Date: September 28, 1926
Location: Washington, D.C.
(Original document available here)
THE PRESIDENT: As is quite likely to occur when the Government is running along fairly well, there does not seem to be very much news. I just called Mr. Sanders in to ask if he thought of anything that might be helpful to the conference and that I could discuss. They were not able to think of anything, nor do the questions this morning disclose much of anything.
There was nothing in the Cabinet that I know of that would be of public interest — we had a short session. The various Departments that have reported to me since I have returned from my summer camp give encouraging reports about the state of affairs. I think we have been over those things in foreign relations that might be of present interest. I have already spoken at a previous conference about what is going on in relation to aviation. That takes in the three Departments of War, Navy and Commerce. The Post Office Department reports increased receipts from the business of that Department. What I suppose is somewhat unusual a large publisher has sent to the Post Office Department within a day or two a letter of commendation as to the way their business has been handled. The Department of Labor has reported to me that there is very little unemployment if any, and that there is general tranquility in the relationship between employer and employee, extending all over the country. The Department of Commerce has reported that our foreign commerce is good, and that the commerce in this country is going on in a very substantial way.
Here is a question about the purchase of land lying south of Pennsylvania Avenue between the Capitol and Fourteenth Street. I do not know enough about that to have made a final conclusion. We have made an appropriation of $50,000,000 for the purpose of erecting new buildings in Washington — and I think the emphasis ought to be put on that purpose in the expenditure of this money. We would not be any better off than we are now if a considerable amount of this money were used for the purchase of real estate. It would not relieve any congestion. It would not relieve the Government from the payment of any rents. And it would not result in the assembling of those scattered Departments of the different members of the Cabinet into one homogeneous whole. So that, as far as I have thought the matter out, I think the emphasis in the expenditure of this appropriation ought to be put on the erection of new buildings rather than on the purchase of additional real estate.
There is no new development in relation to the Tariff Board, the Federal Trade Board, or in our relations with Russia.
Citation: Calvin Coolidge: Remarks by the President to Newspaper Correspondents
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