The care which this country has lavished on its veterans is known of all
men. The yearly outlay for this purpose is about $750,000,000, or about the
cost of running the Federal Government, outside of the Post Office
Department, before the World War. The Congress will have before it
recommendations of the American Legion, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, and
other like organizations, which should receive candid consideration. We
should continue to foster our system of compensation and rehabilitation,
and provide hospitals and insurance. The magnitude of the undertaking is
already so large that all requests calling for further expenditure should
have the most searching scrutiny. Our present system of pensions is already
sufficiently liberal. It was increased by the last Congress for Civil and
Spanish War veterans and widows and for some dependents.
It has been suggested that the various governmental agencies now dealing
with veterans' relief be consolidated. This would bring many advantages. It
is recommended that the proper committees of the Congress make a thorough
survey of this subject, in order to determine if legislation to secure such
consolidation is desirable.