Evening star., 1937-03-10

Inc JexC OF PRESIDENT Roosevelt
"hreside chat" last night follows:
Last Thursday I described in de-
tail certain economic problems
which every one admits now face
the Nation. For the many mes
sages which have come to me after
athat speech, and which it is physi-
cally impossible to answer individ-
ually, I take this means of saying
thank you"
Tonight, sitting at my desk in
the White House, I make my first
radio report to the people in my
second term of office
I am reminded of that evening
In March, four years ago, when I
made my first radio report to you.
We were then in the midst Of the
great banking crisis
Soon after, with the authority OF
the Congress, We asked the Nation
to turn over all of its privately
held gold, dollar for dollar, to the
Government of the United States.
Today's recovery proves how
right that policy was.
But when, almost two years later.
1t came before the Supreme Court,
its constitutionality was upheld
only by a FIVE -to-four vote. The
change of one vote would have
thrown all the affairs of this great
Nation back into hopeless chaos
In effect, four justices ruled that
the right under private contract
to exact pound of flesh was more
sacred than the main objectiveS
Of the Constitution to establish an
enduring Nation.
Power of Government
Needed to Prevent Repetition.
In 1888 you and I knew that We
tenn get completely out of joint
again-that we could not afford
to take the risk of another great
depression.
We also became convinced that
the only way to avoid repetition
Of those dark days was to have
a government with power to pre-
vent and to cure the abuses and
the inequalities which had thrown
that system out of joint.
We then began a program Of
remedying those abuses and in
equalities-to give balance and
stability to our economic system
to make it bombproof against the
causes of 1929.
Today we are only part way
through that program-and recov-
cry is speeding up to a point
where the dangers of 1929 are again
becoming possible, not this week or
month perhaps, but within a year
or two.
National laws are needed to COM
plete that program. Individual or
local or State effort alone cannot
protect us in 1887 any better than
10 years ago.
1t will take time-and plenty of
time-to work out our remedies
administratively even after legis-
lation is passed. To complete our
program of protection in time,
therefore, we cannot delay one
moment in making certain that
our national Government has
power to curry through.
Almost Too Late
To Act Four Years Ago.
Four years ago action did not
come until the eleventh hour.
1t was almost too late
If we learn anything from the
depression We will not allow our
selves to run around in new circles
of futile discussion and debate, al
ways postponing the day of de-
cision.
The American people have
learned from the depression. For
In the last three national elections
an overwhelming majority of them
voted mandate that the Congress
and the President begin the task
of providing that protection-not
after long years Of debate, but
now.
The courts, however, have cast
doubts on the ability of the elected
Congress to protect us against
catastrophe by meeting squarely
our modern social and economic
conditions.
We are at a crisis in our ability
to proceed with that protection. 1t
Is quiet crisis. There are no lines
of depositors outside closed banks.
But to the farsighted it is far
reaching in its possibilities OF injury
to America.
want to talk 10 you very simply
about the need for present action
in this crisis-the need to meet the
unanswered challenge of one-third
of the Nation ill-nourished, ILL
clad, ill-housed.
Two Horses Pull Together,
But Third Does Not.
Last Thursday 1 described the
American form of government as
three-horse team provided by
the Constitution to the American
people so that their field might be
plowed. The three horses are, of
course, the three branches of gov
ernment-the Congress, the execu-
tive and the courts. Two of the
horses are pulling in unison today;
the third is not. Those who have
intimated that the President of
the U1.ited States is trying to drive
that team overlook the simple fact
that the President, as Chief Execu-
tive, Is himself one of the three
horses.
It is the American people them
selves who are in the drivers seat.
It Is the American people them
selves who want the furrow plowed.
1t is the Amer can people them
selves who expect the third horse
to pull in unison with the other
two
hope that you have reread the
Constitution of tho Trp;+,J Ct,+.,