Evening star., 1942-06-22
Freedom or Slavery
War Issue, President
Tells Governors
Sees Stotes in Forefront
Of Defense Effort in
Conference Message
a, the Associated Press,

By the Associated Press.
ASHEVILLE, N. c., June o.
President Roosevelt, in message
to the National Governors Confer
ence, said today that within the days
and months to come the peoples of
this world would determine by their
work, by their sacrifices, and through
the instrumentalities of their armed
forces whether generations to come
shall live and work as free men or
slave States"
The text of the Presidents mes
sage:
The Governors Conference meets
this year at a most critical period
: in the history of our United States.
Last year your conference dealt al
most exclusively with problems of
defense. A defense program which
we all hoped would keep this country
of ours out of the maelstrom of
worldwide war, but at the same
time prepare us for anything that
might happen in a world torn loose
from its moorings.
Despite our efforts, however, we
are in-an ina war which in its
very nature is a supreme struggle
for survival. Within the days and
months to come the peoples of this
world will determine by their work,
by their sacrifices, and through the
lnstrumentalitieS of their armed
forces whether generations to come
shall live and work as free men or
slave States.
The States have been in the fore
front OF our war effort: they have
perfected the organization of their
defense councils to handle all
civilian defense activities; they have
established and operated a selective
service system which has met with
universal approval; they have set up
machinery covering every COM
munlty throughout the country for
rationing and price control; and, in
cooperation with the war agencies
of the Federal Government. recently
they have eliminated many imped-
1ments which were hampering the
war effort.
wish to take this opportunity
not only to express my appreciation.
and that Of the Nation, to the
Governors and the several States
for the aid and assistance which
they have contributed during these
trying times. but to express my un-
wavering confidence that the Nation,
the States, the counties, and the
municipalities all composed of the
some people-Americans-will press
on to victory"
Earlier, Gov. Harold E. StasSen of
Minnesota. in an address at the
opening session of the annual con-
Ventlon, pictured world association
OF free peoples, operating somewhat
like the States of the Union under
the federal system, as a possible
aftermath Of the current war.
The record that has been made
by 48 States of these United States
In working together despite their di-
verse interests, their varying climate,
NiiC DdShSlOullO Vi
people, and not withstanding the
fact that they are populated by sons
and daughters of every nation of the
world is, in itself. beacon of hope
for the future relationship between
the nations of the world" he said.
Il hope that after we win this war
we can bring to the relations be-
tween the peoples Of the world some
of the orderliness of the relations
between our States. in place of some
of the devious diplomacy and inter-
national intrigue that has charac-
terized pre-war days.
With the background of the sue
cessful relationship between the
States in America We might we'll
develop a free association of ma
tions."