The figures are about the same, but they create a diverse contrast. One is highly positive, the other negative and potentially quite damaging to the nation.

Current thinking in Washington, we are told, is that there will be at least a $14.6 billion cut in armed forces veterans’ benefits over the next 10 years. That’s the negative number.

On the other side of the ledger is that the World War II GI Bill of Rights, implemented in 1944 with great thrust from Kansan Harry Colmery, originally cost about $14.5 billion.

Granted, there alsois a giant gap between the worth of $14.5 billion in the late 1940s and $14.6 billion over a modern 10-year period. But with so many World War II veterans due in Lawrence next weekend for the Dole Institute of Politics events, it’s well worth considering the impact of the two figures.

If there isn’t concern among these former servicemen about the benefits those who followed them need and deserve, there should be. Most of these attendees probably were aided in one way another by the U.S. Servicemen’s Readjustment Act, which many still consider the finest all-around piece of legislation ever approved by Congress.

For those returning to civilian life after World War II ended in August of 1945, there was much to be grateful for due to the GI Bill. It provided six key benefits:

• Education and training, from the college level down through the vocational trades, with the government covering most of the costs. Consider how colleges and universities were and continue to be blessed by this development.
• Loan guarantees for homes, farms and businesses at rates as low as 4.5 percent. It would be difficult to find any veteran at the Dole festivities who was not touched in a positive way by this aspect of the “bill.”
• Unemployment pay of $20 a week for up to 52 weeks — the 52-20 Club they called it — while readjustment to civilian life occurred and jobs were sought. And many badly needed such respite, though it was not as publicized then as it is nowadays.
• Job-location assistance.
• Top priority for building materials to provide needed Veterans Administration hospitals and medical care sites.
• Where necessary, extensive military reviews of dishonorable discharges since a requirement of participation in the GI Bill program demanded a proper discharge.

It is estimated the $14.5 billion cost of the GI bill had at least a 20-1 return for the U.S. economy in 10 years and that it eventually produced more than $250 billion in gains for the nation and its people.

Without the GI Bill, millions of returnees could have flooded the market instead of opting for education, vocational training and funding for private ventures such as home-building. The economy could have been devastated. The vocational training aspect provided many key laborers for business and industry trying to operate effectively after a wartime climate.

It didn’t end there. The bill carried over to the Korean War at a cost of $4.5 billion and produced more outstanding results. Then came the post-Korean GI bill and still more adaptations .

Statisticians say that along with the 7.8 million World War II veterans who got education and training, the GI Bill also aided 2.4 million Korean War veterans and 8.2 million Vietnam Era veterans and active duty personnel.

Consider these staggering statistics and what sensible treatment and aid for veterans can create. From 1944 when Colmery engineered the legislation and pushing into the new century, some 16.5 million Veterans Administration home loan guarantees were issued with a total value of about $670 billion. That has increased since.

The many World War II veterans who are here for the Dole Institute functions honoring them are advised to try to assure that those who now serve in the armed forces are not shortchanged or denied the kinds of help they got when it was so vital. Many would not be here but for such aid.

The indication that veterans benefits will be cut at least $14.6 billion over the next decade is not flattering to our leaders. They need to check the history books and financial charts to note what $14.5 billion helped produce in the late 1940s.