Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise. (Pocomoke City, Md.) 1921-1953, 1941-10-10
MAYOR JACKSON
ADDRESSES THE
POCOMOKE LIONS

POCOMOKE CITY:
The American people are facing a
situation that is chaotic and full OF
peril. Our national security, the
American Way of Life, and our pros
perity are at stake. We may not be
able to entirely shape our destiny as
a nation as long as aggressor initia-
tive remains with dictator nations,
but we can through unity of purpose
and action do much to control future
events.
In addition to any possible mill
tary or naval action that may be
forced on the United States by ag-
erosion, we as a people must be
ready to battle for the retention of
many rights and privileges long held
sacred by Americans.
I mention a few of these to indicate
the vital importance of this task in
an economic and social situation that
is undergoing radical changes to fit
our people into either a defense or
offense program.
First, there is free enterprise, that
basis of American prosperity repre-
scented by the right of an individual
to earn living and the right of bust
ness, large or small, to succeed. In
the last analysis the business of the
nation is your business. Proper re-
lationship between government, en-
ployers is the keystone to prosperity
and is an assurance of the greatest
good to the greatest number. The
bill for our defense effort and for
supplies to nations fighting agrees
sion must be paid by all classes of
citizens by government imposing di-
rect and indirect taxes which will re-
suit in rising living costs and in de-
creasing amount of consumer in pur-
chases.
We must bend every energy for as
near one hundred percent defense
effort as is humanity possible. When
the President declared a national e.
Emergency last December, the Presi-
dents of both the great labor groups
announced that the conference table
would be substituted for strikes in
national defense plants whenever pos
sible. With so many interests of en-
ployer and employee at stake the ad-
justment to this announced program
has been slow. Without entering in
to the rights or wrongs of the situa-
ton the fact remains that the loss of
hundred of thousands of man hours
lin defense work during the first six
months of this year presents serious
problem. Government, industry and
labor must endeavor to find a solu-
ton.
Labor must be properly protected.
Business must receive proportion
ate protection.
The common interests are too close
ly allied to be separated.
We have vast problems to solve,
whether we actively enter the Second
World War or only continue to aid
those nations which are fighting the
totalitarian powers. It is of prime
Importance that our citizens stand
firmly behind the government policy
to defeat the plan of the Axis powers
for world domination.
To accomplish this purpose / be-
lieve that we should resolutely face
the facts. Only by the government
making clear to the people the nature
of our nations problems can proper
solutions be found. AS a people we
have made or condoned many mis-
takes. We will make others, for to
err is human. Our task, however, is
to resolutely correct past mistakes
as far as can be accomplished, and to
avoid new errors of governmental
and individual acts. We must forget
that our government emanated from
the people, and that power or final
decision rests with the people.
That the people have accepted the
idea that our nation must spend bill
lions of dollars to stop aggressor ma
tons and thus assure our future
prosperity and security is evidenced
in national polls and in the action of
Congress in providing vast sums of
money. This spending is giving en-
ployment to a very large proportion
of our population. But in this there
is the paradox that the greater army
of employed persons in defense indus
tries and the greater the proportion
of capital invested in the defense pro-
gram, the greater will be our problem
of postwar adjustment. This is some
thing that should be definitely met
by planning-not at the end of the