Date: February 19, 1929
Location: Washington, D.C.
(Original document available here)
I am having the Civil Service Commission put into form the recommendations that were made by the special committee of the Cabinet relative to veteran’ s preference, so that I think I may be able to issue an order relative to that within a few days.
I haven’t made any arrangements about any occupation after I get out of the Presidential office. Quite a number of people have suggested different lines of employment that I might undertake. Several have talked with me about writing; syndicated articles. I have told them all that I wasn’t in a position to make any decision about it at the present time. That of course is a very fine field, but I have a good deal of hesitancy about binding myself to any regular production. It may be that when I leave office I might write an article once in a while about something that came under my observation while I was President about my experience in life, something of that nature, but I should hesitate very much to bind myself to producing an article at regular and specified times. I have been thinking a little more seriously, though, the last few days about what I might possibly do, but have arrived at no decision.
As Friday is a holiday, Washington’s Birthday, I am not expecting to have any Cabinet meeting, and, as I suppose the members of the press conference will be busily engaged in observing the day, perhaps attending different celebrations that may be taking place, which they would like to report, and as the departments will be closed, unless the conference very much wishes it I have thought we will dispense with having a press conference also on Friday at 4:00 o’clock.
I am sending up an estimate of $2,400,000 for an additional appropriation for the use of the Treasury Dept. and its prohibition work. After talking with some members of the House and Senate it seemed best to deal with the situation in this way. They wished to be consistent up there in relation to the position they had taken, but I was willing to waive my consistency down here. While I thought that we had sent up all the money that could he advantageously expended, if it would relieve the situation to send up a small additional appropriation for some things the Department thinks they could use the money for I have been willing to take the judgment of the Department and the judgment of the Bureau of the Budget and the judgment of the members of the House and Senate in making this estimate.
Mr. Sanders: Some of the members of the press have requested a group photograph and I think a week from today would be a good day, if it is nice, and I thought the press might want to know it now.
President: If you will make a due record of that in the news story and every one that attends the conference will have it in mind and come in a week from today, I will be able to join all of you in the south grounds for a picture that will make a permanent memento of the occasion. Our press conferences have always gone especially well, and I hope they will continue in good form until two weeks from today on my account, and indefinitely in the future on account of my successor.
Citation: Calvin Coolidge: Remarks by the President to Newspaper Correspondents
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