Abstract :
“Total Preparedness for America´s Future” constituted the theme of the annual convention of the National Association of Manufacturers held December 11–13, 1940, at New York, N. Y. Five different aspects of the subject were discussed in as many sessions, ranging from the “need for total preparedness,” to “postwar readjustments.” H. W. Prentis, Jr., president of the Association, and president of the Armstrong Cork Company, delivered the keynote address at the opening session. Among other addresses at that session, John W. Hanes, chairman, executive committee, United States Lines, spoke on “Financing the Defense Program.” During the session on post-war readjustments, Malcolm Muir, chairman of the Association´s committee on study of depressions, and publisher of Newsweek, spoke on the subject “Must We Have a Post-War Depression?” His address was based partly on the recommendations of the committee. Excerpts from these three addresses, and the “pledge,” constituting a part of the “Platform of American Industry,” adopted during the convention, are presented in the following paragraphs.
