of Governor Herbert R. O'Conor 567

Then, we must adjust ourselves mentally to defense. Long past is the time
when we can feel that we. are doing our part by donating some of our spare
time. On the contary we must not only be ready to give every assistance
demanded of us, but we must, by intensive training, learn how to give exactly
that type of emergency help for which we are best suited.

We must accept the fact, we must cherish it as a patriotic duty, that such
work will absorb our time, consume our energy, deprive us of sleep. If we are
not ready to help on this all-out basis, we are not worthy successors of patriotic
Americans of past generations.

Under plane that have been developed during the past 16 months by the
Maryland Council of Defense, there is a place for everyone in Civilian Defense.
Fortunate we are that there has been this time to develop, intelligently and
completely, the groundwork for Civilian protection. Now is the time when all
these plans come to fruition. But they can be completely fulfilled! only if you
and I, and every qualified citizen of our State, are willing to give the all-out
devotion to the cause that our responsibility as American citizens entails.

During the past six days thousands of Marylanders have gotten their first
taste of war conditions, through the "blackouts" that have been staged in more
than half of our counties. Tens of thousands of our citizens have participated
in this defense preparation. The experience gained from these maneuvers has
been extremely valuable. More, they have proven conclusively that our people
are conditioned for any shock that war may bring.

It is most gratifying to receive the assurance, given during these "black-
outs, " of the readiness of our people to cooperate completely with the authori-
ties in steps undertaken for their protection. I sincerely hope that all the
people may have an opporutnity to gain a like experience in advance of any
actual "blackouts" that may ensue. No more necessary form of preventive
measures suggests itself at this moment.

The times are fraught with danger for our people, old and young, children
and grownups. The military and naval defense on their behalf will be conducted
by our Federal forces of which the well-qualified Army Commander in this
area will address you shortly. In the matter of the home protection of our
population, however, we must arrange ourselves directly. We dare not post-
pone or wait.

In this war to turn back invasion, we at home shall be facing the invader,
be hearing the thunder of his bombing, be receiving his fiercest blows.

Of all the targets selected for attack by the Axis hordes, there is none that
will receive more attention than the American Flag, a flag that has been raised
against international gangsterism. Wherever that flag flies, the Axis will
shoot, and shoot to kill. So be it. We have dared to incur the Dictator's ire,
because there was no possibility in American idealism of accepting totaliarian
principles. As Americans, we may well be proud to have cultivated the hatred
of murderers and marauders. We are distinguished as a nation by the type
of enmities we have.