Date: April 18, 1924
Location: Washington, D.C.
(Original document available here)
Here is an inquiry as to whether the Dawes report has been transmitted to the American Government, and whether any steps are contemplated here in connection with it. It hasn’t come to me, but I think that through the usual diplomatic sources, Mr. Logan I believe is the one who was in touch with that situation for the American Government, it was transmitted to the State Department. It hasn’t been brought over to my office, and I don’t know of any steps that it is contemplated to take here in connection with it.
I don’t think any decision has been made relative to the selection of a Chairman for the Republican National Convention. I don’t know of any. So you are at liberty to make nominations as fast and furious as you want. There are so very many excellent men that you haven’t enough Conventions to take up all of your output.
I can’t make any comment at the present time about the immigration bill or its provision excluding those who are inalienable to citizenship.
I haven’t any definite and particular plan for additional White House conferences with members of Congress in connection with the legislative situation, though those conferences go on all the time. While I don’t know when I am going to have one, I know I am going to have a good many.
I think this report that I am to attend the Republican Convention, from what I have already said, and make an address there, you will see is exaggerated. There will be plenty of members at the Convention prepared, I have no doubt, to make sufficient addresses without calling me and my assistance, I don’t ever recall that a President went to a Republican Convention, or a Democratic Convention.
I haven’t signed the Gasoline Tax Bill relative to automobile reciprocity between Maryland and the District of Columbia. It came down, and as is usual in those cases, it has been sent to the District Commissioners for their comment. All bills relating to the District of Columbia go to the Commissioners to see whether they have any comment to make on them.
Here is another inquiry about the report of the Tariff Commission on wheat and wheat products, noting that/wheat item included transportation costs in determining the difference between the cost in this country and Canada. I don’t think that is to be considered exactly as a precedent, and that in every case the cost of transportation would be included, though I think the rule would be that they would be included where they were a material part. Of course it is perfectly evident that an article which is produced in Europe, in order to get it into our market over here, it will be necessary to pay the freight charge. I should judge also the insurance charge and so on, and that probably in that case i t would be an element in determining the cost of production. I don’t know, or don’t happen to think of a good example of a case where the cost of transportation would not be included. I don’t think it was intended to make a precedent one way or another, simply a matter of a case where it seemed that the cost of transportation was a material part of the cost of the article at the market place. Therefore it would be added in. Whenever that is the case, why of course transportation costs will be added.
I think I have here the report of the Interior Advisory Board or Commission, and expected to talk with the Secretary of the Interior about it, but found he had left the city before I had an opportunity to do that. I don’t know whether it will be necessary to confer with him before i t is submitted to Congress, I think I shall submit It without any further conference with him about it.
Mr. Lansing, former Secretary of State, has not been selected for one of the Mexican Claims Commissioners. It is my impression that he represents claimants though I am not certain about it. It is an impression I have. Of course he is a very good man and would make a very acceptable Commissioner. It is my understanding that he is interested in some claims there and represents some claimants, which would of course make it impossible to appoint him.
I haven’t taken any definite steps toward postponing the application of Section 28 of the Merchant Marine Act, and don’t know that I can. I have communicated to the Chairman of the Commerce Committee in the Senate, Mr. Jones, the request to give a short hearing to some exporters who wanted that I should give the Committee some information they had, and I have also communicated with the Chairman of the Shipping Board with a view to seeing what can be done to relieve the embarrassing situation that exists.
I haven’t enough information myself to warrant me in asserting that great difficulties would be incurred by putting this section into operation, though I have heard that stated by people that I think do know that that would be the case. 1 think there is a proposal before the Shipping Board to defer action, or suspend action, for a time, and there is also a proposal for legislation. There is a difference between the Shipping Board and Senator Jones, as I understand. Senator Jones says that it is not the intention of the bill to provide that the section might be put into operation as to those ports that are sufficiently provided with shipping, and leaving out ports not sufficiently provided with shipping. The Shipping Board, as I understand it, says that the section has to be put into operation as a whole, or not at all, -They can’t make any exceptions.
I don’t know of any further measures that are pending in relation to the curbing of the foot and mouth disease, other than those which are already in operation. Ho new plans are under contemplation for it. I think I was informed by the Secretary of Agriculture this morning that at present it did not appear to be spreading any. It is a difficult situation that has arisen in California, on account of different states in that region putting on an embargo on the shipment of fruit s and so on out of California. That we are attempting to remedy by providing for a conference between representatives of California and representatives of surrounding states, at which conference the Department of Agriculture would be represented to see that i f some workable plan can be arrived at, so that there will not be an embargo on a great many products of California . There are very large areas, I think all of the Imperial Valley, that grow cantaloupes, grape fruit, and so on, that are getting ready to ship. While there is no sign of foot and mouth disease, there seems to be a disposition to put an embargo on products out of that locality. So we are trying to see whether by conference we can work out a plan to enable the Californians to ship out their products, and at the same time to provide ample protection to surrounding states and communities against any possible infection.
I can’t give you any definite information about Postmaster Baker of Boston. I understand he is to be appointed right away. Any definite information about that you would get from the Postmaster General.
Citation: Calvin Coolidge: Remarks by the President to Newspaper Correspondents
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