The President's News Conference

GENEVA MEETING ON DISARMAMENT

THE PRESIDENT. Well, I have a small statement you can quote if you will. You can get a confirmation of it from Mr. Akerson later if you wish.

I am greatly gratified at the promising character of the results for naval reduction arising out of the recent Geneva conference. All of the principal naval powers have expressed adherence to the principles suggested by the American delegation, which include the conception of reduction instead of limitation of naval strength. They have expressed their desire for full and frank discussion which would lead to the development of the American formula into a practical step. The manner by which these discussions are to be initiated has not yet been determined, but the question will be followed up promptly

Q. Mr. President, there is a little confusion in the public mind as [p.140] between the terms reduction and limitation. Does reduction mean reduction of existing equipment ?

THE PRESIDENT. I don't think we will go into that, because it requires a large amount of discussion as to limits, but the sense of it, I think, is perfectly clear that reduction means an actual saving on either construction or present equipment. Nothing else is reduction.

NOMINATION OF CHARLES EVANS HUGHES, JR., TO BE SOLICITOR GENERAL

I have nothing else that I can deal with. There is just one point for your information on which you might be accurately informed, not by way of quotation or statement.

Mr. Hughes' name was presented by the New York leaders some weeks ago, together with others. Amongst them were Mr. Bond, of Syracuse, who later found that he could not disassociate himself from his firm. Mr. Hughes was subsequently supported by leaders of the bench and the bar not only from New York State but throughout many other parts of the country. There seems to be some confusion as to the relation of the New York organization, and I merely wanted you to have that for your own information.

I have nothing more.