636 State Papers and Addresses

Fortunately there is opportunity in this many sided war for every one of
us to do our part to the very limit. There is service in the military forces;
there is equally vital service in the industrial plants; there is a place for
everyone in Civilian Defense and in the new Maryland Minute Men.

Further, there is not only the opportunity, but the inescapable duty laid
upon everyone, to contribute generously to finance our Country's war burden,
directly in the ratio of our ability. Unless our citizens rally as generously in
the matter of buying Defense bonds and stamps as their sons and brothers
are rallying to the military forces, they can certainly never be satisfied that
they are doing their part to uphold the obligations) of American citizenship.

We are in this war, gentlemen, to the point where we cannot afford to over-
look even one effort that might advance our cause. We are at a tremendous
disadvantage also. The Japanese have at their very front door, so to speak,
possibly the richest empire in the world and they have been alert to their op-
portunities. They are seizing not only our American possessions, but posses-
sions of our Allies, the products of which are absolutely necessary to our eco-
nomic existence. We must not only defend the few possessions still remaining
to us, but we must tackle the tremendous task of recovering what has been
lost not only by us, but by the valiant Dutch and by our English and Australian
Allies.

Every effort we make in this Far Eastern field entails the transportation of
men, of tanks, 1, of fighting planes, and munitions, and supplies of every type over
a distance of 5, 000 to 8, 000 miles, through oceans where enemy submarines and
battle units provide a constant threat. It seems to irk a good many of our
people that Japan is able to transport men and fighting material thousands of
miles in either direction as they have done. However, they have countless
island outposts, while we have practically none outside of Hawaii and the
Australian area.

We started late to think about these things, and we gave Japan every op-
portunity to jump in ahead and take the prized island possessions. That is
tragic, indeed, but it is the price apparently we must pay, and always be pre-
pared to pay, for the priceless privilege of Democracy.

Is this too severe a price to pay ? I think not. No price is too high for the
privilege of calling one's soul one's own. Our ancestors from the days of Valley
Forge and before, we willing to give their very lives to secure the things we
now are asked to defend. The vast difference is that they were willing to fight
and die for an opportunity to live in freedom. We, thanks to their efforts,
actually have enjoyed, and are enjoying, this free way of life. To do other-
wise than to defend it now, at whatever cost may be necessary, would be treason,
indeed, to the memory of those brave ancestors, and to the traditions of in-
dependence handed down to us through the 160 years of our National existence.

We won't fail now, because there is too much at stake. America never has
known defeat in war, and it never will! Slowly to start, by God's grace America
will quickly gain the momentum necessary to out-produce and to out-fight all
the forces our4 dictator foes can rally against us.