The President's News Conference

THE PRESIDENT. I have one question that I can't very well answer without making trouble for other people.

CHIEF OF THE MILITIA BUREAU

I have one question about filling the office of the Chief of the Militia Bureau. That matter is in the hands of the Secretary of War, so you will have to ask him.

BUSINESS MEETING OF THE GOVERNMENT

I have one question as to whether we are going to have a business meeting of the Government the end of this month, and we will not as I want to wait until the new Director of the Budget comes on the job to learn something of his duties. So it will be some time in September.

APPOINTMENTS TO THE FEDERAL FARM BOARD

The other thing--I am able to announce the acceptance of three men on the Farm Board. There are other men to whom offers have been [p.203] made, but we have not yet gotten their acceptances, so I am only able to announce three of them.

I want to give you this background about the selection of these men. Secretary Hyde and myself have been earnestly endeavoring to develop the membership of the Board in cooperation with the farm organizations in the country. We first sent out an inquiry as to their suggestions, and then taking the suggestions that seemed to us to command the most attention we have taken it up again with various other farm organizations interested, and ultimately have come to a conclusion and made offers to several persons, of whom three have accepted, so that in a very large sense we are making up the Board with the cooperation and approval of the active farm organizations.

As an indication of that, I am giving to you the names of the farm organizations which have endorsed Mr. [James C.] Stone, Mr. [Carl] Williams, and Mr. [Cyrus B.] Denman. They make a very formidable list and represent very large bodies of farmers. The material is all mimeographed so that you can get it outside. That is all that I can tell you today on that.