Roosevelt's Fireside Chat, 12 October 1937

This afternoon I have issued a Proclamation calling a special session of the Congress to convene on Monday, November 15, 1937. I do this in order to give to the Congress an opportunity to consider important legislation before the regular session in January, and to enable the Congress to avoid a lengthy session next year, extending through the summer. I know that many enemies of democracy will say that it is bad for the tranquillity of the country, to have a special session—even one beginning only six weeks before the regular session. But I have never had sympathy with the point of view that a session of the Congress is an unfortunate intrusion of what they call "politics" into our national affairs. Those who do not like democracy want to keep legislators at home. But the Congress is an essential instrument of democratic government; and democratic government can never 'be considered an intruder into the affairs of a democratic nation. I shall ask this special session to consider immediately certain important legislation which my recent trip through the nation convinces me the American people immediately need. This does not mean that other legislation, to which I am not referring tonight, is not important for our national well-being. But other legislation can be more readily discussed at the regular session. Anyone charged with proposing or judging national policies should have first hand knowledge of the nation as a whole. That is why again this year I have taken trips to all parts of the country. Last spring I visited the Southwest. This summer I made several trips in the East. Now I am just back from a trip all the way across the continent, and later this autumn I hope to pay my annual visit to the Southeast. For a President especially it is a duty to think in national terms. He must think not only of this year but of future years when someone else will be President. He must look beyond the average of the prosperity and wellbeing of the country, for average