Evening star., 1941-05-15
Gov. 0'Conor Urges
Safe Delivery Of War
Tools 10 Britain
Danger to U. S. Cited
In Address to Naval
Reserve Graduates
By the Associated Press.


ANNAPOLIS, Md, May 15.-In
gravely worded commencement ad-
dress, Gov. OConor told 583 mem
bers of the Naval Reserve Schools
graduating class, assembled in
Dahlgren Hall today, that the United
States "for .self-preservation' must
deliver war tools" to Great Britain
without mishap.
Although nowhere in his speech
did he mention the word convoy" ="
he indicated he favored some such
system to insure the delivery of war
materials to the British Isles
America is only one step away
from the war;" Gov. O'Conor de-
clared. ANY one who tells you
otherwise is dodging the truth.
There is no one who is safe.
There is nowhere to be safe-if we
allow the enemy to come to us. And
it is as certain as the rising Of
tomorrow's sun that come to us he
will, unless he is crushed and smitten
before he makes his lunge."
British Defense Praised.
Great Britain is standing valiant
Iy in our defense as well as in their
own in withstanding the progress of
the dictators," the Governor as
serted, adding:
Britain must be supplied with the
tools (and it is obvious that she
must be supplied with them and not
merely offered them.
ITO be effective, these tools must
be in hand where the invaders fury
is now centered-in the British Isles.
1t will serve no useful purpose, and
least of all the outnumbered defend
ers of democracy in England, to have
American industry produce the i'm
plements of defense only to have
them sent to the bottom of the
ocean while en- route to the place
where their use is essential"
In introducing Gov. O'Conor, Rear
Admiral Russell Wilson, academy
superintendent, declared 1T would
be pleasant to contemplate a world
in which your Reservists) services
in the Navy would never be required.
But I see no such prospect" he
said, land there is real satisfaction
in the thought that we shall be
brother officers in our feet for some
years to come"
Status of IL Pending.
Although there were 583 members
of the graduating class, Gov. O'Conor
presented commissions as ensigns in
the Naval Reserve only to 566. The
other II Reservists' physical status
is pending and they may receive
their commissions later, academy Of
ficials said.
They added that about ASS of the
new ensigns would go on active
duty, with about 81 given an in
active status. A small group of the
''actives" will join the feet while
the greater majority will either take
advanced courses, go to recruiting
stations or become communications
officers.
At least 80 graduating class MEM
bers, most of them given inactive
status, announced intentions of get
ting married within the next two
weeks. Two weddings of Reservists
were scheduled late today in the
academy chapel.
The Reservist class, the fifth of
nine of its kind in the United States,
represented cross-section of Amer
lean youth,
From Many Occupations.
Before coming here the reservists
held such occupations as business
man, writer, State trooper, lawyer,
school teacher, laboratory technician,
politician, contractor, radio an
nouncer, pre-medical student, beer
salesman, fur merchant, groceryman
and farmer.
Among those commissioned today
were E. L. Doheny, Beverly Hills,
Calf, reputed to be the wealthiest
class member.
After presentation of the commits
sions by Gov. O'Conor, Admiral
Wilson administered the oath of
Office to the new ensigns. The play
ing of the national anthem by the
academy band closed the exercises.
Eleven Marylanders, 10 District
of Columbia youths, 10 Virginians
and 10 West Virginians were among
the Reservists commissioned.