Date: March 3, 1925
Location: Washington, D.C.
(Original document available here)
I haven’t any information other than this question about the appointment of a commission of three to investigate production methods at Muscle Shoals on the resolution of Representative Madden. If such a resolution comes down, I haven’t the slightest doubt that I should respond to it favorably.
Mrs.Coolidge and I will not attend the Charity Ball tomorrow night. I think we may drop in to the Opera this evening for a short time.
Mr. President, will your father accompany you?
I don’t think so.
I haven’t signed the bill or resolution, whichever it is, I presume it is a resolution, relative to the sesquicentennial of the signing of the declaration of independence at Philadelphia. I knew that it provided for the appointment of a commission representing the different states and so on, and I shall make those appointments right away.
I don’t know; when the successor of Judge McGee will be appointed. I have called that to the attention of the Department of Justice, asking them to make investigations and suggestions and look up someone that they thought would be qualified to serve. I haven’t had any report from them. If the report should come in today, why I would send it up. I imagine that we won’t get any report on that until the coming in of the next session of the Senate, the extra session I mean.
Mr. President, can you tell us the state that appointment is in? Mr. McGee is from Minneapolis. It is a Minnesota appointment. I don’t know yet who I shall appoint a Marshal for the Western District of Texas. I think there are two candidates there, a Major Glover of San Antonio, and a man named Scott White of El Paso. The main question there seems to be one of geographical distribution. Other portions of the state have been honored with appointments and El Paso is very anxious to have this appointment go to that town.
I don’t know as I can make any particular comment about the resolution providing for American participation in the Seville Exposition at Seville, Spain. I have known a little of something about that and have favored participation of our country, if this is the Spanish Exposition that I think it is. They will have an exposition in Spain, of international character, and I was desirous that our country should participate .
I haven’t any information about the funding of the French and Italian loans, other than that which has already been published and given out by Secretary Mellon. I don’t know of any marked and particular change in the foreign debt situation. I think the situation is gradually improving because of the better condition that Europe is gradually getting into, the settlement of its own affairs and the reparations question. That being out of the way, I should imagine it would give them opportunity to give a little more consideration to payment of their foreign obligations.
I shall take the oath of office tomorrow on a bible that was given to me by my grandmother. That was the family bible to which I referred the other day. Someone wrote in and wanted to furnish a bible that George Washington had used, and I wrote thanking them and saying I had this family bible and preferred to use that. It will be opened at the first chapter of John, which happens to be the first chapter of the bible that I can recall reading. My grandfather was ill for a long time before he passed away and I used to read that chapter of the bible to him when I was a small boy not more than four or five years old.
You say your grandfather, Mr. President?
Yes. So that I thought I would open the bible at that chapter and use the bible that my grandmother gave to me.
Citation: Calvin Coolidge: Remarks by the President to Newspaper CorrespondentsÂ
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