To constantly improve our state of readiness, we have investigated
the emergency communication capability of civil defense. Although
we have always been proud of our facilities in this field, we in State
government felt that a further expansion was needed. It was with
this in mind that some time ago approval was granted for a statewide
radio teletype network. Many of you already have these facilities in
operation in your counties, and as I understand, more installations
are planned. The State headquarters facilities are already operable.
This new network will serve the State well in any natural or wartime
disaster that might occur.

One last word of review. As I am sure you already know, several
additional persons have been added to the State staff. These are
thoroughly competent individuals screened by merit system procedures
and then appointed by General Van Brunt. I am certain that with
these new people valuable additional assistance is being made avail-
able to you who operate on the local level. These new staff members
have been added specifically to render such assistance to you. Make
use of their service.

In spite of the progress made, a disturbing note has crept into the
picture. At various places throughout our country, attacks have been
made upon the civil defense program. Their reasons seem varied.
We must be alert to these attacks. We must offer prompt and able
replies to those who criticize this program and in so doing adversely
affect our national defense structure. Although the critics of civil
defense are most articulate, in my opinion, they represent only a small
segment of our citizenry. I feel that the bulk of our people are strongly
in favor of an effective Civil Defense program. In the days that
followed the onset of the Cuban crisis, thousands of people phoned
and crowded into our civil defense offices. If they had not been con-
vinced that the program offered protection to them and their families,
they would not have taken such action. We know now that this
emergency has passed and interest has waned. Nonetheless, our re-
sponsibility as leaders still exists, and we must continue our prepared-
ness measures. In these days of the cold war, we can never know
when the next crisis will occur.

We must reach into civil organizations, parent-teacher organiza-
tions, church groups, and yes, anywhere that people gather and meet.
We must tell them the story of civil defense — tell it in simple lay-
man's language so that they can grasp the real significance of our
work. Ignorance of the civil defense program breeds misinformation
and misconceptions which ultimately lead either to attacks on the

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