Evening star., 1939-09-13
Neutrality Law
Revision Seen
First Business
Leaders Summoned
To Capital for Talk
On Next Wednesday
By ]. A. O'LEARY.

President Roosevelt today called
Congress to meet in special session
Thursday, September 81, to con-
slider revision of this countrys Neu-
trality Act in the light of the new
European war.
Although the proclamation which
the President signed shortly after
noon made no mention of neutrality.
it has been clearly indicated since
the crisis developed abroad that the
administration would issue the call
and has been hopeful the House and
Senate would confine their delibera-
tions to the emergency legislation.
AS soon as the proclamation had
been signed, Stephen T. Early an
nounced that Mr.. Roosevelt also has
dispatched kilograms to leaders of
both parties in both Houses, asking
them to be in Washington next
Wednesday for an informal prelimi-
nary conference with him at the
White House.
Advices Chiefs of Decisions.
Mr.. Early said the President ad-
vised them that after careful study
of the whole situation he has de-
cided to issue this afternoon the
proclamation for the special ses-
sion.
These messages were to the fol-
lowing:
Vice President Garner, at Uvale,
Tex; Speaker Bankhead, at Jasper,
Ala; Senate Majority Leader
Barkley, at Paducah. KY: Senate
Minority Leader McNary, at Salem,
Greg; Senator Austin. assistant Re-
publican leader, at Burlington, VT;
Senator Minton of Indiana, assist
ant Democratic leader. at New AL
bany, Ind; Chairman Pittman of
the Senate Foreign Relations Com
mittee. at Tonopah, New; Chair
Affairs Committee, who is in WASH
ington; House Ma jority Leader Mar
tin. at North Attleboro, Mass, and
Senator Byrnes, Democrat, of South
Carolina, at Spartanburg, S. c.
Text of Proclamation.
The proclamation convening Con-
gress follows:
Whereas public interests require
that the Congress of the United
States should be convened In extra
session at IL o'clock noon, on Thrus-
day, the 2lst day of September, 1899.
to receive such communication as
may be made by the Executive;
Now, therefore, I, Franklin D.
Roosevelt, President of the United
States of America, do hereby pro-
claim and declare that an extraor.
dinary occasion requires the Con-
gress of the United States to con-
vene in extra session at the Capitol
in the City of Washington on Thurs
day, the 21st day of September, 1899,
at IL o'clock noon, of which all per-
sons who shall at that time be en-
titled to act as members thereof are
hereby required to take notice"
Announcement Sudden.
The announcement of the call
came suddenly after two weeks of
keen speculation, during which Mr..
Roosevelt made known he was
studying the subject and conferring
and consulting with leaders of both
Houses, presumably by telephone
and telegraph.
At his regular press conference
late yesterday, Mr.. Roosevelt limited
| the decision was near, suggesting
there would be an announcement
soon" However, he declined to
define the word soon"
Today's announcement bore out
the prediction made yesterday by
Chairman SABBATH of the House
Rules Committee, who said as he
left the White House the session
would be called about october !,
or sooner.
When the special session begins
the neutrality fight will start where
it left off August 5-behind the
doors of the Senate Foreign Rela-
tions Committee.
The House passed the bill last
session but modified it to such an
extent it no longer would carry out
the administration program.
The task of party leaders, there
fore, will be to obtain Senate re-
vision and then send the measure
back to the House, which could
either concur or submit the vita
issues to conference.