Date: July 23, 1926
Location: White Pine Camp – Paul Smiths, New York
(Original document available here)
I am very sure there is not the slightest foundation for any report that General food has resigned as Governor General of the Philippines.
Press: In that connection, have you received any word that some complaints have been made about Mr. Thompson chumming with Quezon?
President: No.
My son John is at summer school at Burlington, the University of Vermont I don’t know just when he does get through. I think some time the latter part of August.
I don’t imagine that Senator Butler will come up here. Representative Snell lives near here. I presume he will drop in some time during the summer, and I presume Senator Wadsworth will, though about that I haven’t any particular information. As I said the other day, I have spoken to him about it.
I didn’t have any discussion at all with Senator Fess about any plans for farm relief.
I don’t think that General Andrews is undertaking to negotiate any treaty with England. The conduct of the foreign relations of this country is in the hands of the State Department and the President.
I haven’t any information as to what use was made of the money that was advanced to the British during the war, other than what has been stated by the Treasury Department. The records are all there and show for themselves. I don’t know of any agitation against the United States for the purpose of regaining avenues of trade that the United States has entered into which other countries would like to have. There is always competition in foreign trade. I don’t think it is any different now than it usually is. And I don’t see any evidence that the United States is likely to lose any foreign trade that it now has. It is in better condition to take care of it than other countries are and will probably continue to be i n a position to give better service than others, and for that reason will be able to hold its trade.
I haven’t been able to get any one to succeed Commissioner Fenning. It is a somewhat difficult task anyway to get a Commissioner for the City of Washington. Of course I am somewhat handicapped in trying to deal with it while I am up here and not being in Washington where I could carry on negotiations in respect to it personally. There is a feeling on the part of some of those who have talked with me about it that if Commissioners of Washington are to be subject to the kind of attacks that are being made on them that they don’t care to consider holding such an office. I don’t know how far that is going to embarrass me in getting someone to take Mr. Penning’s place. There are a lot of very good men in Washington. I think that I shall be able to find some one that is acceptable. But it isn’t an easy position to fill.
Press: Is General Helmick being considered, Mr. President?
President: Well, I don’t know about that. I think his name is one that has been suggested to me. The difficulty is not in a lack of suggestions. There have been a great many men suggested. The more that are suggested, until you find a man to take it, the more work there is in investigating the suggestions and the longer it takes to come to a decision.
Citation: Calvin Coolidge: Remarks by the President to Newspaper CorrespondentsÂ
The Coolidge Foundation gratefully acknowledges the volunteer efforts of Vincent Scanlan who prepared this document for digital publication.