The White House Week

P: The President, continuing his breakfast diplomacy, again had a picked group of Senators and Representatives at his matutinal board. His object, as at his other breakfasts lately, was to impress Congress through its leaders with the necessity of cutting down appropriations, however worthy. Among those present: Senator Norbeck, chairman of the Committee on Pensions (there was a $19,000,000 Spanish War Veterans' Pension Bill pending); Mr. Snell, Chairman of the House Committee on Rules (which has power to block much legislation); several members of the House Committee on Agriculture (which is dealing with expensive farm relief measures).

P: At his usual meeting with the press, the President made it known that according to present indications the Treasury will break a little better than even in the fiscal year (1926) ending next June, but that in the following fiscal year (1927) the appropriations already made are $21,000,000 in excess of prospective revenue, and if business should have a set back the deficit would be even greater.

P: A group of Representatives of Jewish societies called at the White House to urge the admission, apart from immigration quotas, of 35,000 wives and minor children of men who have settled in the U.S. and declared their intentions of becoming citizens.

P: In spite of his warnings against further appropriations, the President after consideration finally signed the bill increasing pensions of disabled Spanish War veterans from $20 to $50, graduated according to age. He said the Spanish veterans were certainly entitled to that, considering what other veterans are getting, but that it would increase the expected deficit for 1926-27 from $21,000,000 to $40,000,000. He issued an ominous message announcing his approval of the bill:

"This bill calls for continuing appropriations once it becomes law, and each budget must be made with a recommendation for sufficient funds to pay these additional pensions.

"The authorizing of this additional expense will make it all the more necessary to resist the passage of bills which would increase by any considerable extent the necessity for permanent appropriations."

P: Honorary President Coolidge of the Boy Scouts addressed his followers at their annual meeting in Washington (see POLITICAL NOTES).

P: Elihu Root called at the White House to pay his respects, and stayed a long time with the President. When he came out reporters "pumped" but he only smiled wanly in response. He answered only one question, "Will the Volstead Act be modified?" remarking sagely: "Time will tell."

P:The President was invited last week to spend his summer 1) at Lake Winnepesaukee, 2) on Cape Cod. He announced that he would summer somewhere in New England but would not choose a spot until he had sent a man to investigate the offered sites.

P:Members of the National Crime Commission called and grasped the Presidential hand.