Date: June 19, 1925
Location: Washington, D.C.
(Original document available here)
I haven’t received any further reports from the Tariff Commission. I don’t know when I shall make any further decisions on the two or three things that I have before me.
I haven’t any plans in relation to shipping under consideration, other than those that have already been given to the press. I have received an invitation I believe to speak at the semi-centennial of the Reopening of the University of North Carolina, in October. I haven’t made any final decision about that, and I can’t say that I am very hopeful of going. I would like to go, but I doubt if I shall be able to go.
My ability to promote Captain Robison, now Admiral Robison, of course depends on the report that comes to me from the Board. The Board hasn’t recommended his promotion. I don’t think they are going to sit again for some time. The decision in Colorado, it says Montana here but it is in Colorado is one way and the decision of the California case is the other way. Both cases I suppose may be understood to be technically pending, because I have no doubt the defendant will appeal in the California case and presumably the Government, though I haven’t any actual information about that and nothing has been said about it by counsel. Will appeal in the Colorado case. So that it doesn’t change the situation very much.
I have received a communication from Peru through the Peruvian Ambassador that Emanuel De Freyre Santander – I will let the good Spanish fellows pronounce that for me; I spell it because I am not certain that the Spanish men or the others would get the correct spelling from my pronunciation – has been appointed the Peruvian member of the Plebecite Commission. That of course is none the less gratifying news, not withstanding that it was expected that the plebecite would go on.
I can’t make any comment about the decision at Cheyenne relative to the oil leases, because any comment about that ought to come from the counsel.
Here is an inquiry as to whether I am prepared to announce the personnel of the Tacna-Arica Plebecite Commission. I take it that I have already answered that question. The other member here is General Pershing and I think we appoint one and Chile appoints one, which has already been done; and Peru appoints one, which has been done and fills the Commission.
I have already noticed this quotation here from the French note to Germany. That is probably in response to the memorandum of Germany’s on the 20th of January. Addressed at least to England and France, in which Germany offered to pledge itself to the Government of the United States as trustee. That is the only suggestion I have seen that the United States should associate itself in that way and I suppose that it goes without saying that I don’t see how the United States could take action. While we are interested of course in all the rest of the world and in the security of Europe, it is long ago our settled policy not to make political engagements of that kind, and I see no reason why it would expected that we should make one in this instance, nor do I see any hope of the United States make an engagement of that nature. I don’t believe that the different powers will make a suggestion of that kind to the United States.
That seems to cover the inquiries.
I think there may be a short conference Tuesday.
Citation: Calvin Coolidge: Remarks by the President to Newspaper Correspondents
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