of Governor Herbert R. O'Conor 801

With all this said, however, and with all that has been accomplished in
the production of ships and planes, and the thousand-and-one other war essen-
tials that are being manufactured here in our State, industry and labor cannot
rest upon their laurels. If Victory is to be achieved within the next year or
two—and God grant that it may ~ it will only be achieved through the success
of America's laboring men and women in turning out an overwhelming supe-
riority of all the war essentials.

For, make no mistake about it. Germany is well entrenched and; despite
its recent reverses, well fortified to carry on, not only a defensive war, but to
strife, and to strike hard. In the Southwest Pacific too, admittedly, we have
made headway. Admittedly we have seriously dented Japanese military and
naval strength. But just as admittedly we have a long way to go, and we have
many thousands of tons of shipping and planes and tanks and ammunition, and
guns to send. to that area before the fatalistic Japanese militarists are beaten
and destroyed, as they must be for Victory.

Yes, Labor has done great things, unbelievable things, during these twelve
months of war. But these achievements, extraordinary as. they have been, must
not only be equalled, but they must be exceeded during 1943, and again in 1944.
As never before, Labor will be a deciding factor in this war. The sons and
brothers and husbands of our factory and plant workers will carry the fight to
less we at home give them their weapons, get them to them at the right time,
the enemy, and they are carrying it bravely and successfully indeed. But un-
and in the abundant quantities desired, they can's do the task and the war can-
not be won.

Labor will do its part with increasing fervor. There is no doubt about it.
No one knows better than the laboring people what an Axis Victory would do
to their status here in America. All too well is it known what Hitler did to
the trades unions in Germany and what tragic conditions oppress1 labor now in
all the Axis countries.

Too, within this first critical year of war, more and more of our families,
our relatives, our friends, have been inducted into the military services. More
and more, for each one there is a personal urge, to produce more and more so
that our soldiers and sailors may have a better than equal chance to win through
to Victory and do return uninjured to us.

With the spirit that has been manifest, by workers and labor leaders alike,
here in our own State, as well as throughout America, one need have no hesi-
tancy in predicting that 1943 will witness such an out-pouring of productive
energy that Victory will never be in question. With this cooperation, with
every one of our efforts directed to the production, of those things our fighting
forces need, the result will never be in doubt. To accomplish this, however,
means fewer absences from duty, greater precautions against accidental in-
juries so that every hours of labor is utilized to the fullest to the production
of the things we need.

It is gratifying to me, as Chief Executive of the State, to come before an
organization that, under the stress and fire of the past year, has acquitted itself