Message Recorded for the New York USO Defense Fund Dinner.

My fellow Americans:

I welcome this opportunity to express my thanks and appreciation to all those of you, who, despite busy lives, never relax your efforts in backing up and helping the men and women in our Armed Services.

Today, we have the largest military establishment in our peacetime history. Men and women of that establishment are standing guard for us in many outposts of the world. In every kind of circumstance and condition they are performing onerous duties that the rest of us may enjoy security. But--and we thank God when we say it--young Americans are not exposed to gunfire today.

So, to some it may seem that special civilian attention to the morale of our Armed Services is no longer important. In fact, however, among troops in foreign stations it is often more difficult to maintain morale during peace than during war. Loneliness, all the penalties of separation from home, are far sharper then.

I know what the USO means to our Service personnel. More than just a Camp Show or a chance for an hour's diversion, more than just relaxation or warm hospitality, it means to the men and women in the Armed Services that they have a host of friends in the homes of America. No matter what part of the country a serviceman comes from, no matter what his race or religion, he wants to feel confident that what he is doing is important to other human beings, and that they are grateful for it.

Such assurance fortifies spirit and morale, strengthens the ties in heart and mind which unite the individual serviceman with his fellow citizens, which make him feel that he is part of America! He must have such assurance, if he is willingly and ably to perform the vitally important duties which our times and our nation's good demand of him.

I hope that people throughout America will be reminded of this fact through the work of the USO and the other United Defense Fund groups. This work must go forward, for the happiness of the individual man and woman in our Armed Services, for the furtherance of our country's security.

I congratulate all of you on your willingness to take an active part in this endeavor, and I wish you the fullest possible success.