of Governor Herbert R. O'Conor 731

enslavement and the destruction of those rights and privileges which it took
more than a thousand years for our predecessors to secure.

It ought to be plain that the fate of every American man, woman and
child is directly involved and under immediate challenge. Your right to go
where and when you please — the privilege to speak, listen or read as one sees
fit; the right to own and freely use or dispose of such property as one may
be able to accumulate by working at a trade or profession; the right to wor-
ship God according to one's own conscience — these are all in impending
danger.

In every part of the world ancient nations have been overthrown, their
institutions desecrated or destroyed, and their peoples enslaved. The methods
of the gangster applied on an international scale, the scientific practice of
inhumanity, run riot this day over two-thirds of the earth—backed, sustained
and still forging ahead by a kind of military ability ruthlessly applied with
a cunning such as history has ever known.

In no other war since Charles Martel, at Tours, and John Sobieski, at
Vienna, turned back the hordes of Mohammedanism, have the vital insti-
tutions of men and nations been faced with such danger. It is true that
through the centuries countless wars have darkened the path of man in his
struggle for liberty and progress. But none of them in recent centuries has
gone deeper than a struggle for power, leaving the ordinary humanities
and religious rights to continue in practice as before.

This war, however, is vastly different, because it is being conducted on
a global scale, involving every continent, sea and ocean. It is different because
it is being conducted with a more intense use of scientific knowledge than
waring nations have ever known. Its chief difference, however, lies in the
openly expressed intention of those who started it, and up to this time have
victoriously waged it, to overthrow the methods and institutions by which
civilized mankind has heretofore lived.

In the face of these facts to be indifferent as to our Nation's future is
merely to be plain stupid. To be over-confident is to take a fool's risk.
Both our common sense and our intense craving for liberty should compel all
of the people to take part in this war effort.

Yes, perilous times are ahead. The events of the recent past should
convince even the most indifferent that our Allies are suffering serious re-
verses. But the more vital question is — What lies ahead?

The next ninety days will possibly be the moat critical period in the
world's history. Upon what Germany accomplishes during these three months
may depend, to a great extent, the final outcome of the war. And what
the United States can do during this same period, may well determine the ex-
tent of Germany's achievements. When grim winter begins to close down
upon the Russian steppes, then the free peoples of the world will know their
future.

If Germany does win through to its objective this fall, America will
undoubtedly face a graver situation. For the task ahead, in the event, will
be a desperate one. Even though more Japanese troops be landed in the