THE PRESIDENT. I trust, ladies and gentlemen, everybody is wearing his proper emblem and done up in green this morning.
Someone asked last week about the coffee investigation. We inquired, and the Chairman says that the investigation is coming along in good form, and they should have a report in the near future.
There is one other little item, an Executive order that will be published, I guess this afternoon, having to do with this research and development.
The only reason I mention it is because of the tremendous impression and impact it makes on me when I look at the sums that the Government spent for research and development only a matter of 12, 13 years ago, and what we are spending now. When you have an item of more than $2 billion in your budget, you have something that takes, of course, not only the finest scientific brains you can find in the United States to supervise and coordinate it, but it is really big business of a very large order; I believe in 1940, in all departments, that ran to $100 million. I think that Mr. Hagerty will have a statement to put out somewhere along about 4:00 o'clock.
I think that is all I have, so we will go to questions.
Q. Merriman Smith, United Press: Mr. President, Representative Sterling Cole, the Chairman of the Joint Congressional Atomic Energy Commission, said last night that we now have a hydrogen bomb and can deliver it anywhere in the world. I wonder if you could discuss that?
THE PRESIDENT. No, I wouldn't want to discuss that. I hadn't seen the statement, and I don't recall what we have released. My embarrassment at this moment is not that I wouldn't be glad to talk over certain of these things if I could recall how far we have gone in releasing information on the point, but when you say "can deliver anywhere in the world," why, of course, I guess that assumes that you have the right places from which to do it, and the machines, and so on.
I would say that was a question not to be discussed until I was more sure where I am standing.
Q. Mrs. May Craig, Maine Newspapers: Mr. President, he did put in the reservation if we have bases near enough. He did say we do not have nonstop planes that can take it there now.
THE PRESIDENT. I didn't read what he said; and I am sorry, Mrs. Craig, I don't believe I will discuss that this morning because I just don't think it is wise for me to do so until I check up. It is possible that I have said so much in the past that I would be perfectly justified in discussing it in some detail this morning.
I will tell you what I will do; I will look up and see where we stand, and if it comes up at our next conference, why then, I will discuss it if I should do so. But I just don't want to go off the deep end here when I don't know where I'm standing.
Q. Edward T. Folliard, Washington Post: Mr. President, I would like to ask you about a reply you made to a question last week. You had been asked about Indochina, about the possibility of a war growing out of an incident in Indochina, and you made this reply:
"I will say this: there is going to be no involvement of America in war unless it is a result of the constitutional process that is placed upon Congress to declare it. Now, let us have that clear; and that is the answer."
