Evening star., 1939-01-05

newspapers over the Nation:
New York Times independent
Democrat: The eloquence of which
Mr.. Roosevelt is master has never
been used to better advantage than
in his message to Congress yester-
day. For the greater part of that
message was ringing defense of the
democratic system. 1t is dis
heartening to find Mr.. Roosevelt
still championing the theory that
Government spending on a lavish
scale is needed to produce prosper
ity. But when this much
has been said it is encouraging to
be able to add that the message to
Congress yesterday outlined domes-
tic policies which may make con-
tinued lavish spending by the Gov
eminent less necessary" even on
the Presidents own premise.
New York Herald Tribune (inde-
pendent Republican,: We agree so
heartily with President Roosevelt's
eloquent defense of democracy and
with his plea for rearmament that
1t seems to us national tragedy
that he should attempt to use these
ideals and their safeguarding in
what we can only consider a des-
perate effort to postpone the New
Deals inevitable financial collapse.
New York Daily News Gndepend-
enD: Europe treasures it's hates and
loves its wars. There is no more
reason why we should join Europe
in that suicidal idiocy at this time
than there ever has been.
Eventually, of course, the anti-de-
mocracies may gang up on us, and
We may have to fight. Which is why
we are for arming this country
enough to meet any emergency fore
seeable by level-headed naval and
military men and for keeping it
everlastingly so armed.
. With what the President
said about domestic affairs
we are in unqualified accord. That
part of the message, we thought,
was an enlightening and inspiring
restatement of the high aims and
philosophy of the New Deal.
The Philadelphia Record Gnde-
pendent Democrat: A job for every
citizen able and willing to work That
is your great task, Congress.
That is the only way democracy
can meet the challenge of Fascism
and Communism. President Roose-
velt gave you that challenge yes
terday. Fascism and Com
munism are doing just that. Democ-
racy can do no less if it would sur
vive.
Boston Herald CRepublican):
There are passages in the Presi~
dents annual message to Congress
which should stir the dullest imag-
ination and please even the most
bitter critics of his domestic pro-
gram. He has restated in his own
forceful way what Lincoln implied
in "Government of the people, by
the people, for the people"
St. Louis Globe Democrat Gnde-
pendent): The theme of President
Roosevelt's message to the opening
Congress is national defense. ="
He makes the claim " that all the
present administration has done
since 1888 has operated to create the
social unity so necessary to our de-
fense. - AS a matter of fact.
r.ever has there been six years of
such disunity, of internal conflict,
such a development of class antag-
onisms. '"'
Cleveland Plain Dealer (independ-
ent-DemocraD Skillfully the Presi-
dent links his New Deal with the
safety of the Republic. The Roose-
welt proposal of 1882 to curb Fed
eral spending by at least Is per cent
is even more definitely relegated to
ancient history. Whatever meas
ures are necessary to make the
United States impregnable will be
supported gladly and with no
thought of politics. But 40-billion-
dollar national debt does not seem
a particularly impressive rampant
against invasion.
Minneapolis (Minn.) Tribune Gn-
dependenD: The Presidents mes
sage marks a new phase of his ad-
rninistration. Mr.. Roosevelt will find
his chief preoccupation in the field
Of foreign affairs. The President has
found challenge and mission in
the trend of world events, and his
reaction is warm and vigorous. The
old New Deal, to all intents and pur-
poses, has about run its course.
Kansas City Star independent
Republican,: BY and large, it was q
moderate and sensible address that
the President made to Congress yes
terday. One point of disagreement,
however, may be mentioned at the
outset. Listeners to the broadcast
could not fail to observe the out
burst of applause that came, from
the Presidents standpoint, at pre-
cisely the wrong place. 1t was when
sle spoke of the two schools of
thought on national spending. His
audience enthusiastically Endorsed
Che economy policy which he men,
toned first.
Indianapolis Star independent
Republican, The way to raise the
national income to O,0O0 900 600, as
the President indicated, is to get bus
mess to functioning normally and
providing jobs in productive indus
try for those now unemployed. 80
That cannot be expected so long as
there are labor boards and laws
:unctioning on the theory that busi-
ness and industry are always wrong.
Richmond (Va.) Times-Dispatch
independently ocrat): Mr..
Roosevelt was sufficiently firm in his
references to other nations to show
that the United States intends, if
possible, to protect the Americas
against storms from any quarter"
1t must be conceded that his refer
ences to this hemisphere's' "com-
mon ideal of democratic govern
ment" were based on little more
than his imagination since there is
= no such common ideal" in Latin
America. On the other hand, that
part of his address was commend
able for the firmness it demonstrate