ROOSEVELT READS CONGRESS MESSAGE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 5, 7 January 1937, Page 7

ROOSEVELT READS CONGRESS MESSAGE.

JOINT SESSION. Struggle of Democracy and Oligarchy.: HOME AND FOREIGN AFFAIRS. , .-'United Press. Association.—Copyright. .'. (Received 2.30 p.m.) . ''" WASHINGTON, January 6. > President Roosevelt read a message at the joint session of the Senate and the House of Representatives, asking immediate action for alteration of the Neutrality Act to cover specific points raised as the result of the civil war in Spain, and deficiency in the Appropriation Bill. Referring to foreign affairs, he said that the.world war, for all its tragedy, encouraged demands from people everywhere for a. fuller and' more modern life. Many national Governments seemed unable in the past few years to respond adequately to these demands, and. new forms of Government were established, oligarchy replacing democracy. In oligarchies militarism had leaped forward, while in nations that had retained democracy militarism had waned. ..

" "I: recently visited three sister Republics in South America. :My observations of. the; people of all the Americas have convinced me that the democratic form of. government can succeed. J do not wish to substitute any other form.

"The Inter-American Conference did much to assure peace in this hemisphere" Here was an example that, must ■ have a wholesome effect on the rest of the world. The conference at Buenos Ay res sent forth a message, on behalf, of all democracies of the world, that it was high time for democracy to assert itself.

Long Way Toward Prosperity. In regard to prosperity Mr. Eooseyelt said: "We have gone a long way, but even with our present recovery we are far from, our goal. The deeper purpose is to make permanent far-reaching problems still with us for which democracy must find solutions if it is to consider itself successful. .'..-. ,

"Many millions of Americans still live in "habitations that Tail to. provide the physical benefits of modern civilisation, breed disease,and Impair .the health of future generations. This menace exists in 'large cities and small- cities, aim 'on tens of thousands of farms— another example of the prevalence of the un-American type of tenant farming.

"I do not suggest that every farm family has a capacity to earn, a satisfactory living on its own holding, but many thousands of tenant farmers, with some financial assistance and some advice and training, could be made self - supporting on -the land' which would ■ eventually belong to them. ■

"Another national problem is intelli-' gent development of the social securitysystem, broadening the service it renders with practical improvements to its operation. In many nations, in which such laws have effect, success comes through frequent amendment of the original statute. . . ,-. • Problem, of Unemployment. "The most far-reaching .and most inclusive problem of all is unemployment—lack of economic' balance, . of which unemployment is at once a result and a symptom. The immediate question is adequate relief for the needy, which we snail discuss in Congress later. "The broader task of preventing unemployment ' requires a long-range evolutionary policy. Fluctuations in employment are' tied to all' the other wasteful fluctuations in our' mechanism of production and distribution'. One of these wastes is speculation in securities and commodities; The larger the volume of speculation, the wider becomes [ the upward and downward swing,' and the more'certain it is to. result in the long run in more losses than gains.- ;"*>•'•!

"The same net loss to-society coihes from reckless.over-production and monopolistic under-production of natural manufactured products. Over-produc-tion; under-production and speculation are three evils'we must overcome."

In regard to the N.R.A., the President said the statute had been outlawed, but the problems it was intended to solve have not been solved. "They are with us-still," he. added.

"During the year there has been a growing belief that little faxilt is to be found with the Constitution as it now stands. The vital heed is not for alteration of the fundamental law, but for an increasingly enlightened view in reference to' it. .

"Rightly it.can be used as an instrument of progress, not a device for the prevention of action. Means must be found to adapt our legal forms to the actual present needs of the largest',' progressive democracy in the world." ' ••• ■ <