Press Conference, July 13, 1928

Date: July 13, 1928

Location: Superior, WI

(Original document available here)


I am expecting Roy West, the National Committeeman from Illinois, and Secretary of the National Committee, an old friend of mine who has stayed at the White House at Washington, to come up and visit me. He may get in tomorrow and will probably stay over night.

Question; Will Mrs. West be with him?

President: No, I don’t think so.

Question: Until Monday, sir?

President: I say he will probably stay over night.

I have a telegram from Secretary Kellogg stating that Germany has accepted the multilateral treaty without condition and France has notified him that they will send a note within a few days, probably Saturday, stating her willingness to sign a treaty, which is all very encouraging progress on that important proposal. He also states that Chile and Peru have both unconditionally accepted his suggestions to renew diplomatic relations, and that means that there will be an exchange of Ministers.

I haven’t formally accepted Secretary Work’s resignation. He and I are busy getting the appointment of the experts on the Boulder Dam, which are appointed by him subject to my approval. We went over the list when he was up here. He has been communicating with the members that were then selected, and I have a wire from him this morning that they have accepted, so I suppose I will get formal notice of his proposal to appoint them, to which I will give my consent and approval.

Mrs. Coolidge and I have spoken of a possible trip to the Yellowstone this summer, but nothing definite has been done about it. My wife’ s mother’s health, as you know, is very poor. She has not been quite so well for the last day or two. That, we always have to consider in any question of going away.

There isn’t anything that can be said about recognizing the Nationalist Government of China. We indicated I think from time to time that we would be glad to recognize a government of China that seemed to be a real government with jurisdiction over the country and the usual powers to protect the lives and property of our citizens there, and we are hopeful that such a condition may soon arise in China. That is as far as we can go about that at the present time.

I haven’t had any direct indication from Secretary Jardine that he might come here during the summer. He had planned to go to Alaska, where the Agricultural Department has some interests, and it is possible that on his way out or back he may stop here. I haven’t made any definite and final decision about going to Cannon Falls on July 29th, other than I am expecting to go and hope to. I don’t know just when I shall accept the resignation of Secretary Hoover or Secretary Work. Very soon, I expect.

I don’t know of any plan of Secretary Work to make another visit up here.

Some of the people connected with the school here have made me a present of a tackle box this morning and it is done up in purple and white, which happens to be the Amherst College colors.

Mr. Bayne was in to call on me. His father used to be the clergyman in Hadley, Mass., and he lived there for some time. He is the publisher of the News-Tribune. Mr. Murphy, who was in to call on me a day or two ago, also lived in that part of Mass. I think he told me he was born in South Deerfield. He lived in that region and was formerly connected with the Springfield Republican in its early days. I see they have two Massachusetts pictures on the wall here, Whittier and Holmes, so I feel quite at home out here.


Citation: Calvin Coolidge: Remarks by the President to Newspaper Correspondents

The Coolidge Foundation gratefully acknowledges the volunteer efforts of Frank Harder who prepared this document for digital publication.

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