April 24, 1952
To the Congress of the United States:
I am transmitting herewith for the attention of the Congress the first Annual Report of the Federal Civil Defense Administration.
This is a comprehensive report on a most important subject. I hope it will be read and studied by every member of the Congress. Civil defense in this country is now a going concern--this report makes that very clear. A great deal has been accomplished by the Federal Government, the States, and our local communities to get the program underway. Over two million patriotic citizens have volunteered for civil defense work and a considerable number of them have already received specialized training in their jobs.
All that is good. But it is not nearly enough. This report shows the growing strength of our civil defense program. But it also shows the shortcomings--and these shortcomings are a matter of grave national concern. We have the skeleton of a good civil defense organization. Now we need to add millions more volunteers. We need vastly increased stockpiles of medical and other supplies. We need shelters. We need extensive training of our people in areas vulnerable to attack. We need all these things and need them fast before we can begin to feel reasonably secure about the defense of the United States--before we can say we have the kind of civil defense which helps to make aggression an unprofitable business, and thus supports our program for peace.
This calls for a far greater sense of urgency and for a better record of action by every citizen and at every level of Government-Federal, State and local--than has been given to civil defense up to this time.
The Congress itself has a real responsibility here. In January 1951, the Congress passed the basic legislation under which our civil defense program has been set up. It is good legislation. It provides a sound framework for doing the job. But ever since this law was enacted, the program has been starved for lack of adequate appropriations.
Naturally it costs more to get a program like this underway, building shelters, setting up the stockpiles, than it will cost to keep the operation going once this initial work is done. Ultimately, the annual cost of civil defense to the Federal Government should be only a fraction of what is needed now-provided we do not delay in carrying through with the initial buildup.
Last year I requested $535 million to build up our civil defense program in the current fiscal year. Instead the Congress provided only $75 million. This year $600 million has been requested as the Federal Government's share in speeding our civil defense work for the coming fiscal year. I earnestly hope the Congress will provide the full amount this time. It is essential if we are to get the job done right.
I want to be as clear about this as I We simply cannot afford a penny-wise-pound-foolish attitude about the cost of adequate civil defense. Everyone in this country-all of us--must face the fact that civil defense is, and will continue to be, just as vital to American security as our armed forces, our defense production and our aid to allies and friends abroad. Civil defense is another indispensable part of our total security program. I really believe that anyone who reflects upon this matter will understand why that is so. Every weakness in civil defense increases an aggressor's temptation to attack us. Every weakness in our civil defense adds to the strength of a potential enemy's stockpile of atomic bombs.
I hope that every member of the Congress will take time to think through the serious implications of this first Annual Report of the Federal Civil Defense Administration. I hope that every member will do his part to speed our progress on this vital
HARRY S. TRUMAN
NOTE: The First Annual Report of the Federal Civil Defense Administration is printed in House Government 445 (82d Cong., 2d sess.).
To the Congress of the United States:
I am transmitting herewith for the attention of the Congress the first Annual Report of the Federal Civil Defense Administration.
This is a comprehensive report on a most important subject. I hope it will be read and studied by every member of the Congress. Civil defense in this country is now a going concern--this report makes that very clear. A great deal has been accomplished by the Federal Government, the States, and our local communities to get the program underway. Over two million patriotic citizens have volunteered for civil defense work and a considerable number of them have already received specialized training in their jobs.
All that is good. But it is not nearly enough. This report shows the growing strength of our civil defense program. But it also shows the shortcomings--and these shortcomings are a matter of grave national concern. We have the skeleton of a good civil defense organization. Now we need to add millions more volunteers. We need vastly increased stockpiles of medical and other supplies. We need shelters. We need extensive training of our people in areas vulnerable to attack. We need all these things and need them fast before we can begin to feel reasonably secure about the defense of the United States--before we can say we have the kind of civil defense which helps to make aggression an unprofitable business, and thus supports our program for peace.
This calls for a far greater sense of urgency and for a better record of action by every citizen and at every level of Government-Federal, State and local--than has been given to civil defense up to this time.
The Congress itself has a real responsibility here. In January 1951, the Congress passed the basic legislation under which our civil defense program has been set up. It is good legislation. It provides a sound framework for doing the job. But ever since this law was enacted, the program has been starved for lack of adequate appropriations.
Naturally it costs more to get a program like this underway, building shelters, setting up the stockpiles, than it will cost to keep the operation going once this initial work is done. Ultimately, the annual cost of civil defense to the Federal Government should be only a fraction of what is needed now-provided we do not delay in carrying through with the initial buildup.
Last year I requested $535 million to build up our civil defense program in the current fiscal year. Instead the Congress provided only $75 million. This year $600 million has been requested as the Federal Government's share in speeding our civil defense work for the coming fiscal year. I earnestly hope the Congress will provide the full amount this time. It is essential if we are to get the job done right.
I want to be as clear about this as I We simply cannot afford a penny-wise-pound-foolish attitude about the cost of adequate civil defense. Everyone in this country-all of us--must face the fact that civil defense is, and will continue to be, just as vital to American security as our armed forces, our defense production and our aid to allies and friends abroad. Civil defense is another indispensable part of our total security program. I really believe that anyone who reflects upon this matter will understand why that is so. Every weakness in civil defense increases an aggressor's temptation to attack us. Every weakness in our civil defense adds to the strength of a potential enemy's stockpile of atomic bombs.
I hope that every member of the Congress will take time to think through the serious implications of this first Annual Report of the Federal Civil Defense Administration. I hope that every member will do his part to speed our progress on this vital
HARRY S. TRUMAN
NOTE: The First Annual Report of the Federal Civil Defense Administration is printed in House Government 445 (82d Cong., 2d sess.).