of Governor Herbert R. O'Conor 33

fair-minded citizens of their Party throughout Maryland, I should be guided by
what is for the public good rather than by party considerations.

While I undertook in my inaugural speech to make abundantly clear that
I will always respect the prerogatives of the General Assembly and that I will
never undertake to infringe upon its rights, I wish again to reiterate that
assertion. I desire to state that in every proposal which I make to the Legis-
lature, I welcome the most thorough and analytical discussion and consideration
by your members of the issues in question. This I do because I am absolutely
convinced of your sincerity and public-spiritedness and because I seek always
to have the benefit of your counsel and judgment upon the important matters
which confront our State.

NATIONAL DEFENSE WEEK

Radio Station WFBR, February 18, 1939
Baltimore

IT is my privilege to be on the air lanes this evening as the guest of the
Reserve Officers' Association of the United States, which is sponsoring the
observance of National Defense Week, February 12 to February 22, 1939.

For several years past, unrest and rumors of war have been the rule
rather than the exception, and not within the memory of any living person
has the world been in such a state of nervous tension, as has been our un-
happy lot during the past four or five years. Some countries have ingeniously
contrived to become involved in undeclared war to which they refer as "inci-
dents, " causing loss of life and destruction of property that has been appalling.
In some instances, stronger nations have occupied and annexed the territory
of weaker ones, appropriated to their own use the territory so occupied, the
population and all tangible and intangible property, reducing the weaker
nation to a mere state of vassalage.

From some quarters it is contended that our geographic position guar-
antees safety to us from foreign attack or invasion or from political involve-
ment. But this is not quite correct. Isolation might have given us such
protection before the advent of modern communication had reached its present
state of development and perfection, but not in this day and age when com-
munication, especially air transportation, is being constantly improved and
perfected, and the flying radius of aeroplanes much increased and their speed
accelerated.

Influences repugnant to democracy and liberty are spreading over the
face of the earth like a contagious disease, and the contagion is likely to involve
us if we do not build up a resistance against it, for it is quite certain that
every country in the world, including our own, is exposed to the danger of
infection from it. Our Country plays such an important part in world affairs
that we cannot sit supinely by and permit the forces of evil, injustice and in-
equality to infect all nations of the world until, too late, the insidious infection
shall be placed upon our own door step like a foundling child, which we shall
be forced bo accept.