Evening star., 1936-01-01
The Night Message.

President Roosevelt will talk to the
country and to Congress at one and the
same time Friday night. Why not? His
annual message to Congress on the state
of the Union is after all intended for the
people. There is no reason why the
members of Congress alone should hear
the Chief Executive deliver this message.
The proposed night session of the two
houses of Congress to hear the PreSi-
dent is a novelty. The New Deal scores
another precedent. 1t has not been re-
vealed which member of the brain trust
thought this one up. Following close on
the heels of the proposal to establish
twelve little WashingtonS throughout
the country, this latest innovation gives
assurance that the New Dealers have
not run dry of ideas.
From John Adams to Wilson, Presi-
dents of the United States did not go
to the Capitol to deliver their messages
to Congress orally. They were content
to send them by messenger and have
them read by clerks in the House and
Senate while members of both Houses
gave Indifferent attention to the read
ing. The late President woodrow Will
son revived the plan of having the CHIEF
Executive 60 in person to give his views
to the Congress. Succeeding Presidents
have followed a similar course, though
Wilson however.
is the only President. prior to the IN
cumbent, who has delivered message
to Congress at a joint night session.
That was the message calling upon Con-
gress to declare war on Germany,
message that brooked no delay. Win
the presidential battle OF 1886 ABOUT 10
begin in dead earnest, it may be tnat
President Roosevelt's deliverance VIII De
something of a war message. AT any
rate. the President may be expected TO
give an accounting of his stewardship.
Two principal reasons for the sudden
plan to hold a night session OF Congress
to receive the Presidents message have
been advanced. The first Is tnat at
night the radio audience will be at ease,
able to listen to the President. In the
early afternoon millions of these people
would be at their daily tasks. The Sec
ond is that the Friday night address will
give the President an opportunity to talk
to the country prior to and not slmul-
taneously with the announcement OF the
decisions of the Supreme Court on new
Deal laws, expected Monday. Under
ordinary procedure. the Congress would
have held its opening session Friday ana
adjourned almost Immediately out Of re-
spect to the memory of deceased men,
bers. Saturday is usually holiday. and
there was talk of an adjournment from
Friday until Monday. If the President
addressed Congress on Monday. and the
Supreme Court handed down its deci-
sions on the A. A. A. and other Roosevelt
acts, the court might have had the ban
ner lines in the press. Naturally, this
was something to consider.
1t is possible that some disgruntled
member of the House may rise in his
place Friday and invoke the rule which
declares that the House may not recess
from one hour to another in a single day
except by unanimous consent Under
this rule an objection from any member
of the House could throw monkey
wrench into the machinery. Only tenn
porarily, however, for with an over
whelming majority, the Roosevelt Demo-
Gratis could adopt a resolution suspending
the rules and fixing the hour OF meeting
at nine o'clock in the evening.
Even if the night session plan smacks
of novelty and showmanship, it need not
necessarily be condemned. The Presi-
dent is entitled to talk to the people. If
the plan has a political flavor, so does
nearly everything else in this campaign
year.