"Changing conditions in the world outside the Western Hemisphere make it imperative that we immediately take steps for the protection of our liberties," the President said and informed Congress that the United States was relatively no better prepared for war than in 1917. He pro-sosod an eventual increase in the combined Army and Navy air forces of approximately 3,000 planes.
"I am compelled to look facts in the face," the President told Congress. He then outlined what his Army advisers considered minimum requirements, but reiterated that peaceful intentions of the people and Government of the United States.
"The young men of this nation should not be compelled to take the field with antiquated weapons," the President declared. "In my annual message to Congress, I have spoken of changing world conditions outside the Western Hemisphere which make it imperative that we take immediate steps for the protection of our liberties. It would be unwise for any of us to yield to any form of hysteria. Nevertheless, regardless of political affiliations, we can properly join in an appraisal of the world situation and agree on the immediate defence needs of the nation, "Tt is equally sensational and untrue to take the position that we must at once spend milliards of dollars of additional money in building up our land, sea and air forces on the one hand, or insist that no further ad ditions are necessary, on the other hand.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.