Evening star., 1940-06-25
Roosevelt Failed
To Arm America,
Minnesotan Says
Asks All Aid to Allies
Short of Actual War:
Wouldn't Tie U. S. Hands

Tert OF the keynote address be-
fore the Republican National
Convention by Gov. Harold E.
Stdssen OF Minnesota last night
jolloiDS.:
Our forefathers erected here a
great lighthouse of liberty.
They showed a new way for men
to live. At last men and women
could stand erect. They were free
free to think for themselves, to
speak and to work and to worship
for themselves. Free to use their
hands and their brains to build
homes for themselves. And free to
choose from among themselves their
own rulers.
When those founders of our Ma
ton met in this historic city, CEN
tury and half ago, the dark shad-
ow of despotic government covered
most of the earth. The wealth, the
traditions and the power of the Old
World all were arrayed against
them.
Yet they succeeded. The frame
work for government of free men
which they drafted here became
beacon of liberty and progress for
the entire world. The people of 13
struggling States adopted their work,
and made of it the living Constitu-
ton of these United States. The
people took from their number
great leader and made him, George
Washington, their first President.
Their task was we'll done. Let us
strive to do as well in this our time
of crisis.
Shadow of Despotism
Over World Again.
For once again the black shadow
of despotism falls over the world.
Fellow Republican delegates, even as
we meet, lights are going out in Eu-
rope. Blackouts of dictators take
the place of lighthouses of freemen.
1t is our grave responsibility to keep
burning brightly the light of liberty.
If we meet that responsibility we'll,
the people of this great Nation of
48 States will make the program and
principles that we here set forth
their program and their principles
next November.
If we meet the challenge before
us, We will here nominate man
the people of these United States
will make their President next No.
vember.
The challenge of the hour clearly
calls for our Republican party to
rise above narrow partisanship.
Ours is the high duty to place the
considerations, including our own
desire to win.
Let us face, with calm courage, the
task that is before us.
The press and the radio on this
very day have brought to us added
news of the horrors and tragedies of
the war across the sea as ruthless
rulers crush free men. Our Army
chief of staff reports tragic lack
Of preparedness for our own defense.
All about us moves the discouraged
evidence that we still have 10000
0000 900 unemployed men and women.
A heavy blanket of S45.000, 900 900
of Indebtedness weighs down over
all of our people Back on the farms
millions of rural families face their
burdens with shrunken incomes.
But Free Nation
Has Great POtentialities.
This would indeed be dark pic
ture if we did not also see the great
potentialities of a free people, tai
ented sons and daughters of every
nation IN the world, having in their
possession natural resources I'M
equaled by any other nation.
Let us announce here and now
that we have faith in the future of
this Nation and its way of life.
1t is for us realistically to take in
ventory, to draw heavily from the
lessons of the past, and resolutely
to turn our eyes to the future. Our
first task is to cut through the clouds
of confusion and of petty superficial
political issues and present to the
people, crystal clear, the great un-
derlyiRg problems and principles |
upon which our real future prog
ress must be made. We must brush |
aside the brambles of prejudice, |
bittnerness and hatred and lead |
through to national unity based |
upon understanding, tolerance and |
confidence.
Every citizen of this Nation, re-
gardless of his station in life, his |
political party, his nationality back
ground, his creed or his race, faces |
two great responsibilities during |
these next months.
First he faces the responsibility of |
supporting his Government, as now
constituted, in every measure for the |
public good. So long as the now
President of these United States is
in the White House, so long as the |
now Senators and Representatives |
are in the Capital they are our
President and our Congress, and
when they together take action of
vital public concern they are en-
titled to have and they will have the
support of all men and women, in |
Guiding In full measure the support |
of the Republicans of this Nation.
Deciding Next Leader
lis Greater Responsibility.
But there is a second and even |
greater responsibility facing every |
man and woman of this country.
That is the duty of deciding quietly
and calmly who shall exercise the
leadership of this Nation in the
next four years of its existence. Then
in keeping with that decision, each
citizen should 60 to his ballot box
next November and cast his precious
vote.
These two responsibilities are both
of major Importance, and each is
distinct and separate. He who
would confuse them and would
withhold support of such action now
because of the conviction that there