612 State Papers and Addresses

assuredly will thanspire if America fails to win this war, that it is inconceivable
haw anyone can go calmly on his way, ignoring the responsibilities that such
a crisis places upon him.

Individual business is important, of course, but so were the businesses of
thousands of patriotic men now enrolled in the defense of our Nation, and of its
people. Individual businesses won't be important, though, I can promise you,
if Hitler ever takes America, and his Gestapo and the German or Japanese
colonizing forces take over. You may say that there is no danger of this, but
you'll find it a difficult matter to persuade American residents in our Pacific
Islands to this effect. And though you may be the most persuasive talker in
the world, you will never be able to convince cur citizens in Hawaii, where 37
percent of the population are Japanese Nationals. It is no time to be com-
placent, I can assure you. For the threat we now face is a fork of many
prongs, one of which might well be directed straight at Maryland tomorrow
or on some more distant day.

No one will deny that the outcome of this war will hinge to great extent,
if not finally, upon the air strength of the opposing forces Maryland-made
planes are giving a splendid account of themselves today on practically every
front. It is certainly safe to assume that Hitler would gladly, if he could,
cripple or seriously embarrass the production of the great Maryland plant at
Middle River. Likewise, steel and ships are vital and, in sufficient quanities,
will certainly seal the doom of the Axis nations. Again, we may be sure,
that sometime or other, our enemies will make an attempt here or elsewhere,
or may-be at many places, to stop or cut down the production of these essential
commodities.

While we are devoting every enegy, therefore, to developing the most
overwhelming offensive strength ever dreamed of in the world's history, we
must be strickly on our guard against that spirit of satisfaction that in the final
analysis could cause our industrial effort to bog down completely. We can't
let this happen, because war today has ceased to be merely a matter of fighting
men and ships. Rather, it is a war of machines. From the old pattern of
army against army, war today has brought factory against factory and farm
against farm. Indeed, the final outcome of this war, as everyone knows, will
come only, and surely, when the might of America's productive capacity is
brought into full play against Hitler and his allies.

While no one can anticipate if or where attempts of hostile attack may be
made, it must be a source of consolation to the people of this area, and of the
whole Eastern Seaboard section, to know that a unified control has been set
up among our Army, Navy, and Air Forces to insure a vagilant and never-
ceasing system of protection. Twenty-four hours a day and seven days a week
this unified control is operating, headed by top-ranking officers of the three
forces, who communicate regularly to check upon its functioning. So mobile
is this joint set-up that within a matter of seconds after the patrol planes
report the approach, of enemy forces, the complete system of defense would
swing into action.