470 State Papers and Addresses

If the people of France had done just that, instead of permitting shallow-
thinking and self-seeking politicians to confuse them, we wouldn't have the sad
spectacle of a once-proud free nation being led around by the nose by goose-
stepping militarists, while innocent French women and children face a future
of starvation and virtual slavery.

Unity must be the watchword of the hour, or even we, strong and confident
as we are, may wake some day in the near future to find that dissensions have
so divided us, subversive elements have so undermined us, that we no longer
are able to match the armed might of the dictators.

And when that day comes, if it ever does, the hungry hordes of the Axis
nations will descend upon us like locusts and strip us of everything we now
prize.

For more than 20 years the American Legion has preserved the wholesome
doctrines of patriotism and preparedness. Now, in this critical hour, the
Legion along with the other veterans organizations, offers to the Nation an
example of unified purpose that is valuable beyond computing. This is the
hour of need for which the Legion has been girding its loins for these 20 years
or more. This is the zero hour when every ounce of effort must be put forth
to win our Country and its millions to unity, to solid backing of the. defense
efforts that, even at this late hour are lagging and being threatened with dis-
ruption and strikes and dissension.

Those who say that "This is not our fight" will some day, if they have any
gratitude in their makeup, pay deepest homage and thanks to the Legion and
to the millions of loyal Americans who were not afraid to accept the implica-
tions that this picture held for us.

We do not have to be war-mongers to be realists. We can see the hand-
writing on the walls that spells disaster unless we continue to pursue and to
intensify the activities that will lead us to self-sufficiency in defense. The old
Biblical story about the strong man keeping his court never had truer applica-
tion than today. And we must see to it that a stronger force does not over-
come us.

Whatever be the circumstances, the trials, the provocations; we as citizens
of the greatest Democracy on the face of the earth, are lifted and inspired, like
generations before us, by the noblest principles of human rights, as lettered in
the most complete alphabet of Government—the Declaration of Independence
and the American Constitution.

At this moment in a free and open gathering, we stand united under a flag
that knows no partisanship, and where every man, in spite of race, color or
creed, may walk the earth his own master, the equal of every other man, to go
his own way, work out his own will weave into the warp and woof of the magic
days the dreams that inspire and urge him on to accomplishment.

Let us never forget today that, in these United States, every man, rich or
poor, high or low, can rise to any heights that his own capacities, virtues and
energies allow him.

Moreover, we have the greatest intellectual and religious freedom known
to man which is coveted by myriad millions throughout the world. All these