Date: August 8th, 1924
Location: Washington, D.C.
(Original document available here)
No information has come to me about any danger to the life and property of American citizens in Honduras that warrants our sending any marines or sailors there. In fact, I didn’t know that at the present time there was any change in the situation. They have been having difficulty over an election and we have been attempting to assist in any way that we could. I didn’t know there had been any outbreak of violence, though something may have occurred.
I think that sometime after my notification I may go up to Plymouth. My boy lies there, and naturally my wife and I would like to go up there. My regret about that is that there isn’t any convenient place in that vicinity for the members of the press. Within 10 or 12 miles is Woodstock, which is a most delightful place and well-known summer resort with a very fine hotel. It is a matter of 40 or 50 minutes run in an auto.
Mr. President, how long would you be gone?
10 or 12 days.
Have you decided what day you will leave?
No. That is more or less tentative.
You are fully decided that you are going, Mr. President?
Well, I am going to try to go.
I understand you will live at your father’s home there?
Yes. That is where I shall go.
I don’t know as I can give you any information about the political situation and any information from Mr. Butler, other than what I have already seen reported in the press. The situation is satisfactory and it is hopeful, if we take hold and do the necessary amount of work.
Mr. President, have you decided anything about a headquarters in the northwest?
I don’t know. He didn’t say anything about that and I didn’t. I don’t know whether any decision has been made about that or not.
I am afraid I can’t give you any receipt for keeping comfortable.this hot weather. The weather seems to have gone back on us some in the last week. And I don’t know as I can give you any information about playing ball that would be of public interest. My own experience in that was confined mostly to my schoolboy days. If any of you come up to Plymouth, I will be glad to show you where I played when I was a boy. I think I played a little after I went to the Academy, though not in any competitive way.
Mr. President, will you show us how you did it?
I am afraid that wouldn’t be possible.
What position did you play?
I think I played various positions. Where I was a boy there weren’t boys enough to make two nines. We usually contented ourselves with a game played by about three, I think. One to pitch, one to catch, and one to bat the ball. That is why I say I played in various positions.
I don’t know just when I can get around to taking up the report of the Tariff Commission on the duty on sugar. Perhaps I can do something about that when I am away.
I don’t think I can give any view about Mayor Hylan’s letter that would add anything to it.
I haven’t received any information from London other than what is in the press about the French and German compromise on the Ruhr situation. I don’t know whether it is expected that the French will evacuate the Ruhr soon or not, though I had the impression that it was expected and that an agreement would be reached under which there would be an early evacuation.
I think there is to be a conference in Paris on the allocation of German reparations, and if that is the case we shall be represented there, because that is a matter that affects us. There are quite considerable claims against Germany, and the outcome will depend on the result of the findings of the Commission, which is now at work on that. We have a claim for the Army of Occupation, which is roughly $255,000,000, and then there are the other claims arising out of damages that accrued just prior or after our going into the war. Those, when they were presented, were quite a large amount, but my understanding is that the findings of the Commission have reduced them very materially, so that I don’t think it will run over half a billion and may be quite a considerable amount less than that.
Represented officially or unofficially, Mr. President?
Of course we shall be officially represented. It is a matter to determine how the German Reparations are to be allocated, which will mean that it will be determined there by what method, what time, and in what amounts we are to receive compensation to meet these claims that we have.
Has a decision been reached as to who will represent the U.S.?
I think Mr. Kellogg would be sent over, if Mr. Herrick is not there. Perhaps Mr. Kellogg will assist Mr. Herrick. And of course Colonel Logan, who is very familiar with all these questions.
I haven’t had any information at all about any suggestion about refunding the allied debts. Nothing has come to me about that.
I didn’t know that Ambassador Herrick had sailed from France to visit this country. I don’t know of any report that he is considering resigning. I haven’t had any report on that and I think I indicated in a conference within a week that I think that report is without any foundation.
I haven’t any further plans than those that have already been disclosed about the conduct of the campaign.
Now we will go down and attend the baseball game.
Citation: Calvin Coolidge: Remarks by the President to Newspaper Correspondents
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