The Waterbury Democrat., 1939-09-22
Congress In Special
Session Hears Appeal
Of Chief Executive
No Other Authority Asked for Present in Limited
National Emergency President Hopes to Keep
United States Out of Present War

1
President Franklin ID. Roosevelt
In an historic address before Con-
gress yesterday urged that the
mandatory embargo on the sale Of
arms to belligerents be lifted and
that foreign nations be permit
ted to buy and carry shipments at
their own risk. The text Of the adj
dress, which served as a signal
for o bitter fight ON all fronts in
the senate and house was as fol-
Jews:
] have asked the Congress to re-
assemble In extraordinary session
In order that 1t may consider and
ACT on the amendment of certain
Legislation which, in my best judg-
lment, so alters the historic foreign
policy of the United States that it
limpairs the peaceful relations of
the United States with foreign
nations.
At the outset I proceed on the
assumption that every member Of
the Senate and Of the House Of
Representatives, and every MEM
Der Of the executive branch of the
government, including the Pres
Iident and his associates, person.
Tally and officially, are equally and
without reservation In favor Of
Isuch measures as will protect the
Neutrality, the safety and the in
Itegrity Of our country and at the
Isame time keep us out Of war.
| Because am wholly willing to
lascribe an honorable desire for
Ipeace to those who hold different
Views from my own as to what
those measures should be, trust
THAT these gentlemen will be suf-
lficiently generous to ascribe equal
lily lofty purposes to those with
whom they disagree.
Let no man or group in any
walk Of life assume exclusive pro-
Electorate over the future well-be-
ling of America - because I con-
lceive that regardless of party or
Isection the mantle of peace and of
patriotism Is wide enough to cover
us all.
| peace Bloc"
| Let no group assume the ex-
elusive label of peace "bloc". We
all belong to it.
have at all times kept the
Congress and the American people
informed of events and trends in
foreign affairs. I now review them
In a spirit of understatement.
Since 1881 the use of force in
stead of the council table has con-
ssantly increased in the settlement
oS disputes between nations - ex-
cept In the Western Henri
sphere, where there has been only
one war, now happily terminated.
| During these years, also, the
building up Of vast armies, ma
| vieS and Storehouses of war has
proceeded abroad with growing
speed and intensity. But during
these years, and extending back
i even to the days of the Kellogg
BRAND pact, the United States
has constantly, consistently and
ccnscientiously done all in its
power to encourage peaceful set
Elements, to bring about reduce
ton of ornaments and to avert
threatened wars. We have done
this not only because any war
anywhere necessarily hurts Amer
lean security and American pros
perity but because Of the more
important fact that any war any
where retards the progress of mo-
rality and religion and impairs
the security of civilization itself.
For many years the primary
purpose of our foreign policy has
been that this nation and this
government should strive to the
utmost to aid In avoiding war
among other nations. But if and
when war unhappily comes, the
government and the nation must
exert every possible effort to avoid
being drawn into the war.
Traditional Policy
The executive, branch of the
government did its utmost, with
In our traditional policy of nom
involvement, to aid in averting the
present appalling war. Having
thus striven and failed, this gov
eminent must lose no time or eff
fort to keep the nation from being
drawn into the war.