of Governor Herbert R. O'Conor 239

by the business and professional women whose week we inauguarate today, will
do their part sensibly and bravely, and so successfully "back up" the armed
forces of our Country.

TAKOMA PARK CHAMBER OF COMMERCE FALL BANQUET

Manor Country Club, October 7, 1940
Takoma Park

TODAY, as perhaps never before, all of us can appreciate the prophetic
nature of those lines by the great poet, Tennyson, which we read and
re-read in our school studies of the "Idylls of the King. " The lines ran, if
memory serves me well, something like this: "The old order changeth, yielding
place to new, and God fulfills himself in many ways, lest one good custom
should corrupt the world. "

We have only to look back upon the events of the past year to realize
that, in very truth, the old order has changed, and that a new order is it
process of creation to replace that which is gone. Just what form that new
order will take, none of us here can say, and I think few of us would venture
to offer a prediction. Too many things have happened, in some cases almost
overnight, that anyone of us a few short years ago would have been ready to
proclaim impossible. Yet these tremendous changes have gone steadily on, and
the outcome of the world struggle now underway will determine the direction
and the extent of the further changes that undoubtedly are to come.

The fact is now being realized generally, however, I believe, that we
citizens of richly blest America no longer are established in comfortable seats
on the sidelines of the struggles now going on, as mere interested spectators.
Events of the past few weeks, which found their culmination in the German-
Italian-Japanese pact just announced, very definitely have brought home to all
of us that we are on the brink of dire happenings. Difficult as it is to realize
souch a fact, as we assemble here tonight amid these peaceful and enjoyable
surroundings, there is no assurance that tomorrow, or next month, may not
find us actively embroiled, perhaps even fighting desperately, as is England at
this very minute, to protect our own national integrity.

Under the circumstances, it is not strange, perhaps, that Government today
finds itself face to face with problems quite a bit different from those that
offered themselves just a few short years ago. How government will solve
these problems is of the utmost consequence to every resident of our State and
of our Nation. Those of us in administrative posts can only do our best to
meet these changing conditions as they arise, and put our faith in a benevolent
Providence that the decisions made, and the policies pursued, may lead to
further peace and prosperity rather than to the unfortunate fate that has be-
fallen so many of the countries of the world already.

One thing that the emergency facing the Nation has done, with reference
to the functioning of government, was to bring about a much closer relation-
ship between State and Federal Governments. Under ordinary circumstances
such a development might not be quickly adopted by our State, for it ever has
been the Maryland tradition that the people of our State could handle their