Date: September 30, 1927
Location: Washington, D.C.
(Original document available here)
I am not entirely certain but I expect to say a short word of welcome to the delegates to the International Radio Conference who are to assemble Tuesday afternoon.
I have no information about any change in the tariff rates on automobiles on the part of Australia.
I had not given any thought to doing any traveling after I leave the Presidential office in foreign countries. I do not know now any reason why I should want to leave this country.
I do not know when Mr. Morrow is coming to Washington. I assume that he will probably come as is the custom with people who are sent on foreign missions to look over the files and have some conferences with the State Department before they take up their duties in foreign countries.
No decision has been made about the post in Cuba or in the Philippines.
Of course, nobody could make any estimate as to how much flood control will cost until the plan for flood control is brought forward. Undoubtedly different plans would cost different sums, perhaps varying quite a good deal, so that it would be idle to make any estimates in anticipation of the report of the Board of Engineers. The same reason would apply to any estimate as to the first appropriation. One would probably be correct in expecting that that would not be as large as some of the following appropriations because there would not be the opportunity to begin the work, or rather there would not be the opportunity to carry on the work that there would be after it was well under way.
My views about the merchant marine have been set out in my several Messages to the Congress, and nothing has come to my attention to indicate that the position that I then took was not sound or one which I do not expect to support. There may be some changes in the situation that have not been specifically brought to my attention that would cause me to make some transient change of policy, but I think the permanent policy that I have already outlined in my messages is the one that this country should pursue.
I have no information as to what Mr. Schlee — I do not know just how that is pronounced — one of the round-the-world aviators — made in the nature of any request of our Navy, so I would not be able to comment on that. I think those two men made a remarkable demonstration in reaching Japan. I am somewhat inclined to commend their wisdom in not attempting to fly across the Pacific.
Merely in answer to this question I would not say that the mission of Brigadier General McCoy to Nicaragua made him any more or any less available for the Philippine post.
I do not know of any general activity on the part of American producers or any general information as to their ability to supply the demands of the domestic market if our present customs duties on imports from France should he changed. The silk trade has voluntarily, and entirely of their own volition, sent word to me that they are in position to furnish to American consumers all the silk that is now purchased from France. And also voluntarily and of their own volition one of the associations of textile manufacturers sent to me the same information. It is coupled I think in both instances with the statement that they are not undertaking to influence the position of this government in any way and that they do not desire to do any injury to the people of France who are engaged in the production of silk and the production of fine textiles. It is merely a statement of their ability to supply the entire market here if the contingency should arise where that would be necessary.
QUERY: The other textiles. Was that cotton goods?
THE PRESIDENT: I do not know. It was a textile association — whether it was merely confined to cotton — some association I think that had headquarters in New York. I did not understand from looking at the letter and especially from the letterhead that it was confined to cotton textiles though that may be the case. It was simply an association of textile manufacturers but I think there was nothing in the letter or letterhead to indicate that it did not include both cotton and wool.
At this point the President indicated that there was nothing further and the correspondents proceeded to leave the room. They were called back and the President continued:
I wanted to say that I have a report from the Red Cross Headquarters that they have put their organization to work on the St. Louis disaster – and a similar report from the War Department. I made inquiries of both of those places this morning expressing my desire that they should immediately offer such aid as they could. I find from the information I have received that their relief was already on the way.
Citation: Calvin Coolidge: Remarks by the President to Newspaper Correspondents
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