The President's News Conference

MESSAGE ON HAITI

THE PRESIDENT. I have no inquiries from you, but I have two or three items from my side. One of them is that I have just sent a message to Congress on the state of Haiti, and when we hear that it has been delivered we will release it to you here, which might be most any minute. We cannot, however, give it to you until they have had it.

APPOINTMENT OF PATRICK J. HURLEY

And I have today sent up Colonel Hurley's name as Secretary of War. Just for a little background for you about Colonel Hurley--as you must know, he is a very experienced lawyer and was a distinguished officer in the World War, and has been a successful business executive. His appointment gives effect to the wish of the Southern States that there should be a Cabinet member from that quarter. He has been endorsed by the leading men of practically every State in the South most urgently.

MEETING WITH BUSINESS LEADERS

There is one other little matter on the background of this conference we had yesterday. 1 I don't know whether it is clearly understood that the committee being set up in the Chamber of Commerce is purely a temporary committee. It has just one function, and that is, to organize each industry for the expansion of its construction and its maintenance work.

1 See Item 297.

Secretary Lamont is setting up today a special division in the Department of Commerce to similarly organize and coordinate the public works with the State and municipal and county governments.

That is all that I have got.

INTERNAL REVENUE COLLECTOR

I might add that a new collector has been appointed for the Port of Brooklyn. We will give you a note about his background.

HAITIAN SITUATION

Q. Mr. President, have you any background on the Haiti situation ?

THE PRESIDENT. Nothing more than appears in the message (?).2 I have nothing that I can add to that. I stated what the situation is in the message to Congress--as we see it.

2 The question mark appears in the transcript.

Q. Mr. President, will the message deal with the probable appointment of the commission mentioned in the regular message to Congress ?

THE PRESIDENT. I would rather leave that until you see the message.