Date: December 2, 1924
Location: Washington, D.C.
(Original document available here)
There isn’t any information that I can give you in relation to the progress or negotiations that are on about the funding of the French war debt. That is in the hands under the statute of the Commission, the Foreign Debt Commission. I knew that they had a meeting and were doing something, but you will have to get your particulars from them. You are in touch every day I think with both Secretary Hughes and Secretary Mellon. They know what the particulars are there and you can get the information from them.
I have a letter from Mayor Kendrick about General Butler which is under consideration. I have to make inquiries of course from the Department as to the convenience or inconvenience of having him away. I don’t like to think of sending a U. S. officer out to perform civil duties of that kind. I think the correct policy would be not to lend them, if that is a fair statement to make of it, for anything more than to bridge over an emergency, though I know how I regret to see good men leaving the service that I am responsible for, and of course Mayor Kendrick regrets to see a good man leave the service that he is responsible for. So that I am in some difficulty to see where the General could perform the most useful public service, whether it ought to be with his command here or in Philadelphia. I haven’t taken any action about the letter. Here is another inquiry about it.
I haven’t any information about the action of Judge Harris at Boston. I knew there had been some complaints about the conduct of his office. Senator Lodge had had the matter under consideration for some time and was going to confer with me about it when he returned. I understand that Comptroller of the Currency Dawes is going to resign. The question of gun elevation has not been discussed. I am going to act on the sugar tariff just as quick as I can. I haven’t received any report from the Navy Department on the relative merits of aircraft and sub-surface craft.
I haven’t been able to determine on a successor to Mr. Corey of the Farm Loan Board. What I am anxious to find there is a man that will be helpful in the making of cattle loans. The other farm activities are very well taken care of. One of the spots in agriculture that needs special consideration is the financing of cattle on the ranges. I want a man that would look on that with sympathy in the first place, and in the second place would be equipped from his experience and ability to take up that part of the farm loan work and extend every possible facility that the Government can extend to the financing of range cattle.
I have already spoken of the French debt. I haven’t accepted the resignation of Colonel Miller, the Alien Property Custodian. I understand he is necessarily called abroad again, and in that case he will probably think it is necessary to retire from his present office.
I don’t contemplate going up to Plymouth in the winter. I don’t think you would enjoy the winter up there, so that if there is a plan to keep the road open and increase the telephone service it is with something else in contemplation than a visit of Mrs. Coolidge and myself.
I don’t know when I can send in the nominations for the judgeships, I think there are two, the Police Court and the Juvenile Court judgeships in the District of Columbia. I meant to have asked Attorney General Stone about the rent situation and what progress his investigation is making, but I didn’t think to, and I suggest to you that you, I think most of you have, of course you all have access to his office, and several of you I suppose see him on stated occasions, perhaps every day?
Twice a week, Mr. President.
He can give you more accurate information about that situation than I can. I will be glad to tell you anything I know, but anything I know comes from him. If you keep after him you will have the original source of information.
I think that is all for the day. I am sorry I kept you waiting.
Mr. President, are you going out to inspect the submarine?
I haven’t any plan about that. If I get over to the Navy Yard and go out on the Mayflower I shall look at it. I should be interested to see one. I have never seen any except to see them sailing in the harbors. But I haven’t any plan about it.
Citation: Calvin Coolidge: Remarks by the President to Newspaper Correspondents
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