The President's News Conference

THE PRESIDENT. I am afraid this is going to be a famine morning. I have some questions which are not yet far enough developed for me to make an adequate statement about. I have one or two minor things, purely background order.

TIMING OF APPOINTMENT ANNOUNCEMENTS

I have several questions relating to nominations--appointments. In the main, and there are a considerable number, the appointments must be made and submitted to the Senate--judges, some district attorneys, various officials around through the Government. I have not proposed to announce any of those until they are sent to the Senate. There are some administrative offices that we may want to announce in the meantime. I do not say this without exception, but I would prefer to hold them up until the Senate can act on them. That applies to the Radio Commission as well.

RADIO CORPORATION OF AMERICA COMMUNICATIONS

Another matter that has been raised a time or two--and purely for your own information--is the question of the proposed acquisition of the Radio Corporation's communications by the International Telephone and Telegraph Corporation. That combination is inhibited by the last Radio Act, and anything in that matter must go to Congress. It is not a matter for administrative action. Nothing can be done about it either one way or the other until Congress is able to deal with it.

And that is all that I have on my mind this morning. I shall try to develop something more for you before the end of the week.

THE CABINET

Q. Do you wish to say anything about [the] Cabinet ?

THE PRESIDENT. No, there was nothing but routine work connected with the various departments.

DIPLOMATIC APPOINTMENTS

Q. Does that apply to diplomatic appointments?

THE PRESIDENT. There may be an exception or two but in the main it applies to all the appointments. I would not want to commit myself to it too rigidly, but that is the general rule.