Evening star., 1961-02-08

President Kennedy al
news conference tOda,
meet with Mr.. Thompson on
several occasions this week. on
Saturday morning with Mr..
Thompson and Mr.. Bohlen and
Mr.. Cannon. to help chart our
future relations with the Soviet
Union. There are some things
that I think can usefully be
done and must be done, If our
relations are going to continue
to be fruitful.
Concerned on Laos
We are concerned, as I. am
sure they are. with the situa-
ton in Laos. We are concerned
with the situation in the Congo
as ! am sure they are, and
am hopeful that we will make
our position clear to them, and
accomplish some other full re-
suit.
Q. Mr.. President, the Mexi-
can Americans are very con-
cerned because you have not
named one Of them to a high
place in your administration
They say that they are the
only ethnic group that worked
for you nationally, in the viva
Kennedy" Clubs and CT for
umS, and they have not been
recognized.
I wonder if you plan to give
them some recognition?
A. Well. we have, I think, DR.
Garcia, from the State OF
Texas. who has gone. I believe,
with Ambassador Whitney to
Jamaica this week end. We
did offer a position of respon-
Sibility to an American of Mex
lean extraction who is unable
to accept it, but it was a posi-
ton Of high responsibility.
Reservoir Of Talent"
I quite agree with you that
we ought to use what I con-
slider the great reservoir oi
talent, and I think this is par
ticularly true in our relations
with Latin America. So I will
Just say to you that it is q
matter Of interest and that we
will continue to see If We can
provide-if we can associate
them with our administration.
@. Mr.. President, last week
end the Russians launched a
7-ton satellite in orbit which
they said was a test, a new
rocket. This has led to world
wide speculation that there
might have been a man aboard.
What do we know about this
Russian rocket and about the
recent rumored Russian at
tempts to launch a man into
space?
A. Well, I have no informa-
ton about the man involved.
We have no evidence that
there was a man in the rocket.
We hsNe. Of course, some in
formation, good deal Of which
has appeared in the press, about
the rocket. 1t is a large one
and it may be part Of their
experiments leading up to plac-
ing a man in space. But 1T
least as of now we have no
evidence that there is a man
in there. I am sure that they
will continue these experiments
leading up to placing one.
Queried on Gold
@. Mr.. President, in your
message to Congress on the
gold problem, there was one
passage in there in which you
referred to interest rates on for
eign funds which had a sem
tence that might lead to the
presumption that perhaps you
had in mind submitting legis-
lation which would give you a
little more authority over do
mestic interest rates in other
fields.
Is this a reasonable conclu-
sion? Do you have any inten-
ton to expand the authority of
the presidency with respect to
domestic interest rates?
A. NO, AS you-, we have
had consultations with the
Federal Reserve Board about
what action should be taken tc
provide that the interest rate
on short-term securities would
not come down while the in
tereSt rate-which does affect
the gold flow-while the in
terest rate on long-term secur-
tiles remains high, which does
adversely affect the economy
But what, Of course, we are
interested in is to see the short
term rates remain high enough
to protect our gold, while the
long-term rates be reduced
somewhat in order to stimulate
the economy. But this is g
matter under the control, oi
course, directly, of the Fedora
Reserve Board, with the Treas
ury having, Of course, a direct
interest in 1t.
But 1t is not intended, tC
answer your question, that We
would propose any Legislation
or any executive orders which