of Governor Herbert R. O'Conor 593

States. Now, however, that she has chosen to gamble everything in an effort
to achieve her goal of supremacy in Asia, all question of doubt or indecision has
been wiped from our minds. We have set our shoulders to the grim task of
carrying on Avar that none of us wanted, and we have resolved in character-
istic American fashion that, as long as this thing has to be done, we would do
it in a way that will leave no question as to the outcome, no uncertainties for
the years ahead.

Inspiring as this may be, however, don't let us forget its implications.
Already we have been given a taste of the dislocation that must ensue in the
economic structure of our Country. Already thousands of our tire and auto-
mobile workers and salesmen have been thrown out of employment. More,
we know that many hundreds of thousands of workers throughout the Country
are facing a similar re-adjustment, with certainty of at least temporary un-
employment. We can be sure, too, that lower living standards will result, de-
spite the rise in incomes throughout our Country. It is apparent that we. as
a people, will be brought closer, far closer, to the regimentation long imposed
on the peoples of Europe than we ever thought possible.

All this is part of the cost of carrying on war today. It is appalling, be-
yond doubt; but there can be no question in any sane person's mind as to the
necessity for waging this war to the bitter end, no matter what may be the
ultimate cost. The people of America, who have known the right to live in
freedom and in equality, who have enjoyed the highest standard of living ever
known to any people, have had plentiful occasion to observe what happens to
peoples who are unfortunate enough to fall under the influence of totalitarian-
ism. The contrast is so sharp, the difference between life under the dictators
and life under a free Democacy is so vast, that every reasoning person must
agree that it is infinitely better to pay a great cost now than to lose all we
have at some future date.

Merely to look at stricken France, which has lost not only its material pos-
sessions, but its national soul as well, is to get an idea of what it would be like
in America to suffer a similar fate. No. Cost what it will, occasion what it
may in sacrifice and toil and struggle, there can never be any compromise in
American minds. We are committed to an all-out war to save Democracy.
We are waging a campaign for the rights of hundreds of millions of individuals
the world over. We are out to crush depotism, and we will not stop short of
that.

We have been gifted with the genius of our great men—our statesmen; our
generals of past wars, in which we have known defeat; our inventors, who
have given us the tools to build for comfort, for advancement, for industrial
achievement; our skilled workers, who have created the realities of fast trans-
portation, of instantaneous communication, of warm homes and rich harvests
and all that goes with our standard of living the highest of any nation on earth.

Above all, we have had, by the grace of Heaven, our Freedom. No foreign
tyrant has ever yoked us to his chariot wheels. No national dictator has ever
betrayed us into political bondage. Rights and privileges that other countries