Excerpts of the President's News Conference

Mr. Strother, who had something to do about arranging and compiling in conjunction with Mr. Slemp that book that Mr. Slemp issued, was in this morning and brought me in a presentation copy of it. Glancing at it I see that it is very well indexed and there is topically arranged in the book things that I have said in relation to a great many subjects. I think your offices ought to provide each one of you with a copy of that book.

PRESS: Would you autograph each copy?

PRESIDENT: Yes, I would be glad to, and whenever you want to know what my position is on any subject, if you will just glance at that index it will very quickly refer you to a place in the book where you can learn what I have said in relation to a very great many different subjects.

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I don't know about the necessity for legislation relative to the observance of the Sabbath in the District of Columbia. So far as my observation has gone the Lord's Day seems to be very well observed here. It may make a difference about one's opinon on that subject as to where you spend your own Sabbath. I usually spend mine going to church. I don't go outside much. Such observation as I have made seems to indicate that the observance of the Lord's Day is fairly good in this district, though the laws here I know are not quite so strict as they are in Massachusetts. I think the tendency of legislation has been rather toward liberality of Sunday observance, so far as legislation goes, rather than towards more strict laws. I recall that when I was Governor of Massachusetts I signed a bill permitting the playing of baseball on Sunday, not professional baseball and not baseball where any admission is charged.