Date: March 6, 1925
Location: Washington, DC
(Original document available here)
I haven’t any information other than this question about the dismissal of William T. Lopp, Chief of the Alaska Division of the Bureau of Education, so I am unable to give any information about it.
I haven’t any plan at the present time about an extra session of the Congress. Of course you never know what may occur. I don’t see anything that is likely to occur now that will call for an extra session.
I haven’t decided about any judicial appointments. I am naturally awaiting the ratification of Mr. Warren as Attorney General, in order that I might have the advantage of investigation of such candidates as are proposed.
I don’t know as there is anything I can say about farm legislation that hasn’t already been said. The opposition that arose to the suggestions and recommendations of the agricultural conference didn’t seem to come from the farmers themselves, but rather they came from those that were dealing in farm produce, which is always the case. Every time I try to do anything for the farmer, I always find a very distinct opposition from those who are dealing in farm produce and it comes from certain people that are engaged in organizing the farmer, – evidently on the theory that if the United States Government undertook to perform certain services in relation to cooperative marketing that those who are now performing services of that kind wouldn’t need to be longer employed. I don’t want to do anyone any injustice about that, but that seemed to be the nature of I the opposition. I think that when the recommendations get down to the farmers themselves where they have a chance to look them over, to consider them and study them a little more, that a very large part of the opposition will disappear and that legislation substantially in accordance with the recommendations of the conference will probably be recorded, and I hope passed.
Mr. President, did you refer to opposition from the cooperatives themselves?
I made the statement that certain opposition came from those who were engaged in organizing the farmers. Now, I don’t think that opposition will have any real foundation when those who are interested, both those who are now engaged in the cooperative movement and the farmers themselves and those who are engaged in the marketing of farm produce all have a chance to give the proposals a little more mature consideration. I think they will very likely see that they are to the advantage of al l concerned and that we will get legislation substantially in accordance with the recommendations of the conference.
I don’t think any one has been determined on as Assistant Secretary o f Agriculture. I have mentioned that matter to Secretary Jardine, who is considering the different suggestions that have been made. Naturally I shall be guided very largely by what he might have to suggest.
I don’t see that I can give any encouragement about any trip to Texas in the immediate future. I want to go to Minneapolis, but I haven’t given any final answer about that. That is early in June, I believe, and there are no other invitations save, I think, there are some to go up to Massachusetts for Concord and Lexington and Bunker Hill celebrations, and those I haven’t been able finally to determine.
Have you determined about Michigan, Mr. President?
Not finally. I stated I think the other day that I had expected to go up there, particularly in response to the invitation of Dr. Burton, who has now passed away, and I don’t know that that will make a determining difference. It does make a difference in my desire to go, naturally.
I think very likely that I shall nominate someone for Ambassador to Germany before the special session of the Senate adjourns. I want to get that post filled as soon as I can.
There were some things about the Civil Service Retirement law that I thought were good and some suggestions about certain parts of it that I wasn’t so much in favor of. There were certain parts of it that I was informed were very difficult, if not impossible, of administration. If there had been more time perhaps those could have been amended and some legislation in relation to Civil Service retirement enacted. I am willing to go far enough to say that I am in favor of the general proposal and some changes in the Civil Service retirement law, and perhaps some increases in the payments that would be made under such a bill.
Any specific provisions that the President has in mind?
I think especially those in relation to 4th Class Postmasters are considered to be difficult. I don’t usually like to comment on magazine articles. Of course if I start in to correct all the statements that are made in the magazines and the press I should have very little time for anything else. But here is one that represents me as adverse to appointing women to any federal position higher than those held by women when I took office. I like to see the states , not exactly taking the lead, but indicating their desires in relation to having certain offices held by women before I should take very much action in that respect. I want some indication of the public sentiment of a state in relation to their desire about women holding office. We have a great many women holding office under the Federal Government. I have appointed some. I expect to appoint a great many more. I haven’t any specific policy about it other than to go on appointing women as I have in the past. Very likely the time will come when I may appoint some woman to a position higher than that which is held now. I certainly never had any policy of not doing that.
Will that apply, possibly, to the Cabinet, Mr. President?
Well, I have never given that much consideration. I never made up my mind about that.
I haven’t made up my mind, as I have said already, about the Lexington, Concord, and Bunker Hill celebrations .
I am going to look over the Tariff Commission’s report on linseed oil. I expect to do that right away and come to some determination in relation to it.
I haven’t any present intention of sending a message to the Senate relative to the World Court. That is already before the Senate. I have made my declaration on it times enough, so that I think every Senator knows what my position is and it is also in the party platform.
Commissioner Burgess of the Tariff Commission has indicated once or twice that he wanted to retire from that Commission at some time, but I don’t understand that there is any immediate prospect. He [wimpily] indicated that he would like to retire some time.
There wasn’t anything taken up at the Cabinet meeting this morning.
That seems to cover the questions of the day.
Citation: Calvin Coolidge: Remarks by the President to Newspaper Correspondents
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