378 State Papers and Addresses

to assist in some other capacity here at home in a "secondary line of defense. "
We must prepare ourselves for the realization that preparedness today is a
tremendously costly thing, and that we must willingly bear our share of the
extra tax burden it imposes.

Tonight, as we leave here from this inspiring gathering, we can thank the
Almighty that He has given us the privilege of living in a land where a citizen
can truly be free in mind, in spirit and in action. More important, perhaps, we
can be thankful too, that in this great hour of emergency, time was 'given us
in which to prepare, so that we, too, might not fall victims of the cruel on-
slaughts that have crushed first one free people, and then another.

Let us be thankful for all this, and further, let us resolve tonight again
that whatever comes, whatever threatens, we will join wholeheartedly with the
millions of other Americans throughout this glorious land in the defense of
principles that are worthy of any sacrifice that may be necessary to defend
them, whatever that sacrifice may be.

Let us resolve that the heritage of freedom and individual privilege handed
down to us by our heroic forefathers, will be kept as a sacred trust for trans-
mission to the millions who will come after us.

America will not fail in this hour of emergency because Americans, above
all the other peoples of the world, know what true freedom means, and how
tragic would be its loss. But the crisis at hand is a tremendously serious one,
and only the concerted patriotic efforts of every one of us can bring our defense
activities to a successful conclusion.