of Governor Herbert R. O'Conor 553

There is another problem, which may seem to relate primarily to domestic
questions but which has a vital bearing on the success of pur preparedness
plans. I refer to the labor situation and stoppages of work in defense indust-
ries.

There is no fair-minded American citizen of intelligence, I believe, who
does not want to see American labor receive everything to which it is en-
titled. But it must be remembered that the security of our Counrty is at
stake. No group must be allowed to imperil our national security by un-
necessary demands that can better be decided in normal times rather than at a
critical period in our history.

It must be realized that our President has proclaimed this a period of un-
limited emergency. Prolonged strikes, which may be called without exhausting
efforts toward conciliation and mediation, can thwart the progress of our Na-
tion in other directions. No one group can be more powerful than the Govern-
ment itself.

At a time when every public activity is subordinated to defense efforts
mediation and conciliation and "cooling periods" should take precedence over
strikes and work stoppages and novel demands. A final authority has to be
recognized and that final authority should be the Commander-in-chief of our
Army and Navy who is the duly elected Chief Executive of the Nation. Upon
any failure of the carefully planned machinery to settle labor disputes, the
President should be possessed of sufficient authority to determine what is re-
quired for the Country's interest. Certainly if the emergency gives the Presi-
dent the right to take young men from their homes and schools and place then
in the Army and Navy, then it is not going too far to give him similar authority
over other elements of the citizenry whose actions might jeopardize the lives
and safety of our service men.

As someone has so ably said, the right to strike is an American right that
must be retained. But if we are to safeguard this right for the future, it might
well be necessary temporarily to regulate it so we can swiftly prepare to save
our democratic way of life. For let us remember, the right to organize, to
bargain collectively, to strike as a last resort, are rights not permitted today
in many countries, and that would not be permitted in this Country unless we
are able to be strong enough to safeguard our present system of government.

Big as our Country is, rich as it is beyond the telling in natural wealth,
the fact already has been borne home to us that sacrifices, possibly deep
sacrifices, will be necessary before we can be satisfied that the end of adequate
defense preparedness has been achieved.

Formal notice to this effect was served several months ago by the Federal
Government in the imposition of new and higher taxes on many articles and
services. That further imposts, entailing deeper sacrifices on the part of every-
one will be neccessary, and that these new taxes will be imposed before many
months have passed, is a foregone conclusion.

Anticipating this state of affairs, it is very gratifying to say that your own
State of Maryland has been able to put its financial house in order so that at
a time when taxes in Washington and in many States of the Union are beginning