The President's News Conference

THE PRESIDENT. This is a famine day again. I have questions on three subjects that are not for quotation, but just for your information.

LAW ENFORCEMENT COMMISSION

One of them is as to whether Justice [Harlan Fiske] Stone has been selected for the Law Enforcement Commission.

I think every one of the Justices of the Supreme Court have been suggested for that commission and nearly every circuit judge in the United States for one of those positions; and that is the extent to which that has gone. Whoever sent that story out was misled.

Q. Mr. President, may I ask a question? Wouldn't he have to resign from the bench ?

THE PRESIDENT. I don't think we want to enter that.

"I'M ALONE" ARBITRATION

The other question is whether we have appointed an arbitrator for the I'm Alone commission. We have not. At least I have no recommendation from Secretary Stimson.

MEDITERRANEAN FRUIT FLY

The other relates to the Mediterranean fruit fly in Florida. We have sent recommendations to Congress to make an emergency appropriation to deal with this particular pest because it is probably the most [p.126] dangerous thing that has attacked American horticulture. It is regarded by all of the experts as probably the greatest menace that could come into American horticulture, and the proposal of the Government is to spend the money to stamp it out instantly without dilly-dallying with it at all. We have asked Congress for $4 million and propose to go right after it. That is all that I have--that I am able to give you.