U.S. NEUTRALITY.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 56, Issue 70, 4 January 1936, Page 5

U.S. NEUTRALITY.

BITTER PARTY CONTROVERSY. REVISION OF LAW PROPOSAL. (United Press Association—Copyright.) WASHINGTON, January 2. The 74th Congress will be convened to-morrow for its last session before the Presidential elections, and for that reason, according to many observers, it is likely to produce more in political l>3 r -play than in legislation. One indication of the political importance of the session is that Mr Roosevelt has taken, the unprecedented step of arranging to deliver the regular opening message on the state of the nation at 9 o’clock in the evening, instead of at the customary hour of noon, wishing to attract a radio audience as large as possible. This has brought violent recriminations from the Republicans, who charge the President with using the halls of Congress as a political forum. The first legislative act to he considered once Congress is organised, and one which may easily prove to be the most important undertaking, will be the revised neutrality law which Administration experts have already drafted. It is understood that it will carry out most of the provisions of the present one, with the important exception that it will give Mr Roosevelt permissive powers to extend full embargoes beyond war implements to “materials used in war,” covering important American commodities, such as iron, steel, petroleum, copper and cotton. On the domestic side, another bitter controversy over the payment of the veterans’ bonus is expected, and there will be considerable partisan manoeuvring on the appropriation Bills and other routine legislation.