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1938 
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AUGUST 1938 
STATE DEPARTMENT RADIO BEL LE T IN NO. 178 
( 1 August 1938 T 
TA 
.Tits House - President's Cruise 
The President arrived at Cocos Island this morning aboard the 
U.S.S. HOUSTON. It was reported from the HOUSTON that after 
a stay of two days in the vicinity of the island the President 
would leave for Balboa Wednesday arriving there Thursday. 
STATE DEPARTMENT 
Press Conference 
At the press conference this afternoon a correspondent asked 
whether the Department had received any reports regarding the 
renewed clashes in Manchuria between Soviet and Japanese 
troops. The Secretary replied that it was very difficult to 
get accurate information from such a remote area adding that 
he did not have sufficiently satisfactory reports on the full 
nature and significance of the situation for him to undertake 
to discuss it. 
Asked whether there were any developments in the Mexican situa- 
tion, the Secretary replied in the negative. 
In reply to an inquiry regarding Ambassador Johnson's depar- 
ture from Hankow, the Secretary said that no reports had been 
received this morning. It was added that the last word was 
understood to be that he w as starting for Chungking tomorrow. 
Asked whether there was anything new on the British trade 
agreement negotiations the Secretary replied that there was 
nothing especially now adding that the matter was still 
developing as it has been doing. 
In reply to an inquirjr regarding his conversation with the 
British Ambassador this morning the Secretary said that it had 
concerned some general phases of the trade situation. 
A correspondent remarked that during the last few days there 
had been considerable speculation in the press regarding the 
possibility of Great Britain's reopening the war debt question 
and he asked whether the Secretary had received any reports 
from abroad on this matter. The Secretary replied that 
frankly he had nothing new on that subject from any source. 
A correspondent inquired whether the negotiations for the re- 
newal of the Soviet commercial agreement were approaching com- 
pletion. Ihe Secretary answered that he could not say anything 
on this point until he received fuller information. Asked to 
estimate the amount of Soviet purchases to be involved in the 
new agreement he said that the matter had not developed enough 
to permit him to discuss it without the risk of inaccuracy. 
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