Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1942-12-11
Norris Urged 10 Air
Views Before. World,
Roosevelt Declares
President Says Veteran
Hos Great Audience
And Story to Tell
By the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
President Roosevelt said today he
had asked retiring Senator Norris
OF Nebraska to continue 4 useful
life by talking to the people of this
country and the world, because, the
President said, he has a story to
tell.
Asked at press conference whether
he had requested Senator Norris
during conference yesterday to re-
main in the Government, the Presi.
dent said he had not. He added thai
he had talked about the necessity OF
the veteran independent, who was
defeated for reelection, continuing
to express his views to America and
the world.
The President added that Senator
Norris has a great audience and q
story to tell, and that when one
person has those two things he
should not quit and go home just
because he is 81 years old.
Wants Hand in Peace.
When reporter wanted to know
II he had suggested that Senator
Norris write column, the Presi-
dent laughed and replied nobody
could write Interestingly and truth
fully three times a week.
Senator Norris told reporters that
his sole ambition is to have a hand
IN making the just and permanent
peace he thinks ought to come out
Of this war
Il hope I can be around and have
q hand in making the peace. God
knows that will be one of the most
critical turning points in the world s
history" he said.
The President, who said it WASH t
possible for him to attend dinners
these days, sent letter to be read
at a testimonial banquet given for
Senator Norris last night by Senator
Guffey Democrat of Pennsylvania
and attended by most of Washing
tons high officialdom.
Tower of Strength.
Through two score years YOU
have been as a tower of strength in
every storm" the President wrote
Senator Norris. Il can only reiter-
ate what I have often said before
that in our national history we have
had few elder statesmen who, like
you, have preserved the aspirations
of youth as they accumulated the
wisdom of years
I'm these critical days" the letter
continued, I'VE need your counsel as
never before and the youth of the
land particularly needs the force Of
your example which has been as a
beacon light of righteousness for
more than a generation"
Vice President Wallace, speaking
at the dinner, called Senator Norris
lone of the far-visioned social PLAN
ners of his time" adding that the
Nebraskan belongs to that small
group of wise public men who clear
ly see the. future and are willing to
do something about it."
Senator Norris. attired in the
black suit, white shirt and string tie
he customarily wears in the Sem
ate, declared the United States was
poorly prepared to help write the
peace because it had not suffered
the agonies of war which had been
visited on Great Britain, Russia and
China.
Attacks ReactiOnaries.
Turning toward Lord Halifax, the
British Ambassador who sat near
by. Senator Norris said that the
United States would have to travel
a swift pace to keep up with the
social progress which had been born
In Great Britain when the million
aire and the pauper found them
selves in the same bed underground
lodging the German bombs
With half hundred or more Of
the Nations public leaders banked
around him at horseshoe dinner
table, Senator Norris listened as
speaker after speaker piled accolade
on accolade in discussing his his
tory making public career.
Then, with abrief word of thanks,
he plunged into a vigorous attack
on the views of those he said ap-
parently were more interested in
personal gain than in making over
the world after the war.
Without mentioning him by name
Senator Norris alluded to a recent
speech Of the president of the Ma
tional Association of Manufacturers
in which the Nebraskan said the
association chieftain had asserted
the United States was not fighting
to give quart of milk daily to Hot
tentot babies nor to build a new iva
on the Danube
How narrow minded. how blind
OF world conditions he is" Senator
Norris cried. He wants to fight the
war so that he will get more money
II that be the result, we will have
fought this war in vain.
IF out OF 1t all we cannot get 9
peace that will combine the efforts
of all of the world for better things
then we had better surrender te
Hitler tonight
Praised by Wallace.
The banquet topped busy day
for Senator Norris, who was de-
feated in the November 3 election
by Republican Kenneth Wherry HI
had gone earlier to the White HOUSE
for luncheon with President Roose.
welt. who once dubbed his Nebraska
friend "the gentle knight of Amer
lean progressive ideals"
Inviting a long list Of senatorial
colleagues, public officials and news.
papermen, Senator Guffey tole
guests that he was giving a dinner
for the United States Senator a
large"
Mr.. Wallace employed the sam,
theme in sketching briefly the &C
complishments of Senator Norris
who fathered the Tennessee Vale,
Authority, sponsored a constitutions
amendment abolishing lame -duck
sessions of Congress, was largely in
strumental in establishing a one
House Legislature in Nebraska ant
had hand in countless othel
alterations in the country's way o