The President's News Conference

THE PRESIDENT. [1.] Well, I am glad to see you this morning. Just 2 years ago I called you in here at 8:30 in the morning and made an announcement that the Germans had surrendered officially, and read you two proclamations, I think, one calling for a day of prayer the following Sunday, and one outlining the necessity for continued work until the Japanese had surrendered. There was a grand rush, after that announcement was made, and Merriman Smith broke his arm as he went out the door, and another fellow here¹ who broke his leg, almost but not quite.

¹ Robert G. Nixon of the International News Service.

Q. Not quite, Mr. President. [Laughter]

THE PRESIDENT. So I hope there won't be any occasion for such a tremendous rush this morning.

A great many things have happened during that period that have been interesting and we hope constructive. The outlook now, from my viewpoint, is much improved to what it was then. I am still an optimist that we will eventually get a peace which will be lasting, and that the United Nations will effectually carry out its Charter. I am as sure of that as I am standing here.

At that time, we were still working on the United Nations Charter. It was my privilege after that to go and speak to the windup of that conference on the writing of the United Nations Charter. A short time after that I went to Potsdam and spent several weeks there. A great many of you were with me on that trip.

And then on August 14th the Japanese folded up. Both the end of the war with Germany and the war with Japan were ahead of the anticipated schedule--left us with a great many problems, particularly Some 12,800,000 men under arms, whose mothers and fathers immediately wanted them discharged the next day--which couldn't be done.

We got over that hump in very good shape, and I think successfully got over most of the others that we have had to meet. We still have a great many to meet, and we're still expecting to meet them successfully, for the welfare of the United States.

I didn't intend to make you a speech, but I thought you ought to be reminded that this is just the second birthday of the windup of the war with Germany, and still have 3 months to go for 2 years after the Japanese folded up.

Now I would be willing to answer any questions I can.

[2.] Q. Mr. President, how old do you feel today, in view of all that?

THE PRESIDENT. Oh, about the same as I did when I came to the Senate in 1935. [Laughter]

[3.] Q. Mr. President, regarding the price situation, is that one of the things you still have to get over?

THE PRESIDENT. I stated my position on the price situation in the speech to the Associated Press in New York.¹ I think it is pretty thoroughly covered in that.

¹ Item 76.

[4.] Q. Mr. President, I have been asked to ask you whether you, being a Missourian, would comment on a Missouri bill to ban utility strikes?

THE PRESIDENT. I have no comment, because I know nothing about the bill, and I understand it isn't a law yet.

[5.] Q. Mr. President, do the Baltimore election results make you optimistic

THE PRESIDENT. Make me very happy. Made me very happy, just as the Chicago election did. [Laughter]

[6.] Q. Mr. President, when do you expect your report on universal military training, sir?

THE PRESIDENT. At any time now. I am anticipating it in a very short time.

Q. Do you still expect to get UMT through this session of Congress?

THE PRESIDENT. I am going to try. What was the question back there?

[7.] Q. Have you had an opportunity to look over the portal-to-portal bill?

THE PRESIDENT. We are studying it now. I will give you an answer on that just as .soon as I have all the facts.

[8.] Q. Mr. President, William C. Bullitt has been reported conferring with your Ambassador in Paris. Is Mr. Bullitt on any sort of mission for you?

THE PRESIDENT, NO, he is not.

Q. There are also reports, sir, that he conferred with Admiral Leahy before his departure. Do you know whether that is true?

THE PRESIDENT. I know nothing about it.

[9.] Q. Mr. President, is Emmet O'Neal on your list to be the next Ambassador to Manila ?

THE PRESIDENT. I have no comment to make on that. There is no vacancy yet in the Philippine ambassadorship.

[10.] Q. Have you received yet a recommendation from the Secretaries of War, Navy, and State on the standardization--military standardization program?

THE PRESIDENT. No I have not.

[11.] Q. Mr. President, you have been in office about a little over 2 years, and you are having another birthday. Has your philosophy of life changed any in those 2 years?

THE PRESIDENT. Not the slightest. Not the slightest. I think we have the greatest Government in the world. I think we have the greatest Government the world has ever seen. The more I become familiar with it, the better I like it, even if it does make a slave out of the President. [Laughter]

[12.] Q. Mr. President, the head of the Southern Baptist Convention¹ in St. Louis yesterday said that you had promised him last June that as soon as treaties were ready for the countries in Europe you would recall Mr. Taylor. They urge his immediate recall. Have you any comment on that?

THE PRESIDENT. I think I made the statement when the gentlemen were in to see me, that when peace was consummated we would consider the recall of Mr. Taylor. Peace is by no means consummated yet.

¹ Dr. Louie Newton.

[13.] Q. Mr. President, there was a bill introduced last week which concerns an amendment barring Federal funds for sectarian schools. Would you favor such an amendment?

THE PRESIDENT. I have no comment on that. I know nothing about it.

[14.] Q. Mr. President, I hate to be persistent on prices

THE PRESIDENT. Go ahead.

Q. --but since you spoke last, sir, the idea has been fanfared forth by the United States Chamber of Commerce that a drive from the White House to use "moral suasion" to get prices down might cause the depression that it seeks to avert. Do you want to comment on that, sir?

THE PRESIDENT. NO I do not. No comment.

Q. Mr. President, also on prices, your campaign seems to have had quite a reaction

THE PRESIDENT. I have been very much pleased with the reaction.

Q. Do you think that we might be over the peak of inflation?

THE PRESIDENT. I never have thought that we were in inflation. What we have been trying to do is to prevent inflation.

Q. Do you think we are over the peak of high prices?

THE PRESIDENT. I can't answer that question. You will have to see what develops.

Reporter: Thank you, Mr. President.