Remarks to the Fall Meeting of the President's Committee on Employment of the Physically Handicapped.

Admiral McIntire, and ladies and gentlemen:

There are many commissions and committees that carry with them the title of President's committee or commission. There is none that engages the interests of my heart, or of which I am prouder, than this one.

I should like to explain a little bit of the very intimate interest I have in your work. I was one of those individuals that was designated in World War II to bear heavy field responsibility for the execution of America's purposes abroad, and that inevitably resulted in sorrow, in disaster, coming to many American homes.

Every man who had to bear such responsibilities, whether he were a corporal or a five-star general, if he were concerned at all with America as such and with the people he led, could not escape the prayerful hope, almost the fear, concerning the possibility that he might cause one unnecessary death, or one unnecessary disablement of an individual. He lived with it all the time--how to attain these purposes with the least distress to America's citizenry, and to the allied citizenry.

So, out of that grew the hope that those people could do something to help alleviate the results of that kind of action. I see General Eaker here this morning, my old comrade-in-arms, who went with me throughout the entire war. I have no doubt that the feelings I am so haltingly trying to express are shared fully by him--whatever he could do by way of interest, in the way of helpfulness, to let people know who had to suffer, who had to pay part of America's cost for achieving its purposes, are not irrevocably condemned to a life of inactivity or uselessness.

So this Committee, in doing the work that you are doing for the gainful, profitable employment of people who otherwise might be considered completely unfit--I must assure you, that you have the heartfelt support of every man who has had to bear the kind of responsibility that I have referred to.

I will tell you a little story. In about the early part of 1944, I had a corps that was not performing quite in the way I thought it should, and of course the trouble was the commander. I sent to Washington and gave them the name of the man I wanted. I got a telegram back from General Marshall, which said: "I agree with you, he is a very fine leader, but he is in the hospital; he has arthritis in the knees and the doctors won't give him a clear bill of health. I am afraid we can't send him."

And I sent back a message which said: "Please send this man right away quickly. It's his head and his heart I want. I will carry him to battle on a litter, for a man simply because he has arthritis in the knees is still fitted to do the job I want."

I am trying to show you that we can, after all, even in war, over-emphasize this question of complete physical normalcy.

Incidentally, you will be glad to know the sequel was that that man led his corps brilliantly throughout the rest of the war, and fully met every expectation I had of him.

Now, in the work you do, if there comes a time when you think a word of mine, an act of mine, can help along in this grand thing your are doing, you have only to command me. Certainly, in that respect, I am your servant. I am forever obligated to you for what you are doing.

Thank you very much.