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EDUCATION'S ROLE IN THE EMERGENCY* There is little danger, I believe, that in this national emergency our effort toward mobilization and preparedness for military defense will be inadequate. It could be, of course, that as the trouble spots such as Korea disappear; an apathy would seize our people and the military preparations which are so essential for our national defense would languish. Such a turn of events would be extremely unfortunate and, if continued, would in the end be disastrous. But this, in my opinion, is not likely to happen because I believe the vast majority of Americans are fully conscious of the aggressive designs of the Communists. I believe that we are fully determined to meet force with force when the occasion requires. Our citizens are furthermore willing to make the sacrifices necessary to preserve the free way of, life. What concerns me more deeply and persistently, however, is the possibility that the very reverse will happen; namely, that we will as a Nation feel that when we have erected barricades against aggression and when we have developed a fighting force that is potentially able to destroy the enemy, we will have automatically guaranteed our freedom, our prosperity, and our happiness. To make clear that this may not be the consequence of our activities I should like to take up with you several matters that need to be considered by the educational profession and the public generally if we are to preserve our free social and political institutions and our national well-being. These matters, such as the need for school houses, the need for the deferment of a substantial number of *Address given by Dr. Earl James McGrath, U. S. Commissioner of Education, Federal Security Agency, Washington, D. C.) at Fifth Annual Education Conference, University of Mississippi, University, Mississippi, 9:30 a.m. (E.S.T.), June 27, 1951.