Executive Order 2585 Constitutional Neutral (+0.02)

Executive Order 2585—Taking Over Necessary and Closing Unnecessary Radio Stations

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Friday, April 6, 1917

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1 min read (216 words)

Plain-English Translation & Framers' Constitutional Analysis

Early Statesman synthesis distilling legal jargon into practical meaning, statutory anchors, and structural constitutional impacts.

This executive order, signed by President Woodrow Wilson on 1917-04-06, establishes federal administrative policy concerning "Taking Over Necessary and Closing Unnecessary Radio Stations." It is a direct, concise executive instruction delivering focused administrative or military commands to department leadership.

Constitutional Assessment: Scrutinized through Article II, Section 2, this action exercises the President's constitutional role as Commander in Chief. Early Framers recognized broad executive discretion in commanding military forces during conflict, provided it remains bounded by congressional declarations and respects civilian domestic courts.

Key Directives & Operative Actions

▪ The enforcement of this order is hereby delegated to the Secretary of the Navy, who is authorized and directed to take such action in the premises as to him may appear necessary.

▪ This order shall take effect from and after this date.

Constitutional & Societal Entities Impacted

🏛️ Armed Forces & Military Establishments 🏛️ Sovereign State Governments & Localities

Total Words

216

1,302 characters

Estimated Read Time

1 min

@ 200 words / min

Flesch-Kincaid

26.1

Post-Grad reading level

Constitutional Polarity

+0.02

Framers' Alignment index

📜

Scholarly & Legal Citations

Exec. Order No. 2585, Woodrow Wilson (Apr 6, 1917). Available at https://executiveordersarchive.org/orders/app-executive-order-2585-taking-over-necessary-and-closing-unnecessary-radio-stations.

Official Document Text

Source: The American Presidency Project (UCSB Archive)

Original Source →

Whereas, the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America, in Congress assembled, have declared that a state of war exists between the United States and the Imperial German Government; and Whereas it is necessary to operate certain radio stations for radio communication by the Government and to close other radio stations not so operated, to insure the proper conduct of the war against the Imperial German Government and the successful termination thereof Now, therefore, it is ordered by virtue of authority vested in me by the Act to Regulate Radio Communication, approved August 13, 1912, that such radio stations within the jurisdiction of the United States as are required for naval communications shall be taken over by the Government of the United States and used and controlled by it, to the exclusion of any other control or use; and furthermore that all radio stations not necessary to the Government of the United States for naval communications, may be closed for radio communication. The enforcement of this order is hereby delegated to the Secretary of the Navy, who is authorized and directed to take such action in the premises as to him may appear necessary. This order shall take effect from and after this date. WOODROW WILSON THE WHITE HOUSE, April 6, 1917.