"UNHAPPY EVENTS."

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 101, 2 May 1938, Page 7

"UNHAPPY EVENTS."

Mr. Roosevelt Sees Dangers To Democracy. MESSAGE TO CONGRESS. WASHINGTON, May 1. "Unhappy events abroad," stated President Roosevelt in his message to Congiess, taught us two simple truths about the liberty of democratic people. Firstly, democracy's liberty is unsafe if the people tolerate the growth of private power to a point where it becomes stronger than the State itself. "Secondly, it becomes unsafe if the business system does not provide employment and does not produce or distribute goods in such a way as to sustain an acceptable standard of living. Both these lessons hit home." Mr. Roosevelt cited statistics for 1935-36 showing that 47 per cent of all families and individuals living alone had incomes-below £250 a year. The President sailed from Charleston on board the cruiser Philadelphia for an ocean vacation, which may take him as far" south as the West Indies. The destroyer Fanning accompanied the cruiser for the purpose of acting as communication vessel. The trip is expected to last five or six days. The Federal Relief Administrator, Mr. H. L. Hopkins, states that the national income decreased by £3,000,000,000 in the last six months, and 3,000,000 men were thrown out of work. He expressed the opinion that this was the fastest decline in the history of the country.