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Workers engaged in military production also have a vested tight in the continuation of the cold war because our govern- tient has no plans on how toe use the defense plants for peace- time production and how to adequately guarantee full employ- ment and purchasing power to workers engaged in military production, . During World War II, any worker who was warm was able ‘to get a job, despite his age, sex or color of his skin Many of them were heard to remark, “I hope the war lasts forever.” This comment is understandable, especially after a worker has been plagued with unemployment, insecurity and want, many of them from the dark days of the 1930 depression. In view of the conflicting political and military opinions, and because of the obvious vested rights that employers and some workers have in the continuation of the cold war, it be- comes increasingly difficult to get intelligent public discussion of twhat steps our nation can take to achieve lasting peace and to bring about universal disarmament and the end to wasteful expenditures of our resources, which now amount to more than $41 billion yearly. One hundred seventy-five billion dollars is spent yearly by all of the countries of the world for military purposes. In preparing my remarks for this meeting tonight, I have on ee ading anA mars stunvinad af tha afeanen nasde af WOE DIGLE Cauilig Gi tT See ya Va Ee Ok CS We ‘of our nation than in any other period of my life. I have read remarks and some statements of military Jeaders wherein it is maintained that because of the development of the atom and H bomb end other nuclear and etomic weapons, and the develop- ment of the missile, there is no possibility of an attack being made on our country because of our ability of immediate reprisal that would destroy or seriously cripple a potential attacker. I have read statements by some of our leaders who try to reassure the people of our country that not everybody would be destroyed in a nuclear war — that only a portion of the popula- tion would be destroyed. I have read with alarm proposals by one military leader who believes that we ought to keep our planes in the air on a 24- hour continuous alert basis, fully armed with atomic weapons. I have read proposals that we ought to increase our atomic submarine fleet and that we ought to have some of them stationed off the coast of Russia, submerged under water for as much as 4 or 5 months, ready to retaliate immediately in the event our country is attacked. After reading and studying these numerous proposals, I am moore alarmed than ever that World War II] might start as a result of an accident, a crash of a plane loaded with atomic fweapons, or by some trigger-happy Colonel who would push a