Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (October 6, 1941)
UNITED STATES ‘MUST SWEAT,’ SAYS KNUDSEN
…
Urges tremendous effort to finish Hitler quickly
…
New York, Oct. 5 (AP) –
Wars of today are won in the shops and America “must sweat hard for the next year or so” to overcome the tremendous lead the Nazis hold in production of important war items, William S. Knudsen, OPM director, said tonight.
Speaking at a Madison Square Garden rally sponsored by Fight for Freedom, Knudsen said that:
…when democracy is destroyed, the United States is destroyed.
He declared:
When democracy dies in the United States you will have to change the name of the place. From then on it will just be a geographical region bounded by Canada, Mexico and two oceans.
Urges quick finish
Knudsen added that he would take one of two courses:
Continue at the present rate with a fair chance that sometime, years from now, we will finally reach the point where our production will so outrank the Nazis’ that they will not be able to go on any longer.
…or:
Pile on every ounce of steam we can and get this thing over with.
The OPM chief was introduced by Wendell L. Willkie, as was Herbert Agar, editor of the Louisville Courier Journal, who also spoke.
The talks by Knudsen and Agar closed a “Fun to be Free” revue staged by the stage, screen, radio and arts division of Fight for Freedom.
Helen Hayes and Burgess Meredith spoke in connection with the pageant, Miss Hayes reading a resolution from the arts division pledging support to the President’s policies and urging him:
…to continue rallying the great spiritual forces of the world for the battle against the godlessness that is Hitler.