The President started the press conference by stating that the War Depertment has authorized the publication of the fact that two United States Generals are already in England as observers at the invitation of tie British Government.
"Mr. Roosevelt then said that the United States was negotiating with the British Government for the acquisition of naval and air bases for the defence of the Americas and particularly in relation to the Panama Cenal.
Usually a President of the United Stetes may mot be quoted in direct quotations when he makes a press statement, Occasionally President Roosevelt waives this rule, either spontaneously or at the request of scme reporter. Yesterday, Mr. Roosevelt spontaneously said the matter might be mentioned in direct quotations and in doing so he changed the wording of the statement slightly.
"The United States is holding conversations with the Government of the British Empire regarding the acquisition of raval bases by the United States for American Hemisphere defence with special relation to the Panama Canal," he declared. "Furthermore, the United States Gov eynment is carrying on conversations with the Canadian Government, looking towards the defence of the West-em Hemisphere."
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.