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442 State Papers and Addresses

with the legitimate activities of organized labor, and some of them contending
that the Act was designed for that purpose.

The draft of the Act proposed by the Federal-State Conference was
largely the work of Professor Sam Bass Warner of Harvard University, and
in an article which appears in the Harvard Law Review of February, 1941,
Professor Warner analysed the Act and fully explained the purposes to be
accomplished by it. In drafting the original Act, Professor Warner included,
and the Federal-State Conference approved, Section 11, which was designed to
protect the rights of labor. While the Act was being drafted, every effort was
made by representatives of the Federal-State Conference to satisfy labor's
views.

Unfortunately, these efforts were not successful, many labor organizations
taking the position that the Act could be used to interfere with legitimate
labor activities, despite Section 11 which provided that nothing in the Act
should be construed to deprive labor of its just rights. Later on, while the
Act was pending before the Maine Legislature, Professor Warner, himself,
suggested, that the words "to strike, to picket" be inserted in Section 11, labor
having contended that these rights were not sufficiently protected by the Act.
The Maryland Legislature adopted this proposed amendment as a further
evidence of its desire not to control or interfere with the legitimate rights
of labor.

The purpose of the entire Act is to prevent sabotage. It was designed
solely for this purpose, and the provisions of the Act were adopted after the
most careful study and consideration. In order to draw an effective Act pre-
venting sabotage, it was necessary to provide safeguards against damaging
tools and machinery in industrial plants, and to safeguard the plants them-
selves for their products.

In addition to the four model Acts, the Legislature also passed an Act
liberalizing the provisions of our Election Laws, under which those in the
military service are permitted to vote by mail; passed an Act establishing
the Maryland Council of Defense, and an Act, known as the "Soldiers and
Sailors Civil Relief Act, " which follows closely the provisions of the Federal
Act on the same subject.

It all adds up to one important consideration. Our Country is engaged
in preparing to defend itself against the greatest military force the world has
ever seen. That defense is necessary because this military force is seeking
to impose on the world a philosophy of government and a way of life which
are at total variance with our system of Government and with our way of life.
No one knows what the future holds, and all of us fervently hope that we will
not actually become engaged in armed conflict. However, the President of
the United States has told us that we are in danger, and that it is necessary
for us to prepare for any eventuality.

With this in mind, the Government of the State of Maryland is cooperating
to the fullest extent with the National Government, and with our sister States
in furthering and strengthening the National Defense Program, and in this
effort we ask the support of every citizen of Maryland.