(3) the necessity for an adequate defense of the continental United States within our integrated military programs.

(4) the best utilization of the qualified manpower that can be made available.

(5) the need for sustaining an adequate and stable military program over an indefinite number of years, and as a consequence, the feasible annual expenditures and new appropriations that can be made available for military programs within the framework of a growing economy.

The forces envisaged in the long-range program of the Department of Defense constitute by far the largest military establishment that this country has ever undertaken to maintain for an indefinite period of time. With the incorporation into our military establishment of the new weapons that we have developed, they constitute a force of tremendous striking power. The maintenance of these forces and their qualitative improvement will require expenditures over an indefinite period of years of many billions of dollars.

I cannot at this time foresee any important reduction in the military establishment nor in the total annual military expenditures of the Department of Defense below the present levels, nor do I see any need for any important increases, short of war.

Remarks of General Benjamin W. Chidlaw, Commander in Chief, Continental

Air Defense Command

Mr. Adams and Governors of the 48 States, delighted as I am to be among those invited to be with—and talk to you on the occasion of this conference of Governors called by our President-I come before you this afternoon in much the same atmosphere which prevails when two companies in the business world decide they can no longer profitably go their separate ways.

In other words for a long time now--and I'm speaking primarily of this business of Air Defense—we have been heading in the direction of a merger-a merger of interests—a merger of facilities—and a merger of our purposes.

There seems very little difference between this merger which faces us and those corporate marriages which have been so plentiful in business. In business, the decision to hold hands and become one is for reasons of economy of operation, and to insure survival. Who can say-then-that a closer working relationship between the Continental Air Defense Command and the Sovereign States could be brought about for any better reasons- -these same reasons-economy of operation, and to insure survival?

We all know that many corporate entities have faced each other across the board room tables in a climate like this. Each side of the table was proud of what it had to offer, and each side of the table hoped for some arrangement which would not lose its identity. Each has a reputation— a reservoir of good will in the public's bank—a personality derived from its method of operation—and each had adherents who believed firmly in its product and its policies. In a merger-these things are above and beyond bare financial assets, and they represent the impact of efforts of many individuals.

As the Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Air Defense Command, my job has demanded that the military get into your comprehension, sometimes into your hair, much more than in the past and to take an interest in your business as well. You, as Governors of your States, have become well known to us because of your concern with how well we in the military establishment are prepared to do this mission of defending the United States against air attack, and particularly that area which is your primary consideration. In many cases, a part of your State investment is allocated to activities which are associated in and are factors of the Continental Air Defense System.

Just how deeply are our Continental Air Defenses involved with you already?

The Continental Air Defense Command, which includes the Air Defense capacities of the Air Force, the Army, Navy, and Marine Corps, has its hand in more than 15,000 different situations in the 48 States and District of Columbia today. In the not-too-distant future, this will grow to more than 25,000.

The range of this Continental Air Defense activity may go from the fighter-interceptor base with its rocket carrying noisy aircraft-Army Antiaircraft installations-the shore installations which service the Navy radar picket ships at sea-and on down to the smallest-most isolated-desert located two- or three-man civilian Ground Observer Post which is a part of our surveillance and warning system. It may include a guided missile installation which we have been obliged to place in the corner of the most beautiful park in the most beautiful city in one of your States, or it may be a radar site on an almost inaccessible mountain top which even a goat hesitates in trying to climb.

In any way we want to look at it-being in 15,000 situations and with prospects of 25,000 on the doorstep, you must all admit that the Continental Air Defense System is very much right there in your own back yard—and its effective operation buys you more shares every day in that future you dream about for your constituents our fellow countrymen.

Not long ago-I heard about a student in one of our universities who confronted one of his teachers in something like desperation after a series of interminable lectures. The trouble with facts-he complained—is that there are so doggoned many of them. If our student of today moans about this situation-he is only on the threshold of the "facts of life" which we— his elders, and he must face from day to day, if we are to have a secure future. The most important of the facts of life-of which there are so manyis that we have come to a true crossroads in America where every day more and more people are starting to realize that whatever the full time business is which is their immediate concern-they are all in the business of survival right up to their necks. And this goes for the general who commands the Air Defenses and it goes for the man who runs the hamburger stand. It includes the Governor and the farmer who did not happen to vote for him as well as the professional man in the city who did. It takes in the lady of the house with children, and the professional woman with a career. It involves the man in mufti as well as the man in uniform.

Every one of our citizens must really dig these days-dig in the shifting sands of world events-trying always for bed rock-for foundations on which true security can be built. Anyone who stops and leans on the shovel handle too long-could find himself buried alive.

Faced with these alternatives—a merger becomes easy-becomes necessary becomes just plain common sense.

This feel for partnership is not only welling up in the United Statesit has shown itself all over the free world. Partnership-or merger of

interests-provide us with more people-more talents-more power positions-linked together to support the coinciding national aims or desires

of the many.

Supposing we are gathered in a council room today and we, too, are considering our merger in this light. It is obvious at the outset that all of you Governors have Air National Guard or Army National Guard units, or both. Thirteen of you Governors-because of your geographic locationshave already put at the disposal of the Continental Air Defense Command elements of your Air National Guard contingents-and they are even now standing alerts—and have been for several months—right along with the Regular Air Forces. Our overall planning is working toward perfecting plans and procedures which will bring all this vast Air National Guard capability into instant utilization by the Air Defense System should war come, and all of it will be exercised as often as practicable in its role in order that our full deterrent power be placed in view of those so realistic and ruthless that they can only find alarming that which they know can harm them.

On the Army side of this Air Defense picture—there are numerous batteries from the gun battalions of the Army Antiaircraft units in State National Guard organizations which are on comparable-token or partial alert status and fully fifty such battalions figure in the possible Air Defense reservoir. In this regard, I want to compliment Governor Langlie of Washington for having gotten the first two battalions designated as special security forces capable of assuming a fully operational role.

Now-while we recognize the weekend warrior as the very valuable member of the team-we also know that he has to expect and undergo certain refinements to meet the standards now demanded of the Regular Forces. And knowing all this-he is still representative of our reserves in depthprepared to come in and plug the holes in the protective wall.

There is another splendid State contribution which we can't underscore too much or too often-the people we know and respect in the Continental Air Defense Command-your Ground Observer Corps.

We think so highly of the work of these loyal and patriotic, unpaid civilian volunteers who have been with us on 24-hour around-the-clock watch for 3 years-that we are now about to expand our Ground Observer Corps requirements into twelve south and southwest central States-whose addition to our system will put Ground Observers on duty all over the Nation.

They have already proven that they not only desire to be fully informed about our danger, but upon being informed, accept the responsibility to be integrated into a role in advance. They are fully aware of the disaster which could overtake us if everyone did not begin now fitting himself for a position of responsibility, rather than wait until it is too late. Just what kind of people are these in the Ground Observer Corps? Let me tell you what sort of people they are.

Governor Leader of Pennsylvania has a man in his State who served on

dog-watch shift from midnight to six o'clock in the morning-7 days a week-for 72 months without a break. This man was a disabled miner— suffering considerable discomfort-yet he dedicated himself to this tedious labor in behalf of his country.

Governor Knight of California has a grandmother out in his State who found time-World War II and now-to give us some 12,000 hours of her life in a filter center, plotting and tracking planes, to be sure that no hostile aircraft would penetrate our country-or that part at least which she felt responsible for.

Governor Joe Foss of South Dakota, himself a World War II combat giant with alumni status in Air Defense, has a Priest in his State who has found time to run his Parish-to lead a boy scout troop into Ground Observer duty-and who risks his own private plane to search the countryside whenever there are reports of downed aircraft. This Priest has more than 5,000 hours as a Ground Observer-as conscious of the security as he is of the souls in his community.

Out in my old home "buckeye" State, Governor Lausche has a Ground Observer who spotted a plane overhead in a storm which he thought was lost. His call provided a geographic fix making it possible for radar to pick him up and guide the aircraft to safe landing-saving one plane, one Marine Corps pilot, and this Marine pilot happened to be a native of Ohio, too.

Governor Williams of Michigan has five Ground Observer Posts inside prisons in his State. In one of them-376 convicts have kept an unbroken watch since July, 1952, which shows that even men who have lost their freedom temporarily—are convinced it is worth making an effort to make freedom secure.

I could go on citing dozens of similar examples all over the country.

In behalf of the Continental Air Defense Command, it is my hope when you return to your executive offices that you will be moved to take an ever greater interest in these Ground Observer Corps citizens who give—give so extensively—give so wholeheartedly—give quietly—and give so much of themselves for the good of us all.

These then are some of the things which you-as State executives-put out in the middle of the table for our merger. The great value in these assets is that they do not have to leave home to be effective-and because they are close to home they should be more effective than ever.

Now, let's move over on the Continental Air Defense Command's side of the table in this partnership we are trying to bring closer to reality, thereby accenting and multiplying its power.

The Air Force—since 1948 when the world became aware of the Soviet Union's alarming progress in long range bomber production-has been moving rapidly into the Air Defense field—and is still accelerating its pace as fast as drawing board conceptions mature into nuts, bolts, electronic marvels and can be brought into reality.

The Army's Antiaircraft Command has its NIKE guided missile and