Roosevelt tribute paid by House
Saturday, April 14, 1945
WASHINGTON (UP) – The House held a brief session today, adjourning after five minutes in respect to the late President Roosevelt, whom it called an “illustrious statesman and leader in the nation and in the world.”
After receiving a Senate resolution expressing regret over Mr. Roosevelt’s death, the House adopted one paying its tribute to the late President and expressing sorrow over his death. The Senate had expressed itself yesterday.
The resolution also extended sympathy to the Roosevelt family and instructed Speaker Sam Rayburn to appoint 15 members to attend the funeral services.
Open with prayer
The House originally had planned today’s session as an observance of Pan-American Day but cancelled that program because of Mr. Roosevelt’s death.
The session opened with a prayer by Msgr. Patrick J. McCormick, rector of Catholic University. House members and the half-filled galleries bowed solemnly as Msgr. McCormick began his eulogy of Mr. Roosevelt with the traditional Roman Catholic prayer of the dead – the “De Profundis,” or “Out of the Depth.”
Plea for forgiveness
Out of the depths, I have cried into Thee. O Lord, Lord, hear my voice, Almighty and merciful Father, who in Thy inscrutable Judgment and unsearchable way has called unto Thyself the soul of Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Thy faithful servant… we bow in humble submission to Thy holy will.
In this hour of national sadness and grief we turn to Thee, the God of all consolidation and hope and we plead for him, for with Thee there is merciful forgiveness and plenteous redemption.
Jap leader sends ‘sympathy’ to U.S.
‘Can understand great loss,’ premier says
Saturday, April 14, 1945
WASHINGTON (UP) – Japanese Premier Kantaro Suzuki expressed his “profound sympathy” today to the American people upon the death of President Roosevelt.
In a broadcast recorded by the FCC, a Domei representative said he was “almost taken aback by the unexpected reaction, but quickly realized that it was not strange coming from a man of large caliber as the new premier is.”
Leadership effective
The enemy broadcast quoted the new premier as saying:
I must admit that Roosevelt’s leadership has been very effective and has been responsible for America’s advantageous position today. For that reason, I can easily understand the great loss his passing means to the American people. My profound sympathy goes to them.
Suzuki added that he did not believe America’s war effort would change because of the President’s death.
The premier said:
On Japan’s part there will not be any letup in her determination to continue fighting for the coprosperity and coexistence of all nations as against Anglo-American power politics.
Truman ‘too good-natured’
The Tokyo radio told the Japanese people that President Harry S. Truman “especially exerted his efforts in bettering the conditions of the lower classes. but is a little too good-natured and not good in politics.”
The broadcast quoted a Miss Shio Sakanishi, who was called the former head of the American Library of Congress research department. Miss Sakanishi knew President Truman, the broadcast said.
Miss Sakanishi was quoted as saying:
Differing from Roosevelt, Truman does not know diplomacy and he is not good in politics. It must be the worry and concern of the American people who wonder how he will hurdle the many international problems he is bound to meet, but there is a group of people who will be able to give him guidance.
Adm. Kichisaburo Nomura, Japanese Ambassador to the United States when Pearl Harbor was bombed, said in a Tokyo broadcast that the late President should be given credit “with respect to his internal policy.”