Date: October 24, 1924
Location: Washington, D.C.
(Original document available here)
Nothing more has been done about the disposition of Muscle Shoals.
I don’t know of any plan in relation to the Z-R-3, to use it either as a commercial carrier or as an adjunct of the Army and Navy, other than the general plan to use it for military purposes the same as our other airships have been used. I am not certain whether it is technically assigned either to the Army or the Navy at the present time, but I assume it was assigned to the Navy. I think they are the ones that have charge of that kind of our aircraft.
I haven’t any information whatever about the letter that was published as coming from Mrs. Willebrandt, other than what is included in the published reports. I haven’t had any request for any extension of the leave of absence of General Butler. I did direct the Attorney General to investigate the situation in Philadelphia. I haven’t had any report from him. That direction was made some time ago, when there was a communication from some person up there, I can’t remember now what his name was –
Nicholson –
I think he was the Secretary of some civic organization, or league for law enforcement, or something of that kind. I turned over the communication to the Attorney General, directing him to investigate and take such action as he thought might be necessary.
I haven’t had any communication that has come to my desk from the real estate men regarding wholesale evictions of tenants. If anything of that kind has come in, it is still in the outer office and hasn’t reached my desk yet. I suppose it is known that this office is doing everything it can to see that the law is enforced and rendering any assistance that we can render to those that are in distress, through the proper offices that are provided by law here for the assistance of distressed people. As I haven’t heard anything from it for a day or two I thought whatever had been necessary had been done by the Commissioners, or the Secretary of War, or the Attorney General. I haven’t any definite information about the rent situation in Washington. I have been over it once or twice with the Rent Commission, I think it was last year, because I felt that here in Washington the Government owed a somewhat peculiar duty to the residents. It is a Federal city and such a large proportion of those who live in Washington are either directly or indirectly connected with the Government service that it is quite important from a business standpoint that the Government should provide, insofar as it can, that they are able to secure rentals at a reasonable compensation. So the Government has really a direct financial connection with the prices of rentals in Washington, as It is one element of the cost of living , and that is one element of Government wages.
Mr. President, at that time consideration was on the question of extending the Rent Board. You haven’t studied it since?
No, not especially. That was not done then with the idea of working out what the prices of rentals here might be, but with the idea of doing everything the Government could do to see that they were reasonable.
I don’t know anything about the publishing of the tax returns, other than what appears in the papers. I didn’t know that they were to be published, and I don’t think there was any reason for their publication other than that which newspaper men would know better than I. I am quite certain that they had no political reason for printing the tax lists.
I haven’t any special information about any difficulties with Roumania. Whatever has been done has been done entirely with the State Department, I think, and that has been a matter of insufficient moment to be brought to my special attention.
I hope to attend the Army and Navy football game. Where is that to be held this year?
Baltimore.
It is within easy striking distance and comes about the 20th of November?
The 29th, Mr. President.
Well, I am arranging about that time to go to Chicago to attend the opening of the Cattle Show. I don’t think it would necessarily interfere with my going to the game, but I am very anxious to go to that cattle show in order to be at its opening. It is a very important exhibition of cattle, perhaps one of the most important in the world, and I have already indicated that I shall try to be present. I think that starts in on Saturday, just before the opening of the Congress. I am a little uncertain on that account, but I think I can arrange it so that I can go both to the football game and also to the opening of the cattle show at Chicago.
I haven’t any plan about going to Miami, Fla. to spend two or three weeks after election. I have understood that that is a very fine place to go for a vacation. I judge that they have some capacity for advertising.
I haven’t any plan about a trip out of Washington after election.
I am not certain yet about going to Northampton to vote. I am rather afraid that I shall not be able to go up there to vote. That means, of course, that I shall cast my vote by mail. I should certainly go, if I were not able to vote by mail. This is just the time when I am urging the different departments to save what money they can, and it is quite an expense to the Government for the President to go up to Northampton and back.
I don’t know as I can make any comment on the campaign. It seems to be proceeding satisfactorily, and I should think the outlook is encouraging judging from the developments of the past week or ten days. The other party doesn’t seem to be especially hopeful of the action it has taken.
I don’t know what reaction I can report to you regarding the address that I delivered last night. I received telegrams from as far east as New York City and as far west as Seattle, Portland, San Francisco and Los Angeles that they had heard it perfectly. No one, so far as I know, that has communicated with me, has found say fault about it. Perhaps they wouldn’t do that.
Mr. President, you haven’t heard from the La Follette train yet, have you?
No. I don’t think so, directly.
Mr. President, what are the reports from Minnesota. I understand the latest report is that the Republicans are going to carry Minnesota?
I haven’t any specific reports about any states . My reports indicate that I shall probably carry Northampton. That is about as far as I can go into details. That is based more on experience.
Citation: Calvin Coolidge: Remarks by the President to Newspaper Correspondents
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