Evening star., 1951-07-29
President Stresses
Peril 10 YugosIavia
In Speech at Detroit

FOLLOWING is the tert OF PreSi-
dent Trunlan'S address yesterday
in Detroit:
I am happy to come to this
great city of Detroit and to join
with you in celebrating its 250th
birthday. I do not suppose that
Cadillac and his little band of
French pioneers would believe
their eyes if they could see what
has happened on the spot where
they built their fort back in 1701.
To them the word Detroit meant
a narrow place in the river. In
George WaShington's time, it
meant a place of danger, a source
of Indian raids and scalping par
ties. Today, the word Detroit is a
synonym throughout the world for
the industrial greatness of Amer
lea. Today, the word Detroit SYM
boliZeS for free men everywhere
the productive power which is a.
foundation stone of world peace.
In the last war, Detroit proved
itself as one of the great produc-
ton centers of the arsenal of de-
mocracy. It's tanks and trucks
rumbled ashore on every beach
head from Normandy to OkinaWa.
From Detroit and other great.
American cities, came such an out
pouring of the weapons and equip
ment of war as had never been
seen before in history.
That miracle of production was
made possible by American in
dustry in action. 1t was maGe
possible by the expert manage |
ment and the skilled workers Of
America. Free men working to-
gether here in Detroit made il
possible for free men around the
world to win the war.
Again Bringing Hope. !
Today, once again, the produc-
tive power of Detroit is bring
ing hope and courage to the brave
people throughout the world who
are determined to defend them +
selves against aggression. TO-DAY !
again. the success or failure of the I
cause of freedom depends on what
is done here in your great fac
tories and assembly plants.
The free world is counting on
you to build airplaneS and tanks
and army trucks and weapons
Billions of dollars worth of de-
fense orders have been placed il
the Detroit area. Production on
some of these orders has already
begun, and on others it will soon
be starting. Military equipment
will flow from Detroit factories III I,
a growing stream.
I know that this means changes
for many Of you. Thousands OF
workers in Detroit have already i
shifted from non-defenSe to de-
tense jobs. and thousands of |,
others will do so. Still others are 4
affected by the cutbacks in civil
ian production which are neceS-
sary to make steel and other
scarce materials available for mill
tary use.
Employment in Detroit is high l.
er than it was even at the peak
in World War II. But these cut
backs have resulted in some tenn
porary unemployment. Military
needs have forced a reduction |,
in metals available for makinG
passenger cars. This means that
men have been laid off. and some
'of them have not yet found other
work.
Temporary Situation.
This is a temporary situation.
1T is the kind of thing that has
always happened in the early
part Of a big conversion operation .
But it is important to keep un-
employment and other CONVEX
sion difficulties to minimum.
I have directed the defense
agencies to review the situation
out here thoroughly. I told them
to be sure that everything possible
is done to make the conversion .
process work smoothly. 1 don't
propose to let the working men Of
Detroit suffer any unemployment
that can be avoided. I don't pro-
pose TO let their know-hoW, which
is one of our greatest national
assets. be wasted by unemploy- /
Iment in the middle of a defense
program.
In working on this problem, the
defense agencies have been getting
a lot of help from some of your
able union leaders. who have been
making constructive suggestions
Detroit manufacturers have also
offered some frst-rate ideas. I
want to assure you that Charlie
Wilson, and the Department of
Defense, and the other defense
agencies are just as concerned
about this problem as you are,