The Washington times., 1935-01-02
WON 7 REVEAL
CONTENT Of
SPEECH
Executive Expected to Stand
Firm on His Refusal
To Back Bonus Bill
By GEORGE r. HOLMES

buhuy COI14RkCGcu, EICoIuCAAI 1VOOOC-
velt announced today he would
60 before a joint session of the
new Seventy-fourth Congress Fri
day to make his annual report
on '"The State Of the Nation" :"
The time Of delivery has not
been fixed, but it will be between
IL noon and 3 p. m.
A few hours after the delivery
Of the message, the President
will summon Democratic leaders
to the White House for an ex-
tended conference dealing with
the legislative program for the
session. A general, rather than
a specific, program will be drawn
up at this session, it was indt-
Gated.
Business Conference
Mr.. Roosevelt viii also consult
with some business leaders next
week, following his legislative
conference. One of those already
invited is Bernard M. Baruch,
the financier, who has been the
business consultant of every
President since Woodrow Wilson.
The all-important budget mes
sage, for which business and fl
nancial circles are looking with
extraordinary interest, will not be
given to Congress until Monday.
In the face of confident predic-
nons Of soldier bonus advocates
that they can pass legislation for
immediate payment over a veto,
the President said today the White
House had counted no noses on
Capitol Hill to ascertain If the
claims were true.
Opposed to Bonus
The President was non-commu-
NEGATIVE concerning the trouble
some question of the bonus at his
. regular Wednesday press confer.
ence. His attitude Of opposition
on this, however, was made clear
on Monday in the letter to a
Texas Legionnaire. He is opposed
to paying it now, and will veto
the legislation if it reaches his
desk, according to all indications.
Behind the scenes, however, ef-
forts are being made to map out a
j compromise which might take care
of socalled needy veteran" cases.
Apparently unperturbed and un-
worried over the strenuous weeks
that lie ahead in the new Con-
greSS, with its enormous Demo-
cratic majorities, Mr.. Roosevelt was
IN a jovial mood today when he
greeted newsInen for the first
time since the holidays. AS he
surveyed the reporters he OBJ
served jocularly:
"WeM, it looks as though the
boys all came through (the hOli-
days) all right
The conference was short. To
most questions the President in.
dicated public curiosity would
have to await his messages fOr
satisfaction.
Congress Newer"
The Congress that convenes at
noon tomorrow is newer, in a
literal sense, than any of its
predecessors. For in the House
almost a fourth Of the member
ship will be taking the oath for
the first time, and the Senate
will be Sprinkled with many new
faces; all as a result of the
Democratic landslide in Novem-
ber.
Under these circumstances, the
test Of Democratic leadership,
how to control unwieldly major
tiles in both houses, becomes
severe. Already there are pre-
d1ctionS that the session will see
more battling, mostly over eco
nomic issues, than ever before.
There seems ample justifica-
ton for these predictions, despite
the surface confidence of the
Democratic leaders that they will
be able to hold things in check.
Little time is to be lost in the
preliminaries. The Republicans
have already ironed out their
leadership problem, with the selec-
ton Of Senator McNary Of
Oregon, as Senate leader, and the
retention Of Representative Smell
Of New York, as House leader.
With the Democrats, however,
1t is another-and Important
matter.
Robinson Remains
Senator Robinson of Arkansas,
remains Democratic leader in the |
Senate, but there is a lively and
Sectionally somewhat bitter fight |
over the House leadership, with
Representative Bankhead of Ala
bama, appearing to have slightly |
the best of it.
The Democrats will caucus to-
day and Immediately after the
Presidential message Is delivered
Friday the new leaders will move
to the White House for a round
table discussion with Mr.. RooSe'
welt that will map out the Admin
1stration program.
It is not believed President |
Roosevelt will disclose his hand
fully in his message on Friday.
According to all indications, the
message will be comparatively
brief, and devoted principally to a
general analysis of economic con.
ditions as they affect the country |
at the outset Of 1885.
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