The President's News Conference

THE PRESIDENT. [1.] I just have two announcements to make this morning. I am going to reappoint J. Russell Young as Commissioner of the District of Columbia; and Rosel Hyde to the Republican vacancy on the Federal Communications Commission.

And that is all I have to say to you, unless you have some questions to ask.

Q. Mr. President, could Mr. Romagna repeat that second name

THE PRESIDENT. Rosel--R-o-s-e-l--Hyde-vacancy on the Federal Communications Commission. He has been the Counsel for the FCC.

Q. Do you know where his home is, by any chance?

[Mr. Ross handed the President the formal nomination.]

THE PRESIDENT. Idaho -- comes from Idaho. That is R-o-s-e-l H. Hyde.

Q. Will Mr. Denny continue as Acting Chairman?

THE PRESIDENT. Yes.

[2.] Q. Mr. President, there have been reports of some disagreement on the Anglo-American Inquiry Committee. The reports are that Mr. Crum wanted to resign, and that you personally intervened with him to remain. Would you--

THE PRESIDENT. That's the first I have heard of it. No communication like that between Mr. Crum and me.

[3.] Q. Mr. President, before we get wrapped up in international affairs, can I ask again about this California cannery situation? Has that been brought directly to your personal attention?

THE PRESIDENT. No, it has not. The Secretary of Labor has been handling it.

Q. One of the California Congressmen tried to make a date yesterday to see you, and was told that you didn't want to get mixed up in it, and thought that the Governor of California should settle it.

THE PRESIDENT. Well, I do think so. [Laughter]

Q. Good.

[4.] Q. Mr. President, some of our Chilean papers have asked for comment on the visit of this Miss Gabriela Mistral to you on Saturday last, and I believe you told her you wanted to go to Chile. Is that right?

THE PRESIDENT. Yes, I told her I would like to pay a visit to Chile. You know, it was arranged for me to take a South American tour on the 20th of April last year, and conditions developed so I couldn't do it; but she is a very charming person and she made a good impression on me. [Laughter]

Q. That would have been an official trip as Vice President

THE PRESIDENT. Yes.

Q. --of the United States?

[5.] Q. Mr. President, is the United States favorable to a postponement of the Security Council meeting?

THE PRESIDENT. It is not; and the Security Council will not be postponed.

Q. By that, Mr. President, you mean that it will go on, on Monday, and that the United States will press for action at that time on any dispute that is before it?

THE PRESIDENT. That's right.

Q. Will you tell Mr. Gromyko that today when he calls on you at 11?

THE PRESIDENT. If he brings the subject up, I will discuss it with him.

[6.] Q. Mr. President, is there anything you can say about Senator Pepper's speech yesterday?

THE PRESIDENT. No comment.

[7.] Q. Do you agree with Mr. Wallace, sir, that party members who break over the line should be disciplined? [Laughter]

THE PRESIDENT [laughing]. Mr. Wallace and I have not discussed that subject. But, you know, it is necessary to hold the party in power in line, if you expect to get a program over. No set way has ever been found to do that. Various expedients have been tried, but none of them has been successful to date.

Q. Expect you wouldn't object to the disciplining of Republicans who go over? [More laughter]

THE PRESIDENT. If they were joining the progressive Democrats to put over some of my measures, I would be very happy to have them help.

[8.] Q. Mr. President, I have a very little thing I would like to ask about. Why were the carabao heads taken off the Philippine table? [Laughter]

THE PRESIDENT. I didn't know they were. That's news to me. [Laughter] I didn't know. Maybe somebody was hungry. [More laughter]

Q. I think they bumped into them.

THE PRESIDENT. Oh, is that it?

[9.] Q. Mr. President, how do you feel about Governor Lehman's suggestion that we return to wartime food rationing?

THE PRESIDENT. Well, if it becomes absolutely necessary, I wouldn't object to the return to wartime food rationing; but that situation has not yet arrived, and I hope it will not be necessary.

I was very sorry to see Governor Lehman quit, but he has been in ill health ever since I have been here, and wanted to quit immediately after I came in.

[10.] Q. Mr. President, down on the Hill, the Navy asked for about two billion dollars more than you recommended. Any comment?

THE PRESIDENT. Why, the Director of the Budget will appear before the committee and explain that--the whole situation. There is a complete misunderstanding on that subject, and it ought to be entirely cleared up. The statement made by the Navy is not in line with the facts. 1

1 A White House release dated March 8 announced the transmittal to the Congress that day of the Navy budget (H. Doc. 501, 79th Cong., 2d sess.), stating that the estimates for naval appropriations for fiscal year 1947 totaled $3,725 million with an additional $500 million to be transferred from the naval central procurement fund. The release pointed out that the recommended appropriations together with a recommended appropriation of $134 million for the Coast Guard would total slightly less than the estimate of $4,500 million included in the budget submitted to the Congress by the President in January. It noted, however, that net new authority to obligate under the recommendations for the Navy and Coast Guard was about $234 million above the amount contained for this purpose in the January budget estimate.

[11.] Q. Mr. President, have you discussed foreign affairs at all in your speech Saturday night?

THE PRESIDENT. Only incidentally. That's a political speech. [Laughter]

Q. No announcement that you are going to seek nomination in 1948?

THE PRESIDENT. No such announcement will be made.

[12.] Q. Mr. President, do you intend to nominate Ed Pauley for any other job?

THE PRESIDENT. I would like to use Mr. Pauley very much. He still has a job to do on the Reparations Commission. He will continue with that until it is finished. Then I will discuss that with him.

[13.] Q. Are there any plans in the works for another Big Three meeting?

THE PRESIDENT. No. The United Nations Organization is supposed to take over the things that were discussed at Big Three meetings, and I think the United Nations Organization ought to take that responsibility if we are going to have peace in the world. I would be very glad to see any members of the Big Three at any time.

Q. Just don't want a Big Three meeting--

THE PRESIDENT. I am not asking for a Big Three meeting.

[14.] Q. Mr. President, Mr. Lie said yesterday that a message from you would be read at the meeting on Monday. How will that be conveyed?

THE PRESIDENT. Secretary of State.

Q. Secretary of State?

THE PRESIDENT. The Secretary of State. It will be a message of welcome to the United States.

Q. Mr. President, I am puzzled to know what would really happen on Monday if Russia insists on a postponement, and the United States insists against the postponement?

THE PRESIDENT. I think you had better attend the meeting. That's the best way to find out. [Laughter]

Reporter: Thank you, Mr. President.

THE PRESIDENT. You're entirely welcome.