Show Its It's Not State St te s o a Responsibility A number bills designed deigned to provide vario various s state benefits benefits' to veterans are before the current legislative session Among them i is a a. a- a proposal to create a special state department of veterans veterans vet vet- erans affairs to aid and advise service ex-service men and women Veterans of course are entitled to every consideration and assistance from their country in reestablishing themselves in civilian civilian life Ufe and making up for the time they lost in their countr s. s service But there is reas reason n to question whether this is a state responsibility It is the federal government not I the states which is charged under the law Jaw with national defense I It is the tile federal government which maintains armies and navies cons conscripts 1 men and arid figh fights wars It is the federal government which logically should have the responsibility of cawing caring for wounded or disabled m men n and aiding veterans following their discharge The f federal government has accepted this responsibility It provides pensions and various other benefits It maintains a Veterans' Veterans administration to carry carry carryon on many services for veterans On th the whole the federal government seems to be doing a a. pre pretty ty good job of it and it-and and if it isn't the place to correct any mistakes or failures is In the l halls alIs of the federal government at Washington Washington Washington Wash Wash- ington not at the various state capitols capi By setting up a special state department of v veterans affairs In Utah we would be simply duplicating the job already being done don by the federal government It would be a n needless edless duplication duplication duplication cation and anda a need needless ess duplication of expenditure This isn't a K matter of siding against the veterans Its It's a matter of common sense Utah wouldn't wouldn t think of establishing its own army or navy or air forge fore Why should it consider establishing its own veterans program which is no more a matter in the province of the states tates than is the creation and maintenance e of the military esta establishment which produces the he veterans |