Those who are doing most of the complaining are not deliberately striving to sabotage the national war effort.  They are laboring under the delusion that the time is past when we must make prodigious sacrifices—­that the war is already won and we can begin to slacken off.  But the dangerous folly of that point of view can be measured by the distance that separates our troops from their ultimate objectives in Berlin and Tokyo—­and by the sum of all the perils that lie along the way.

Overconfidence and complacency are among our deadliest enemies.  Last spring—­after notable victories at Stalingrad and in Tunisia and against the U-boats on the high seas—­overconfidence became so pronounced that war production fell off.  In two months, June and July, 1943, more than a thousand airplanes that could have been made and should have been made were not made.  Those who failed to make them were not on strike.  They were merely saying, “The war’s in the bag—­so let’s relax.”

That attitude on the part of anyone—­Government or management or labor—­can lengthen this war.  It can kill American boys.

Let us remember the lessons of 1918.  In the summer of that year the tide turned in favor of the allies.  But this Government did not relax.  In fact, our national effort was stepped up.  In August, 1918, the draft age limits were broadened from 21-31 to 18-45.  The President called for “force to the utmost,” and his call was heeded.  And in November, only three months later, Germany surrendered.

That is the way to fight and win a war—­all out—­and not with half-an-eye on the battlefronts abroad and the other eye-and-a-half on personal, selfish, or political interests here at home.

Therefore, in order to concentrate all our energies and resources on winning the war, and to maintain a fair and stable economy at home, I recommend that the Congress adopt: 

(1) A realistic tax law—­which will tax all unreasonable profits, both individual and corporate, and reduce the ultimate cost of the war to our sons and daughters.  The tax bill now under consideration by the Congress does not begin to meet this test.

(2) A continuation of the law for the renegotiation of war contracts—­which will prevent exorbitant profits and assure fair prices to the Government.  For two long years I have pleaded with the Congress to take undue profits out of war.

(3) A cost of food law—­which will enable the Government (a) to place a reasonable floor under the prices the farmer may expect for his production; and (b) to place a ceiling on the prices a consumer will have to pay for the food he buys.  This should apply to necessities only; and will require public funds to carry out.  It will cost in appropriations about one percent of the present annual cost of the war.

(4) Early reenactment of the stabilization statute of October, 1942.  This expires June 30, 1944, and if it is not extended well in advance, the country might just as well expect price chaos by summer.