Evening star., 1951-02-24

Partial teTt OF last nights radio
speech BY Charles Z. Wilson,
director OF the Office OF De-
tense Mobilization:
Fellow-Americans:
This is my first report to you on
the progress Of our mobilization to
defend America.
/ am going to talk about some
temporary sacrifices. But am also
going to tell you that this Nation
Of ours is In sound position, and
to talk about q great future that
lies within our reach.
In all its parts, this talk Is about
the American people, their future,
and their children's future. My
greatest hope Is that you viii come
to share with me my own profound
confidence in our ability to take
a storm, to weather 1t, and to come
out with strength and vig0r.
On our side we have many assets.
We have material resources, intelld-
gent and industrious people, q strong
economy, and magnificent produc-
ton machine.
These are tangible. Even more i'm
portant are our spiritual values. We
have the vision of q world at
peace. We believe in peace through
strength.
Only fear and failure to be true
to the values of American life can
throw us for a loss.
Basic Economy Healthy.
In the present crisis, it Is our
people-you and I-who must do
what we must do. Let 1t be said of
lus: Never before did so many peo-
pie of their own free will provide
so much so quickly to build the
strength of their Nation and thus
insure the peace Of the world"
Our sacrifices will be nothing COM
pared with those Of our fighting men
and women in Korea. Our living
and working conditions, upder any
foreseeable, restrictions, will be en-
viable compared with those In any
other country and superb when
compared with those in Soviet Rus
sia.
So our picture tonight is not one
Of gloom or pessimism. Our basic
economy has never been more heal
thy.
More than go million civilians are
gainfully Employed figure that
sounded fantastic only a few years
ago. This figure should rise to IS
million by 1854 Incomes average
higher than ever before. Our fac
tories are turning out torrent of
products to make our living standard
the highest in all history.
We have doubled our productive
capacity since 1899 with a popula-
ton increase of IS per cent.
These figures tell the story of a
dynamic economy. They show our
future possibilities. The American
people do not believe that we live
in a matured, established. limited
and satiated economy.
We are q pioneer nation. With
the progress Of science, our reliance
on chronological process, and our
increasing productivity per worker,
we can look forward to capacity
unlimited unlimited unless we
tarnish our destiny by fear, disunity
and improvidence. This is an age
which again calls for bold minds,
and not for little men.
The Job to Be Done.
What is the job?
!. To preserve peace by rapidly
building UP our own defense forces,
and those Of other free nations, to
such a height that Russia will re-
frain from attack.
2. To expand our capacity for pro-
ducing military supplies so that we
may swing rapidly into full-scale
war production If, in spite of our
efforts for peace, a major war should
come.
8. To maintain and expand our
basic economic strength - the
strength of our farms and factories
and natural resources-so that we
can sustain a defense effort for a
number of years, If that should be
necessary-and at the same time
make our whole economy stronger
and more productive.
But while we have vision, we also
are practical people. What are we
getting fol- our effort, our sacrifices,
our taxes?
First, we are by no means power
less at this moment.
I can tell you confidently that, in
our first stage Of mobilization, we
shall produce enough war materials
to train and equip our military
forces SO that they will be prepared
to fight In major combat.
In the second stage, we shall have
all the necessary facilities to sup
lply the mightiest and best military