The War Is Over

Reverend Jesse Halsey | c1945 | Chicago

The war is over—and the half million soldiers who are back from service in camp or overseas, a half million since Pearl Harbor.

For them the war is over—if we do our part.

But the war is not over for us, not for many months. Let the expert say how long, but with unabated energy we and all our people must prosecute the war to a victorious conclusion, in order to make possible the peace and security of the four freedoms and much else for which our men have fought. It is not too soon to make plans for those already back and the great multitude who will follow before and after the peace. Rehabilitation will be a tremendous task, the government is already vaguely aware of this. Congress has already appropriated $100 to the man who is honorably mustered out who has been in an American camp—this is $300 if he has been overseas.

As long as any man is honorably discharged, he has at his disposal the services of the Veteran’s Bureau, immediately or at any future time that he may need. The best intelligence of the Welfare organizations will undoubtedly be oriented in this direction. Our concern here is with “What is the church doing for Johnny when he comes marching home?”