The President's News Conference

THE PRESIDENT. [1.] I want to announce the reappointment of Clarence Young to the Civil Aeronautics Board this morning.

[2.] And, I am having prepared a statement on the present situation with regard to the budget and the order which was made in August, which will be ready for distribution before the day is over.¹

That's the only announcements I have.

1 See Items 187, 194, 195, and 238.

[3.] Q. Mr. President, would you care to comment on the rumors that Attorney General Tom Clark is resigning, and that Senator Wheeler may succeed him ? Likewise that Mr. Justice Jackson is resigning?

THE PRESIDENT. Both so absurd I have no comment to make.

Q. Too absurd to comment on it?

THE PRESIDENT. Too absurd to comment on it.

[4.] Q. When do you expect to take action on the resignation of Solicitor General McGrath ?

THE PRESIDENT. That action has already been taken, I think.

Q. You have accepted the resignation, sir ?

THE PRESIDENT. Yes, I think it's accepted. He is going to be Senator from Rhode Island. He can't hold two jobs? ² [Laughter]

² The President's letter accepting Mr. McGrath's resignation, effective at the close of business on October 7, was released by the White House on October 25.

Q. A little matter of election there, sir. [More laughter]

[5.] Q. Mr. President, has the matter of John L. Lewis' latest statement on the coal contract come to you?

THE PRESIDENT. No, it has not.

Q. Have you anything to say?

THE PRESIDENT. No comment. That is in the hands of Mr. Krug.

[6.] Q. Mr. President, yesterday Mr. Churchill said, "It is not right for the United States, who are keen for immigration into Palestine, to take no share in the task and reproach us for our obvious incapacity to cope with the difficulties of the problem." Would you comment on that, sir?

THE PRESIDENT. I have no comment on that.

[7.] Q. Mr. President, do you expect to issue the wage decontrol order before November 1 ?

THE PRESIDENT. That was covered in the meat speech completely. If you will read that, you will get your answer.

Q. You say "Yes"--

THE PRESIDENT. I said read the meat speech and you will get your answer.

[8.] Q. Mr. President, the Army and Navy Bulletin says this morning that the State Department has something in line for Mr. Forrestal, that he is leaving the Navy. Is there anything you might say about that?

THE PRESIDENT. That is in the same category with Tom Clark and Jackson.

[9.] Q. Mr. President, time left in the campaign is running short. Are you going to make any speeches?

THE PRESIDENT. I have no plans to make any speeches.

[10.] Q. Mr. President, does your meat speech mean that there may be no formal order decontrolling wages ? Just pass out by lifting price control--

THE PRESIDENT. I have answered that as definitely as I intend to answer it. You keep questioning me on it. I have no further comment to make on it. Read the meat speech. That will give you the answer.

[11.] Q. Mr. President, your distinguished predecessor prior to election frequently made bets with himself in a sealed envelope in his desk drawer. Have you made any such bets ?

THE PRESIDENT. No I haven't.

[12.] Q. Mr. President, why are you not going to speak for the Democrats in the campaign?

THE PRESIDENT. I didn't say I was not. I said I had no plans at the present time to make any speeches.

[13.] Q. Mr. President, when is Thanksgiving this year? [Loud laughter]

THE PRESIDENT. I shall, at a later date, issue a proclamation and let you know. [More laughter]

[14.] Q. Mr. President, do you care to make any statement with regard to the resignation of the industry members of the Wage Stabilization Board ?

THE PRESIDENT. No, I have no comment to make.

Q. Planning to this week, sir--to announce it ?

THE PRESIDENT. No.

[15.] Q. Mr. President, have you had any report on the three men who were--three Army men arrested in Baltimore--on photographing atomic bombs on the--

THE PRESIDENT. No.

Q. Has that come to your attention ?

THE PRESIDENT. It has not.

[16.] Q. Mr. President, I just want to ask one question on coal. Are you going to discuss that with your Cabinet members tomorrow ?

THE PRESIDENT. Mr. Krug is handling the coal situation.

Q. Well, he is a member of the Cabinet.

[17.] Q. Mr. President, the Immigration Department--Service has ordered the deportation of 48 Estonians that were down in Florida. The State Department says that that is contrary to the usual policy of not ordering deportation of political refugees. Would you give us your view on that, sir?

THE PRESIDENT. I haven't looked into that particular situation, Joe,¹ but I made a statement yesterday in my speech to the United Nations which said I hoped that our immigration policy would be arranged in such a way that political prisoners could--political refugees could be taken care of and I am very sorry that those people cannot be taken care of. I hope that we can find some way to take care of them.

1 Joseph H. Short of the Baltimore Morning Sun.

Q. Mr. President, would that not require legislation?

THE PRESIDENT. Yes, I think it would.

Q. Mr. President, did you talk to Attorney General Clark about the stay on their deportation, which he issued just 30 minutes or so ago?

THE PRESIDENT. No, it wasn't necessary when I found out he had issued it. I intended to talk to him, but is wasn't necessary.

[18.] Q. Mr. President, if Senator Wheeler isn't named to succeed Tom Clark, is there any other job that you have in mind for him?

THE PRESIDENT. Not that I know of.

[ 19.] Q. Mr. President, there is constant talk that Congress is going to be called back before the regular time for the new Congress?

THE PRESIDENT. Everybody seems to know more about that than I do. I have no intention of calling the Congress back. They have the right under their own resolution to call themselves back.

[20.] Q. When are you going to name the Atomic Commission, please sir?

THE PRESIDENT. JUST as soon as I get the commissions filled I will name them.

[21.] Q. Mr. President, will cotton textiles be taken out of price controls very soon ?

THE PRESIDENT. You will have to ask Mr. porter about that. He is handling--he and Mr. Anderson are handling decontrols along the lines that were outlined in the meat speech.

[22.] Q. Mr. President, did you get any reports on the New York election while you were up in New York City ?

THE PRESIDENT. I didn't discuss politics with anybody yesterday.

[23.] Q. Mr. President, what do you think of the District of Columbia plebiscite ?

THE PRESIDENT. Well, I don't know whether it will accomplish anything or not. I have always been in favor of the vote for the District, and I hope they will eventually get it.

Q. For home rule too?

THE PRESIDENT. For home rule too.

[24.] Q. Mr. President, you said you hadn't made any advance calculations or bets on the elections. Are you willing to lay a small wager? [Laughter]

THE PRESIDENT. It's contrary to the law in the State of Missouri to make a bet on the election. [More laughter] I expect to vote in the State of Missouri.

[25.] Q. Mr. President, there are two propositions with regard to the District of Columbia. One is vote for representation in Congress, and the other is home rule. Do you include--

THE PRESIDENT. I would like for the citizens of the District of Columbia to have the same rights that the citizens of the rest of the United States have.

Reporter: Thank you, Mr. President.