterans who serve in the Armed Forces of this country between January 31, 1955, and July 1, 1963. Mr. DORN. Next I would like to submit and have inserted in the record a letter addressed to the chairman of this committee from Wendell P. Butler, superintendent of public instruction, Commonwealth of Kentucky Department of Education, which is dated February 24, 1960. (The information follows:) COMMONWEALTH OF KENTUCKY, DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, Hon. OLIN E. TEAGUE, Chairman, Veterans' Affairs Committee, DEAR MR. TEAGUE: It has come to my attention that your Veterans' Affairs Committee will hold hearings on legislation to extend the education and training benefits to those people who entered the service after the January 31, 1955, delimiting date. These men have served and are serving in all the troubled areas of the world. They have trained with the most dangerous weapons and vehicles of war. Some of the places could become hot-war spots in a moment's notice. These men have had no choice but to serve, since the compulsory military law is in effect. The training programs under the GI bill have increased the educational and skill levels of our people and have helped boost our economy to an alltime high. I must join with the many outstanding individuals and groups in our State and urgently request that your committee act immediately in bringing this legislation into position for enactment in this Congress. Sincerely yours, WENDELL P. BUTLER, Superintendent, Public Instruction. Mr. DORN. The chairman has received a letter from Mr. Marcus V. McWaters, president, Louisiana Vocational Association. Without objection, this letter, which is dated February 24, 1960, will be made a part of the record. (The letter follows:) Hon. OLIN E. TEAGUE, LOUISIANA VOCATIONAL ASSOCIATION, Chairman, House Committee on Veterans' Affairs, DEAR CONGRESSMAN TEAGUE: The Louisiana Vocational Association vigorously supports legislation to authorize education and training benefits for veterans who first entered the military service after January 31, 1955. It is our understanding that hearings on this important legislation will begin shortly before the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Our organization is made up of over 1,000 teachers, supervisors, directors, and other school officials in vocational education, who work in the public schools of Louisiana. As such we have had an opportunity to observe the wonderful results achieved through the education and training program for veterans of World War II and of the Korean conflict. Many thousands of well-trained personnel have been added to the available labor force in Louisiana as a result of these programs. We feel that as long as our national policy dictates a continued military draft that those who are required to serve should be, in part, compensated for the disruption of their educational and employment goals and plans. We know of no programs that could more effectively do this and at the same time serve the needs of the Nation than a continuation of the education and training program similar to that provided for World War II and Korean veterans. We trust that you will continue to support this legislation and that final enactment will be realized during the present session of Congress. Sincerely yours, MARCUS V. MCWATERS, President. Mr. DORN. The chairman of the committee has received a letter dated February 23, 1960, from Severo Martinez of the Employment Security Commission, New Mexico State Employment Service. Without objection, this letter will be made a part of the record. (The letter follows:) Hon. OLIN E. TEAGUE, EMPLOYMENT SECURITY COMMISSION, Chairman, Veterans' Affairs Committee, DEAR SENATOR TEAGUE: I am writing to urge your support on Senate bill 1138, the cold war veterans' bill, which you are aware will affect numerous ex-servicemen that have had service subsequent to January 31, 1955. I have been approached by numerous interested personnel by virtue of my position as manager of the local State employment service office, post commander of VFW Post 2951, and as commanding officer of a National Guard unit in this area. We strongly urge your support of this bill. Yours very truly, SEVERO MARTINEZ. Mr. DORN. The chairman has received a letter dated February 23, 1960, from Paul Breit, director of the Los Angeles Institute of Industrial Science. Without objection, this letter will be made a part of the record. (The letter follows:) LOS ANGELES INSTITUTE OF INDUSTRIAL SCIENCES, Congressman OLIN TEAGUE, House Veterans' Affairs Committee, Congressional Building, Washington, D.C. DEAR SIR: We note with interest that a bill extending veteran benefits to cold war vets is now in committee and soon to be taken into consideration. In this period of emphasis on the necessity of encouraging our younger people to greater endeavor in education, I should like to lend my voice to the many who are urging greater educational opportunities for the younger generation. Aside from the many immediate tangible benefits which would accrue from such a program, we want to point out the justice of affording educational opportunities to young people, many of whom because of time devoted in the armed services were not able, later on, to resume their education. We strongly feel that such individuals should be encouraged to resume training for civilian life and to increase their educational background. We urge that bill S. 1138 be sent to the House and that appropriate legislative action be taken. Yours truly, PAUL BREIT, Director. Mr. DORN. The chairman has received a letter dated February 23, 1960, from Adele Margulies, registrar of the California Institute of Tool Engineering. Without objection, this letter will be made a part of the record. (The letter follows:) Congressman OLIN TEAGUE, CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TOOL ENGINEERING, House Veterans' Affairs Committee, Los Angeles, Calif., February 23, 1960. DEAR SIR: It has come to my attention that bill S. 1138 is now in committee and is soon coming up for consideration. As registrar in a trade technical school, I cannot help but be cognizant of the great benefits which have derived from educational opportunities which were extended to war veterans who entered training into the armed services prior to January 1955. Many of these people are now in responsible positions throughout industry and are enjoying the fruits of an educational background which might not have been possible except for veteran training rights which had been extended to them. It is for this reason that I feel that others who have entered the services since January 1955 are being unduly discriminated against, in that they also have devoted part of their youth to the services of their country. In the interests of fair play I hope that you will do your utmost to see that this bill will be passed. Yours very sincerely, ADELE MARGULIES, Registrar. Mr. DORN. The chairman has received a telegram dated February 25, 1960, from Robert De Marta, Daly City, Calif. Without objection, this telegram will be made a part of the record. (The telegram follows:) Congressman OLIN E. TEAGUE, SAN FRANCISCO, CALIF., February 25, 1960. Drafted in armed services in 1957, served to 1959. Now attending morning college. Working 40 hours week afternoons and weekends to support self, wife and two children. Study time and income inadequate. Please support Yarborough Senate bill 1138 to help veterans prepare themselves for useful citizenship. ROBERT DE MARTA. Mr. DORN. And the chairman of the committee has also received a telegram from Paul Breit, director of the Los Angeles, Calif., Institute of Industrial Sciences. Without objection, this telegram will also be made a part of the record. (The telegram follows:) Congressman OLIN TEAGUE, House Veterans' Affairs Committee, House Office Building, Washington, D.C.: LOS ANGELES, CALIF., February 26, 1960. Gentlemen, we urge that cold war vets bill, Senate bill 1138, be taken out of committee and voted upon to extend educational benefits to persons whose education was interrupted due to services to their country. This will help to rectify existing inequalities and will serve to raise educational levels throughout the Nation. Sincerely, PAUL BREIT, Director, Los Angeles California Institute. Mr. DORN. Our first witness this morning will be Congressman Carl Elliott from Alabama. Mr. Elliott, we are delighted to have you appear before the committee. You may proceed. STATEMENT OF HON. CARL ELLIOTT, A REPRESENTATIVE IN CONGRESS FROM THE STATE OF ALABAMA Mr. ELLIOTT. Mr. Chairman, I want to thank you for the privilege of appearing here. I support legislation to extend the benefits of the GI bill of rights to all who serve in our Armed Forces. First, I want to pay my respects to you, Mr. Chairman Teague, for your distinguished work in the field of veterans legislation. The veterans of America, and indeed the Nation as a whole, are now benefiting from the outstanding job you did in writing the education and training program for Korean veterans. Also, I recall the fact, Mr. Chairman, that you conducted an exhaustive study of the World War II education and training programs for veterans, and out of that study came one of the most significant pieces of legislation to pass the Congress in many years-the Korean GI bill. I recall, too, your able work on the war orphan's education bill. I have been proud to follow your leadership in this legislative field, and I am proud of the fact that I was privileged to serve with. you on the Veterans' Affairs Committee in the 81st and 82d Congresses. I want to say that no Member of Congress has been more closely associated with or made a greater contribution to the education of veterans than has the chairman. I know that you will give the legislation now before this committee your most careful attention, and I am confident that when a bill is reported by the committee that it will be correct in philosophy as well as technically correct. Mr. Chairman, one of the bills now before your committee is my own bill, H.R. 6464. It is patterned closely after the GI bills for the veterans of World War II and the Korean war. I was one of the sponsors of the Korean GI bill. The bills before you provide, as did those acts, for three types of assistance: (1) Educational and vocational training; (2) vocational rehabilitation training for veterans with service-connected disabilities; (3) guaranteed and direct loan assistance for (a) the purchase of homes, including homes on farms, and (b) farmlands, livestock, and machinery that are used in farming operations conducted by the veteran. Mr. Chairman, I strongly urge the adoption of the legislation now before this committee. The legislation is justified because it provides fair treatment for all; it is justified because our young men serve under a forced draft and therefore their lost time in civilian life should result in some advantages to make it up. They should be assisted to readjust to civilian life with a minimum of personal problems. But, more than anything else we must weigh the provisions of this Veterans' Readjustment Assistance Act from the standpoint of its effect on the national welfare. From the standpoint of Government cost, it amounts to only a temporary expenditure. I am confident that this act, along with its predecessors, will pay for itself. The Veterans' Administration has said that veterans trained under the GI bill of rights have raised their income level to a point where they are paying $1 billion a year more in taxes than they would have paid had they not received education and training. This bill will have an impact on our national economy by virtue of increasing the earning power of the individuals who receive training which in turn increases their ability to contribute to the productive forces of our economy. It will have an impact on our national defense by increasing the knowledge and skills of our people. Men drafted today who serve on active duty for 2 years must then serve an additional 3 years in the Reserve. The value of the man who serves 2 years active duty, and who has a college or vocational education, is much greater than the man who serves only 2 years. And then, Mr. Chairman, I think we must remember the fact that our present draft law does not compel national service from all young men. In actual operation, the draft exacts from one man considerable sacrifices in time and loss of earning power, and this same law makes it possible for the young man, who because of more fortunate circumstances, does not have to fulfill any military obligation. If a young man has the financial resources that enable him to enroll in college, then he can be exempted from military service. As it stands this places an undue burden on the young man who does not have comparable resources. It seems inconsistent to me that we would exempt one young man because he has the money to go to college, and then at the same time deny these educational benefits to the young man who does go into military service and does complete his 2-year obligation. Finally, Mr. Chairman, I believe that the more education we can provide for America's young men and women the stronger America will be. As H. G. Wells wrote, "Human history becomes more and more a race between education and catastrophe." |