ROOSEVELT'S SPEECH

Evening Post, Volume CXXI, Issue 4, 6 January 1936, Page 7

ROOSEVELT'S SPEECH

MESSAGE TO COXGKESS

DICTATORS AND PEACE

NEUTRALITY BILL

UnilprJ Press Association— By Klci-tric Trie

erapli—Cor.vriSlit

WASHINGTON, January 3

In the dramatic selling of a night session of Congress, President Roosevelt delivered one of the most vigorous addresses of liis Presidential career, which apparently was designed both to rally his supporters in Congress against Opposition attacks and to sound to the public generally the keynote for the campaign he Avill engage in next fall for re-election. In view of the tense international situation at least half the address was devoted to foreign affairs, in which, without identifying the subjects of the attack, he denounced "autocratic dictators" who disturb peace by encroaching on the rights of weaker peoples. At the same time he defended his own neutrality policy against domestic "power-seeking minorities" who wish to profit through external wars. Turning to national issues. President Roosevelt demanded that the critics come out in the open before Congress, the "people's forum," and fight for the repeal of the New Deal measures his Administration had effected. "We have invited battle," he said. "We have earned the hatred of entrenched greed." The President emphatically insisted that his Administration had brought the country from financial and commercial collapse well along the road to recovery, and invited his opponents to specify what laws they would change. The Administration's Permanent Neutrality Bill was filed in both Houses today with indications that it would be rapidly pushed through Congress, although the pacifist group is prepared to introduce alternative measures, leaving the President few if any permissive powers to handle American foreign policy. Regarding war, the Administration's Bill goes considerably further than the temporary measure now in force. Not only are shipments of arms, ammunition, and implements of war made the subject of embargo on the outbreak of war, but shipments of commodities "which might be used for war purposes," with the exception of food and medical supplies, are to be prohibited in "amounts exceeding the normal commerce" between this country and any belligerent. What is the normal exchange of goods will be determined by the President.

The strongest curb will be continued on financial transactions with belligerents.