The President's News Conference

THE PRESIDENT. Well, I have two or three items in the nature of things not for quotation. I think you will find they are not propaganda, but I do not wish to put them in the first person, so you can take it as being background material for your own use.

VISIT OF BRAZILIAN PRESIDENT-ELECT

Dr. Julio Prestes, who is the President-elect of Brazil, is coming to the United States to return the visit of courtesy which I made to Brazil about 18 months ago. He will be the guest of the American Nation.

He will come from Brazil on a Brazilian-Lloyd steamer accompanied by an escort of two Brazilian cruisers, and will arrive at Hampton Roads about the 15th of June, where he will be met by suitable naval vessels and brought to Washington.

Mr. Eugene Meyer has courteously tendered to the Government the use of his residence in Washington for the entertainment of Dr. Prestes and his staff. The President-elect will remain here 4 or 5 days, and will be suitably entertained by the Government, and then he will undertake a tour of the United States, where he will be, also, the guest of the Nation. Naturally, he will be received by the Governors and the mayors in the different States and cities in full appreciation of the character of his visit and the great courtesy and good will he has shown by it. It will give the American people an opportunity to express their century-old friendship for the people of Brazil.

Q. Mr. President, where is the Meyer residence ?

MR. AKERSON. It is on Crescent Place.

COLOMBIAN PRESIDENT-ELECT

THE PRESIDENT. The Colombian Minister, Senor [Enrique] Olaya, will become President-elect of Colombia early in June. And during the period which he remains in the United States after that date he will also be the guest of the Nation. No detailed plans have been worked out as yet.

NAVAL AFFAIRS

I propose to review the fleet on its return from the New York maneuvers next Tuesday, so that we will leave Washington Monday evening by train and return sometime Tuesday night.

Incidentally, I might mention that the transformation of moving pictures brought about by the sound pictures places the Navy in very great difficulties, because there is no longer an available supply of sufficient silent films to fill the morale and recreational requirements of the Navy. In order to relieve this very acute famine I am sending an estimate up to Congress to equip the Navy with the necessary sound projectors. We cannot allow the Navy to fall behind in its morale and recreational facilities. We must maintain it to the very high standard of efficiency in its educational and recreational activities.

AUGUST VACATION PLANS

Another piece of background--some folks in Washington of an entirely speculative mind, wish to make me work during the holiday which I had hoped to secure during the month of August. Various plans have been made for me by various Washington correspondents which do not comport with either a holiday spirit or holiday practice, but apparently the public has not taken it that way. The multitude of invitations which have been showered upon us almost without exception elaborate on the fishing facilities and the great numbers of fish waiting in their ferent localities, and express the most kindly attitude towards a real holiday and not work.

I regret that, in limiting my absence from Washington to approximately a month, I will not be able to meet all of these fish, as I had thought to confine any activities in that direction to the national parks, as perhaps an indication to the American people that we do in the Nation maintain the greatest playgrounds in the world. In fact, August is rapidly becoming the fishermen's month. If you judge by the number of fishing licenses which are issued, there must be 8 or 10 million of people who go fishing about that time of the year, and they avail themselves of this very human occupation as a matter of relaxation. I do not assume that the sentiment of fishermen generally is toward work when they are tending to that particular occupation. Furthermore, I do not believe this great mass of fishermen care to have the placidity of their occupations disturbed by politics at that time. Fishing, in fact, is the one human occupation that is clear of political implications, and it requires considerable imaginative qualities to make it so, because I do not know of any fish that bases its preference or his conduct on a basis of national issues.

Q. Mr. President, do you mean you are only going to be away a month ?

THE PRESIDENT. That is all that I think I shall be away. I might stretch it out a few days on either end, but that would be sort of getting away from school. But we might take a few days either way. But that is the limitation.

VISIT OF PRESIDENT-ELECT JULIO PRESTES

Q. Can you tell us, Mr. President, what sections of the country the new President of Brazil will visit ?

THE PRESIDENT. We do not know yet.