Excerpts from the Press Conference

Q. [Mr. Godwin] How do you do?

THE PRESIDENT: Did you have a good holiday?

Q. [Mr. Godwin] I spent it out here in the Press Room, mostly, listening to the radio. (Laughter)

That was a good show up at the Capitol yesterday. Did you see it? (Laughter)

THE PRESIDENT: No. When you were away last week there were all kinds of ribald remarks made about your absence. It was all right.

Q. [Mr. Godwin] I know it; I got a report on it.

Q. [Mr. Young] The Boss made a couple himself too, Earl. (Laughter)

THE PRESIDENT: No quarter, isn't that right?

Q. [Mr. Godwin] Do you remember Ham Lewis [Senator James Hamilton Lewis, of Illinois] said, "Mention me, kindly if you will, but mention me."

THE PRESIDENT: Yes. I think I am almost completely devoid of news.

Q. Any idea when you are coming back [from Hyde Park]?

THE PRESIDENT: Probably Sunday afternoon or Sunday night.

Q. The girls want to know if that is a new suit [that you are wearing] or not?

THE PRESIDENT: I think it is [examining inside coat pocket].

Q. Has that a date in it?

THE PRESIDENT: '36. (Laughter)

MR. DONALDSON: All in.

Q. I said it was at least a year old. (Laughter)

THE PRESIDENT: It is what you might call a perfect thirty-six.(Laughter) That ought to hold you.

I do not think I have anything this morning. We are going up tonight and coming back—going up on the night train and coming back Sunday afternoon or Sunday night, probably, subject to change.

Steve [Mr. Early] says the Secret Service does not want definite times of train departures or railroads put down ahead of time in the press, not tonight. I do not know how you are going to disguise that but—

Q. Past tense.

THE PRESIDENT: I do not think we have any particular news outside of that. As a matter of public information, vessels have sighted a submarine, nationality unknown but not American, off the southern boundary of Alaska, where it joins the Canadian territory, in what they call the Inside Passage. A submarine, nationality unknown, has also been seen off Boston, about sixty or seventy miles south of the tip end off Nova Scotia and about half way between there and Nantucket Shoals.

Q. Mr. President, what do you do with that information?

THE PRESIDENT: What?

Q. Is the Maritime Commission informed of all those?

THE PRESIDENT: Yes.

Q. Anyone else?

THE PRESIDENT: The Coast Guard, of course.

Q. Was it sighted by American ships?

THE PRESIDENT: We never will disclose any of these sources for perfectly obvious reasons. However, they are perfectly reliable. May be anything.

Q. Is the Neutrality Patrol in that vicinity?

THE PRESIDENT: There is a patrol all the way from our northern border, roughly, down to and including the Caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico.

Q. We cannot hear back here.

THE PRESIDENT: I was asked whether this was in the neighborhood of the Neutrality Patrol. Well, it is a little difficult to say because we are maintaining a patrol all the way from Eastport, Maine, to and including the Caribbean and the Gulf.

Q. That is on the Atlantic side, but what about that submarine on the Pacific side?

THE PRESIDENT: There is no regular patrol over there, no.

Q. Were they within our territorial waters? (Laughter)

THE PRESIDENT: Well, you know my definition of them the other day. I guess that is good enough.

Q. Are our proper interests involved by these submarines—by observance of these submarines?

THE PRESIDENT: What kind of submarines are they?

Q. They are not American.

THE PRESIDENT: No. They might be Swiss. (Laughter) Don't get too nosey.

Q. Mr. President, is it possible they might be Canadian submarines?

THE PRESIDENT: Might be Bolivian or Afghan. You will get it if you keep on. (Laughter)

Q. Mr. President, what reaction have you had thus far to your speech of yesterday?

THE PRESIDENT: I have not had anything except a large pile of telegrams. I think Steve [Mr. Early] has told you about them. I have only seen a number, a small number of them.

MR. EARLY: I have not seen the Press today, sir.

THE PRESIDENT: I have no idea how many there are. I was simply told there are a large number. I have seen only forty or fifty myself; they have only sent the ones from governors or personal friends.

Q. The story from the Hill that we are getting, is that there is a large and increasing volume of telegrams and messages against your proposal. You are aware of that?

THE PRESIDENT: Oh, yes.

Q. How did yours run, do you know?

THE PRESIDENT: Do you know at all, Steve [Mr. Early]?

MR. EARLY: Yes, sir. I know from the tabulation kept by the telegraph office last night and up to ten o'clock this morning, they were pro, with the exception, I think, of, he said, eight to ten, and two of those were not in exact opposition. They told me that they began to come in spontaneously; they were enthusiastic and the volume was in excess of any received after any of your recent speeches.

Q. Did you get an idea as to how many there were?

MR. EARLY: I asked him, and they said they had not counted them.

MR. YOUNG: Thank you, Mr. President.

MR. GODWIN: Snappy work, Mr. Young, snappy work. (Laughter)