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436 CONFIDENTIAL Press Conference #134, Executive Offices of the White House, June 29, 1934, 4.10 P. M. THE PRESIDENT (Turning the papers on his desk face down) This is to see that everything is properly hidden. (Laughter) I wasn't looking at Russell (Mr. Young); it is all right. Q Are you all ready to go this evening? THE PRESIDENT: All I need is some sleep. Q So say we all. Q You had a long session of it last night, didn't you? THE PRESIDENT: I sat up and drank beer with Barney Baruch and Joe Kennedy. I did not do any work at all. It was awful -- two o'clock and I have no excuse for it. Q They hung a thermometer out here a while ago and it only got up to 1291. THE PRESIDENT: Wait until you get to Cartagena. That is nothing, the mercury boils down there. MR. DONALDSON: All in. THE PRESIDENT: I think the only news at the present moment is an order which I signed this morning to see if we could correct a very diffi- cult situation in regard to the purchases of various articles by the Government. You know, we have been getting a series of identical bids on the plea from the bidders that they are precluded from putting in competitive bids by their filed prices with their respective Code Authorities. We are going to try something new to see if we can break that down. The Executive Order provides -- you can get a copy of it after the Press Conference so that you can tell what it pro- vides -- that any bidder for a Government contract of the United