"Trading has been going on constantly between Russia and the United States."
"I haven't very much information about the shipping of Russian gold to the United States."
"It would not indicate anything new in the relationship, simply a continuation of what has been going on for a number of years."
"Goods have been bought here and payment made for them, and our people have bought goods in considerable amounts in Russia."
"It is no different than any other commercial transaction, so far as I know."
"That makes necessary setting up some method for payment."
"There is always danger that the Congress will be too liberal in the matter of appropriations."
"It doubled the appropriation that I proposed for the Shipping Board and I think added $6,000,000 or $8,000,000 to the Army bill, and it is true that if it goes on at that rate there won't be any surpl..."
"Of course, according to my best judgment, there should be added to the sums I have already mentioned $65,000,000 that has been put into the tax bill, which is in excess of what I believe tax reduction..."
"I am not, of course, an expert at all on what is the type of ship that we need most, but I am advised by the Navy that it is in the matter of cruisers that we are most deficient."
"No, I have given you the wrong number."
"There are some letters being received here at my office against the building program and some communications are being received in favor of it."
"I have understood that there was something of a propaganda under way against any Navy building program."
"But I think if it is understood that this is a plan toward which the Navy is to work in the future as funds become available, and that so far as the cruisers are concerned it is to quite a large exten..."
"I should expect that under any commission that might be set up or any agency that might be used for the prosecution of this work, that it would be done in a business way."
"I think it would be the best plan, so far as I can judge, to proceed to do this work in accordance with the present law; that is, through the War Department, the Chief of the Bureau of Engineers, and ..."
"It seems to me that the decision about that would be this—that this is something that the United States Government ought to do."
"I think it has already been announced that I appointed Colonel Latrobe to be my Aide."
