GOVERNOR'S MESSAGE TO AMERICAN
LEGION CONVENTION AT SEWARD
of Americana who have had experience
in war and in the problems of post-"
war and are by that experience qual
ified to speak, to act and to lead.
If in consequence we have any wis
dom to impart and counsel to give,
the tine to give it is now. Our
duty to give it is clear. Apart
from the desire that as Legionnaires
we all have to be constructively
helpful in the situation which lies
ahead, we are naturally keenly in
terested in knowing whether the
young men of this war, the G.I.'s
of 1940 to 1945 will follow the
example of their fathers, the
Doughboys of the 1917-1918, and joir.
the American Legion. Whether they dc
depends largely upon whether the
American Legion appeals to the re
turning veterans of this generation
as the organization which can best
preserve and protect their Interest
and the interests of their genera
tion. If they feel that way,' they
will ,ioin the Legion. If they do
not,they will probably join some
other existing service organization,
of found one' of their own.
Our one all-inclusive problem,
although it has many facets, is-the
reincorporation into civilian life
of the returning soldiers, sailors,
marines, '.VACS,WAVES, and SPARS.
I have no hesttancy In repeating,
what I have publicly stated before,
--namely, my own view that the
ore sunt G.I. legislation is inade
quate to take core of. tho needs of
these returning servicemen and women.
I consider it inadequate legisla
tively. I consider it inadequate
administratively. And, I cannot help
aut feel and.do feel,, and have so
declared in the past, that each
community has a responsibility to
wards its servicemen which it can
at»t and should not attempt to waive
or evade by considering that the
care.of the returning veterans is
wholly a Federal problem.
For nearly a year and a half we have
all been trying, and when I say "v/e*1
I mean,.the American Legion, Dele •
^ate'Bob Bartlett, and our good
friend and comrade, that excellent
and well qualified veteran of both
^o.rld Wars, I'ony Karnes, who is the
veterans Administration representa
tive for Xilaska, and finally myself,
to secure the establishment of a
Regional Office for tho Veterans
Administration in Alaska. I person
ally have' repeatedly written and
wired, first to General Hines and
when General Hines was relieved, to
lis successor,' General Bradley,
urging this step as indispensable.—
'Jr in Alaska have learned through
long and sometimes bitter experience
that bur affairs cr.nnot be handled,
efficiently from Seattle, a point
700 miles from our sothermost bound
ary.
Cont. on pp. 13
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