666 State Papers and Addresses

comfort to the enemy. No one likes to do without his automobile, or to forego
sugar, or to give up any of the other conveniences and luxuries to which we have
become accustomed as citizens of this free land. Recently, however, our Com-
mander-in-chief, President Roosevelt, issued an official proclamation asking all
American motorists to reduce the speed of their driving to 40 miles an hour or
less. Such cooperation, he explained, would bring about a tremendous saving
in two vital necessities, rubber tires and gasoline. It would make it possible for
our Nation to lengthen the period of usage of these very necessary items in our
every-day economic and social life. As Governor of Maryland I supplemented
the President's request by an official Maryland Proclamation. Today the Mary-
land Traffic Safety Commission is preparing many thousands of windshield
stickers by which the necessity of slow driving is to be impressed upon everyone.

When, despite all this, we still see many motorists driving madly along
the roads, without regard to tires or gasoline, we wonder sometimes if such
people appreciate the meaning of the word patriotism. Because one happens
to have a new set of tires, doesn't free him from the responsibility of cooperat-
ing with his Country's economic regulations.

Furthermore, if those who are so free with expenditure of gasoline be-
cause it still can be purchased freely, would stop to realize how many brave
American seamen have gone to their deaths, sometimes in a sea of naming oil,
to keep our Eastern Seaboard supplied with this essential, then possibly they
would realize that patriotism calls for compliance with the President's official
request.

While this modern type of war spares not even the tiny babe in its cradle,
the ill and wounded in the hospitals, or the aged and infirm, it has its compensa-
tions. Unlike previous wars, where the fighting men went forth to battle and
those who remained at home could only help in a most indirect way, today's
warfare gives every member of our population a chance to participate. Even
those who may not be physically able, can still assist by purchase of bonds or
stamps. No one is too poor or too weak to contribute to the National effort.
It may be only one stamp today for some of us, but these stamps are tomorrow's
planes and bombs. It may be only silencing rebukes to obviously pro-Nazi
propaganda, but these rebukes will effectively decrease the attempts of our
enemies to sow dissension and discord amongst us.

Here in your fine city of Hagerstown, there is outstanding evidence of the
opportunities open to all our people to join in the war effort. The Fairchild
Aircraft plant, a worthy companion to our tremendous Glenn Martin Plant in
Baltimore, is one of the industries that are helping Maryland to respond so
generously to the needs of our Country in war materials.

The importance of Hagerstown in the airplane production field, and of the
airplane as the most decisive single factor in this war, was emphasized strongly
to me yesterday in a discussion with a high-ranking War Department official in
Washington. He was deeply gratified to learn of the Defense demonstration
scheduled for here today.