The President's News Conference

THE PRESIDENT. I have no special announcements to make. I will try to answer questions, though.

[11.] Q. Mr. President, I just wondered if you have any comment on Governor Lausche's indecision on the Senators' race in Ohio^1--

THE PRESIDENT. No, I have no comment on it.

1 On June 19 Governor Frank I. Lausche of Ohio stated at the 42d annual Governors' conference at White Sulphur Springs, W. Va., that he had not decided whether he would support Joseph T. Ferguson, State Auditor of Ohio, a Democrat, or Republican Senator Robert A. Taft in the contest for Mr. Taft's position in the United States Senate.

Q. You haven't any comment as to how that affects the party in Ohio?

THE PRESIDENT. Oh, we'll elect a Democrat out there without a doubt.

Q. Mr. President, may I ask if you were voting in Ohio, how would you vote?

THE PRESIDENT. I would vote the straight Democratic ticket, as I always do.

Q. Mr. President, may I ask further, can you tell us anything about any plans you have to assist Mr. Ferguson?

THE PRESIDENT. I have made no plans politically as yet.

Q. Thank you.

[2.] Q. Mr. President, I wonder if Governors Thurmond and Wright turned down the invitation to that luncheon today, or whether they just were not invited?²

THE PRESIDENT. They were not invited. I only invited Democrats.

² The President was scheduled to give a luncheon at the Mayflower Hotel in Washington at 1 p.m. that afternoon for 18 of the Democratic Governors attending the Governors' conference.

Q. Thank you, sir. [Pause here]

THE PRESIDENT. Well, what's the matter? Are you out of questions ?

[3.] Q. Mr. President, on the tax bill, can you sign the tax bill that has been presented to the House?

THE PRESIDENT. The tax bill is not before me for comment or signature, and I can't comment on it or say what I will do on it until it comes up to me, because it is subject, of course, to changes between now and that time.

[4.] Q. Mr. President, one of the customers is asking if you could express any preference as between Alexander Campbell and Representative Jacobs for the Indiana senatorial--

THE PRESIDENT. I am not in the Indiana primary. I am in Missouri, however.

Q. Mr. President, are you still confident that you can place Mr. Martin Hutchinson in the Federal Government?³ Senator Byrd says he is making an all-out fight on him now?

THE PRESIDENT. I have no comment.

³On March 6, 1950, Martin A. Hutchinson of Virginia was nominated to be a member of the Federal Trade Commission. The Senate rejected the nomination on August 9, 1950.

[5.] Q. Mr. President, on that Missouri primary, did you have a very good meeting out in St. Louis?

THE PRESIDENT. An excellent meeting. Also had an excellent meeting at Mexico and Columbia.

Q. Do you think Allison is going to win? ⁴

THE PRESIDENT. No doubt about it. Your paper is against him, and that's a good sign that he'll win. I can prove that by history. [Laughter]

⁴State Senator Emery W. Allison of Missouri, candidate for the position of Democratic nominee for the United States Senate, was defeated in the primary election on August 1 by Thomas C. Hennings, Jr.

Q. Mr. President, do you intend to vote in person in the Missouri primary ?

THE PRESIDENT. Certainly I do. That is the duty of every citizen of the United States, to vote in the primary and in the election.

Q. Mr. President, do you expect to go out to Missouri, or can you vote by absentee ballot?

THE PRESIDENT. That depends on what the situation is here. If the Congress is on the point of adjourning and bills are piling up on me, I will vote by absentee ballot, if that is allowed in the primary, and I think it is now under present Missouri law.

[6.] Q. Mr. President, I have been hearing from Illinois that you are expected to speak twice in that State this fall. Is there anything jelled on that--

THE PRESIDENT. I have made no arrangements whatever for any appearances this fall. Those appearances will be arranged for the convenience of the local people and through the National Democratic Chairman, Mr. Boyle.

Q. No plans made?

THE PRESIDENT. No plans made as yet.

[7.] Q. Mr. President, some of the Democrats in Missouri are saying that they would like to have you come to St. Louis on the night of July 29th; that is the Saturday night before the primary race. Have you given any thought to that?

THE PRESIDENT. That's the first I have heard of it. I haven't been invited, as yet.

[8.] Q. Mr. President, you said you had not made any of your plans, but you do expect to do a lot of traveling before November ?

THE PRESIDENT. Well, I hope so. I like that sort of traveling, particularly when it's nonpolitical. [Laughter]

[9.] Q. Mr. President, two or three of the European powers have hammered out a European payments plan. What do you think of its prospects of aiding European recovery and integration?

THE PRESIDENT. I think it is a great contribution to European recovery and integration. And I think Mr. Harriman and his assistant, and Mr. Hoffman and his assistant, Mr. Foster, and particularly the Foreign Minister of France, can be complimented on the efforts they have put forth to really make a program that will contribute greatly to the European recovery and defense program.⁵

⁵ The President referred to W. Averell Harriman, U.S. Special Representative in Europe for the Economic Cooperation Administration, Paul G. Hoffman, Administrator for Economic Cooperation, William C. Foster, Deputy Administrator for Economic Cooperation, and Robert Schuman, French Minister of Foreign Affairs.

[10.] Q. Mr. President, I forgot to ask if you intend to go into Illinois?

THE PRESIDENT. That depends on whether I am invited or not.

Q. You certainly will--that's what I understood.

THE PRESIDENT. I hope I will be able to go there.

[11.] Q. Mr. President, have you reached any decision on the proposed merger of the Pan American and Overseas Airways?

THE PRESIDENT. No. It has not come before me as yet.

[12.] Q. Mr. President, I understand the Senate Judiciary Committee is holding up about five judiciary nominations which you sent up in January. Is there anything that can be done to pry those nominations loose?

THE PRESIDENT. I would suggest that you get in touch with Senator McCarran. He is chairman of that committee.

[13.] Q. Mr. President, have you yet picked a deputy for the North Atlantic Pact Defense Council or Foreign Ministers Council ?

THE PRESIDENT. Yes. I think that was announced. The State Department announced it yesterday, didn't they? Didn't State announce it?

Q. It was not announced.

Q. Spofford.

THE PRESIDENT. Well, it will be Spofford, I think. He is a good man and able to fill the job capably.⁶

⁶Charles M. Spofford received Senate confirmation on July 13, 1950, for the post of United States Deputy Representative on the North Atlantic Council with the rank of Ambassador. See Item 195.

[14.] Q. Mr. President, the Congress is working on a 70 group air force which you have at one time opposed. Are you still opposed to a 70 group air force?

THE PRESIDENT. I am opposed to an air force group for which we can't pay. We have given the Air Force all the groups for which the budget can meet the expense. That is the only situation with which we are faced. It doesn't make any difference how many groups are authorized. It depends on how many groups the decision is made on-for how many groups we can pay. That's what it amounts to.

Q. Mr. President, can we pay for a 70 group air force now ?

THE PRESIDENT. No, We Cannot.

[15.] Q. Mr. President, I will ask one other question--I need one of those microphones.-

THE PRESIDENT. There's one. [Laughter]

Q. Do you know whether Governor Lausche will be at the luncheon today?

THE PRESIDENT. Yes sir--he has accepted.

Q. Yes sir.

Reporter: Thank you, Mr. President.