Evening star., 1940-05-27

perience and capability.
1t Is our purpose not only to
speed up production but to in
crease the total facilities of the
Nation in such a way that they
can be further enlarged to meet
emergencies of the future.
No Breakdown
In Social Gains.
But as this program proceeds
there are several things we must
continue to watch and safe
guard, things which are just as
important to the sound defense
OF a Nation as physical arma-
ment itself. While our Navy and
our airplanes and our guns may
be our first lines Of defense, it is
still clear that way down at the
bottom. underlying them all, CIV
ing them their strength, susie
nance and power, are the spirit
and morale OF free people.
For that reason, we must make
sure, in all that we do, that there
be no breakdown or cancellation
OF any of the great social gains
which we have made in these past
years. We have carried on an
offensive on a broad front against
social and economic inequalities
and abuses which had made our
society weak. That offensive
should not now be broken down
by the pincers movement of those
who would use the present needs
OF physical military defense to
destroy it.
There is nothing in our present
emergency to justify making the
workers Of our Nation toll for
longer hours than now limited by
statute. AS more orders come in
and as more work has to be done,
tens OF thousands of people, who
are now unemployed, will receive
employment.
Nothing to Justify
Lower Working Standards.
There is nothing in our present
emergency to Justify a lowering of
the standards of employment.
Minimum wages should not be
reduced. 1t is my hope, indeed,
that the new speedup of produc-
ton Will cause many businesses
which now pay below the mini
mum standards to bring their
wages up.
There is nothing in our present
emergency to justify a breaking
down of old-age pensions or un-
employment insurance. I would
rather see the systems extended
to other groups who do not now
enjoy them.
There is nothing in our present
emergency to justify retreat
from any of our social objectives
conservation of resources, as
sistance to agriculture, housing,
and help to the privileged.
Conversely, however, I am sure
that responsible leaders will not
permit some specialized group,
which represents a minority of
the total employees of a plant or
industry, to break up the continu-
ity Of employment of the major
ity OF the employees. The policy
and the laws providing for COL
lective bargaining are still in
force. And labor will be ade-
quately represented in Washing
ton in this defense program.
No War MiIIionaires
Wanted This Time.
Also our present emergency
and a common sense of decency
make it imperative that no new
group OF war millionaires come
into being in this Nation as a re-
suit of the struggles abroad. The
american people will not relish
the idea of any American citizen
growing rich and fat in an emer-
'gency of blood and slaughter and
human suffering.
And, finally, this emergency
demands that the consumers of
America be protected so that our
general cost of living can be
maintained at reasonable level.
We ought to avoid the spiral
processes of the World War. The
soundest policy is for every en-
pioyer in the country to help
give useful employment to the
millions who are unemployed.
BY giving to those millions an
increased purchasing power, the
prosperity of the whole country
will rise to a much higher level.
Spies and Saboteurs
Must Be Dealt With.
Today's threat to our national
security is not a matter of mill
tary weapons alone. We know of
new methods of attack.
The Trojan horse. The fifth
column that betrays a nation un-
prepared for treachery.
Spies, saboteurs and traitors
are the actors in this new STRAIT
egy. With all of these we must
deal vigorously.
But there is an added tech
nique for weakening a nation at
its very roots, for disrupting the
entire pattern of life of a people.
1t is important that we under
stand it.
The method Is simple. First,
discord. A group-not too large
"a group that may be sectional
or racial or political-is encour-
aged to exploit their prejudices
through false slogans and emo
tional appeals. The aim of those
who deliberately egg on these
groups is to create confusion of
counsel, public indecision, politi-
cal paralysis and eventually, a
state of panic.
Sound national policies come
to be viewed with new and un-
reasoning skepticism, not through
the wholesome political debates
OF honest and free men, but
through the clever schemes of
foreign agents.
As a result of these new tech
n1ques armament programs may
be dangerously delayed. Single
ness 0f national n,,ry,oca v,oo1, Ia