Date: November 27, 1928
Location: Washington, D.C
(Original document available here)
I haven’t been able to confer with many members of the House and Senate, so that I could form any judgment about what plans they wish to pursue and until I got that information I wouldn’t have any opinion as to whether it would be feasible to pass any farm legislation at this session. I don’t know whether they are planning to have a special session or not. They may feel certain that they would have a special session and they may feel that it is a matter that will go over until that time. Of course, whether they can pass a bill at this session would depend to a considerable extent upon what agreements can be reached in the Congress relative to it.
If it is a matter of long drawn out debate, they might not have time to take it up. On the other hand, if they could reach a substantial agreement among the members in the Congress and the people on the outside that are interested in that legislation they might be able to put one through. But it is more a matter for the Congress to decide than it is for me. I don’t know what their plans may be in relation to it. I am starting for Swannanoa tomorrow. I prefer that the time of my departure shouldn’t be published of course, and I think the press already has this list which to a certain extent you know is confidential. I don’t take it that the members of the party—that there is anything confidential about that. Of course, Mrs. Coolidge will accompany me, and Mr. and Mrs. Stearns are expected to go. Mrs. Stearns has not been feeling very well for a day or two and there is some question as to whether she may feel able to take the trip. My two aides, Col. Latrobe and Captain Brown, and Col. Coupal, my stenographer, Mr. Geisser, and the housekeeper and secret service operatives, and of course some of the servants at the house, and there will be representatives of the press , both the reporters and picture men, I don’t expect to have any invitations or accept any on Saturday. It is my intention to attend church at Charlottesville, the First Baptist Church there, at a union service, which I think all the churches in that town join on Thanksgiving morning about 10:30. I shall probably go from there to President Alderman’s house, President of the University of Virginia, who is to have a buffet lunch, and after lunch I am not sure whether I shall go to the football field. We may go and stay a few minutes.
Question: Is that Alderman or Alterman?
President : Alderman. The members of the press may recall him as the man who made the memorial address on President Wilson at the House of Representatives shortly after President Wilson’s death. He made a very fine address which received very favorable comment at the time
Citation: Calvin Coolidge: Remarks by the President to Newspaper Correspondents
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