Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1943-01-08
Editorial Comment on Speech
Presidents Address Is Praised Generally
By Papers in All Parts of U. S.

FOLLOWING are excerpts from the
editorial comment Of leading
American newspapers on Presi-
dent Rooseuelts address to Con-
oress yesterday:
New York Times-The President
admits that there have been mis-
takes in management and that the
experience gained in the hard and
wasteful way will enable us during
the coming year to improve the
necessary mechanisms OF wartime
economic controls and simplify
administrative procedures The
business of the Congress is to expe-
dite the correction of these mis-
takes, to limit the bureaucratic
controls that multiply in times OF
crisis; but the executive and the
country have a right to demand
that this Legislature, the first
elected as a war Congress, should
subordinate the smaller interests of
partisanship and local interest to
the stern imperatives of the life
and-death struggle in which we are
engaged.
Baltimore Sun-With his assur-
ance that victory in the war is our
first goal and that victory in the
peace is second, President Roosevelt
stated the case as his countrymen
in general must wish it stated.
Nothing can come before military
victory, either in time or in interest.
1t has priority in every sense. =
Richmond Times Dispatch-It was
a heartening review of Americas
present posture in the war.
1t was, moreover. an address to pro-
mote national unity. There was
nothing in it to rufhe the sensibili-
ties of any group of Americans. -
New York Herald Tribune - The
Presidents annual message rises,
with great force and dignity. to the
solemnity of the hour in which it is
delivered. In the face of a critical
Congress, it avoids those political
phrases and devices which Mr..
Roosevelt has so often used In
stead of presenting conventional
catalogue of desired legislation, it
reviews the ma jor facts and restates,
in firm strokes, the broad aims to
which all, substantially, are pledged
1t worthily fulfills the constitutional
injunction to give information of
the state of the Union" The
President has reported on the prog
ress of the war The thing now is
to press onward with the waging
of it.
Kansas City Star - 1t was a mas
terful statement of Americas posi-
ton in the war and of the entire
United Nations cause. The Presi-
dents dramatic summary of what
was accomplished in 1912 and what
is proposed in l943 can give no more
aid and comfort to the enemy than
our ver-mounting arms production,
which affords the assurance of in
creasingly devastating assaults upon
the Axis and Japan from the air, on
land and on the sea.
Boston POst-The address was
agniflcently inspiring. so far as
the conduct of the war is concerned
But it was less persuasive in the
domestic field. -
Chicago Daily News-Mr. Roose-
velt's message was, in our opin-
ion, strong and statesmanlike-o
of his best. 1t put the emphasis in
the right place-that is, on the wal
itself, not on some vague and vast
plans for after the war. His sum-
mary of our first year of battle was
clear, accurate and restrained. with
out bombast or idle specula ton. His
tone-With justifica tion-Was firm
confident and serene.
Detroit News-The Presidents
message was heartening. but not be-
yond that degree of optimism the
facts plainly appear to warrant. In
bringing up the matter of legislatine
freedom from want" in postwar
America the Presidents hand
no doubt had been forced in a sense
by the Beveridge report in Britain
with its proposed broadening of that
country's social security laws. There
certainly is no reason why present
consideration should not be given
this most difficult of the four free
doms, even if practical action on it
must be postponed.
Cincinnati Enquirer Certainl,
the President has done two
things. He has given proof that hi
sees the war and the war effort in 9
sound and clear perspective. Ane
he has come at least half way in q
sincere effort to meet Congress anc
the latent criticisms which all Of
us know exist in Congress. Tit
President has struck the right note
in his first message to the Seventy.
eighth Congress.
Cleveland Plain Dealer-The con.
ciliatory attitude which the Presi.