of Governor Herbert R. O'Conor 87

a chosen few. When men talk and seek to influence you along these intolerant
ways, remember for your own sake that no man is safe as long as any other
man is persecuted or ostracized because of his race or religion. Remember
further, that the blood and brawn of each and all of the races have made
contribution to the building up of the Country whose blessings we enjoy.

Condemning all counterfeit "Americanism, " let us hail the glorious land
and institutions which to us mean real "Americanism. " Let us with humble
thankfulness pay homage to those who through the years have set up and
maintained for us—this generation—the right of free speech—free assembly
—free worship—free press—(including radios, books, theatres, moving pictures,
etc. ) which texts are the sign manual of our liberties. While two-thirds of
the European world stands almost broken under arms, and struggles uncertainly
with fear for tomorrow, let us stimulate the appreciation of our people for
real "Americanism. " In thankfulness and pride, let us again swear fealty to
our God, our traditions, our institutions, our ideals, and our kind.

Today, there is every reason why "Americanism" should be a living
pulsating thing in the hearts and minds of every resident of this Country. No
other country on the face of the earth has so much that is definitely worthy
being proud of, and definitely worth protecting. Our priceless liberty, our
prestige among the nations of the earth, our spiritual leadership makes the
rest of the nations of the world turn instinctively towards the United States
in an hour of emergency, to see what our Country is likely to do, before they
begin to chart their own courses.

As you leave here tonight, thank God that he has seen fit to place you in
a land where you can be truly free, in mind, in spirit and in action. Thank God
for it, I say, and resolve tonight as possibly you may never have resolved
before, to do whatever may be necessary, to sacrifice whatever you may be
called upon to sacrifice, rathen than yield one iota of the free institutions that
you inherited from your forebears, with the understanding that you would pass
them on to posterity untarnished and undiminished.

At such a gathering as this, it seems to me to be in order to say just
a word about the attitude of the present State Administration with regard to
legislation affecting Veterans. Over a period of years, such laws have been
reenacted with changes that bring them more into line with present day needs,
and there is very little to be desired in such legislation now. I am happy to
say, however, that the Administration did accomplish a worth-while objective
in strengthening the Veterans' Preference Section of the Merit System law,
to the point where, in choosing from an eligibility list, a Department Head must
give preference to any veteran thereon, or file with the Employment Com-
missioner a substantial reason for not doing so.

Should a veteran be passed over, the State Employment Commissioner
is directed by the new Act to determine the sufficiency of the reason given, and,
if found insufficient, shall require the appointing officer to submit more detailed
information in support of his choice. Them if the Employment Commissioner
considers the reason given as insufficient, he must order the employment of the
veteran in place of the person previously selected, and a copy sent to the
veteran eligible. I believe this is as favorable a statute as any veteran or
veterans' organization could ask.