of Governor Herbert R. O'Conor 495

In this land of liberty, the preservation of our liberty is the chief problem
which confronts us today. Few will deny, I think, that now there is a distinct
threat to our National and individual liberties from outside—from those forces
of totalitarianism which have continually expanded their military ambitions
once they had even partially digested the results of their previous conquests.

Because that is the more apparent threat, it is the only one that many
people recognize. Liberty, however, faces other dangers from within, and not
the least of these is license. Reasoning men can draw a clear line of distinction
between liberty and license, but the self-seeking groups intentionally or other-
wise demand license while prating patriotically of liberty.

When a nation faces, however, a savage assault by a mighty military ma-
chine; perfectly organized, and mechanized as no army ever before has been
equipped; if that nation so endangered wants to survive, it must surpass, or as
nearly as possible approximate, the military and mechanized strength of the
opposing force.

There is no time, no place for endless discussion in such a circumstance, as
France knows today to its sorrow. Democracy as we know it here in America
is the most wonderful system of government ever devised, but like all other
human achievements it has its admitted defects. Possibly the greatest defect
of democracy in times of great emergency, when decisions must be. made in-
stantly, and when national activities must be coordinated quickly, is that it
doesn't function as effectively as in peace time.

Only the fact that other nations have engaged the attention of the dictators
of Europe, only that fact may have saved us from even a more direct threat
to our national security than we now face. If Hitler and his mighty military
machine had elected to attack the United States of America instead of march-
ing into Austria and Czechoslovakia, and if his destructive military and air
forces had been directed at our Country, with all the savage cunning evidenced
in their various conquests to date, we can doubt very much whether even the
most rabid protagonist of American courage and resourcefulness would deny
that this Country would have had a very difficult time of it.

We weren't prepared then and, such are the deficiencies of democracy, we
are not nearly as well prepared now as we should be, as we had hoped to be,
as everyone proclaimed we would be at this stage of our defense program. We
are, however, fortunately whipping our defense industry into shape at an ex-
hilarated gait. With the recognition by everyone that we are as a Nation in
danger, and with the determination on the part of every American citizen that
this threat to our national future will be met, with each succeeding day and
month we shall be better equipped to do what we possibly couldn't have done
two years ago. This is, to defend this land and those freedoms which our
courageous forefathers entrusted to our care.

This is a mighty Country, and Americans are a valiant and resourceful
people. As long as we keep in proper perspective the priceless privileges which
we almost alone in the world today enjoy; and just as long as we are alert to
defend those privileges, America and democracy will survive, and the dignity
of man as an individual will be preserved upon the face of the earth.