256 State Papers and Addresses

and that will insure for us a system of national defense with which no nation
or combination of nations could hope to cope.

Truly, I say, on this Navy Day of 1940, in this troubled and threatening
world of ours, we have cause to rejoice that at last we have found ourselves
nationally. For you know and I know, that nothing can happen to America,
when it is alert and on an adequate defense basis.

THE ROTARY CLUB OF BALTIMORE

Lord Baltimore Hotel, October 29, 1940
Baltimore

DRAWN as the Rotary Club is from the best of the substantial citizenry of
Baltimore, it is meet and proper that your organization should counsel with
public officials as to matters of general concern and far-reaching importance.
In that way, your public officials would be benefited by receiving recommenda-
tions based upon sound judgment and business experience. In addition, the
public would be kept informed of developments of which they have a right to
know, as result of which the citizens would be the more inclined to approve
the actions of their official representatives.

Among the problems pressing for attention at this time, none compares
in importance with that concerning National and State defense. While domestic
issues and related questions may seem to us as of major importance, you will
agree that in a war-torn world the controlling consideration in our Country-
is as to how we can preserve the integrity of our Nation and to withstand any
assault upon the security of our Country, including the protection which must
be exercised in relation to other parts of the Western hemisphere.

As an indication of the results of present world conditions, it is only
necessary to refer to an item in the November issue of "The Rotarian. " It
is a radiogram from Tokyo and the few words embraced in the message speak
volumes by way of alarm and notice to civilized • groups such as yours. The
message is as follows: "Regret exceedingly to make formal announcement of
disbandment of entire Rotary Clubs in Japan and Manchoukuo. " The fact
that Rotary, which had been established in Japan for twenty years and had
multiplied through forty-seven clubs, has now been virtually extinguished in-
dicates the disastrous effect of such upheavals as that suffered elsewhere in
the world during recent months.

A brief recital of the kaleidoscopic changes in the recent past brings
practical, minds to the realization that it is high time we give attention to
the first law of nature—which is self-preservation. We need not be alarmists
but we can be realists.

During the past ten years—and particularly the past three years—there
has come about a shocking and dangerous change in world affairs. That
change goes to the very root of the ways of economic intercourse, individual
living and governmental form. Throughout the major part of the European
continent, methods of financial and commercial dealing, followed for hundreds
of years, have been abandoned; the rights and privileges secured for the
protection of the individual man and woman after centuries of struggle, have