The Hoover Week

President Hoover's Christmas could be merry after all because last week he won his legislative fight with Congress, wrung from a reluctant and bickering Senate the bills he wanted for Drought and Unemployment relief (see p. 8). It was late when the measures reached the White House for signing. Only two newscamera-men had remained on the chance of getting a picture. When they were ushered into his office, the President raised his head, smiled broadly, asked: "Well, only two photographers?"

"Yes, sir'' they replied.

Instead of the usual powder flashlights, the cameramen used the new electric flashlamp that leaves no smoke, makes no bang. After the President . had been "shot" signing the bills, he inspected the lamp. "That's a new one," he said.

"Yessir," replied the cameramen as they folded up their tripods and marched out. P: To Washington last week as an unofficial White House adviser went another oldtime Hoover friend, Benjamin Day, 58, California lawyer. Mr. Day, without a title, was given an office at Republican national committee headquarters. Gossips insisted he was being groomed for the G. O. P. chairmanship. Others said he would serve President Hoover as a sort of Col. House. All the White House would say was: "Silly!"

P: The executive committee of the Governors' conference met last week in Washington. Afterwards they went to the White House to pay their respects to President Hoover. Rhode Island's Case made the presentations, after announcing that they "didn't want anything." Broke in Virginia's Pollard: "Hold on! The Governor of Rhode Island may not want anything but he's not voicing my sentiments. Down our way we want a whole lot." President Hoover grinned. P: Over a new 3,000-mi. wire leased by the Associated Press to connect New York and Mexico City, President Hoover sent the first message to President Ortiz Rubio. Excerpt: "I earnestly trust that the news that will flash back and forth over this wire will reflect an ever increasing sympathy between our countries. . . ."

President Ortiz Rubio: ". . . my respect and admiration for your great country. . . ."

P: President Hoover was caught in an unpleasant conflict between the Republican Old Guard in New York and his own political friends there in a major matter of patronage. Charles Henry Tuttle had resigned as the U. S. District Attorney for the Southern District of New York (Manhattan) last September to run vainly for governor. Old Guardsmen led by hard-boiled Congressman Snell demanded the appointment of Keyes Winter, wheelhorse politician, as the Tuttle successor. The President's friends like Congresswoman Pratt and William Hill wanted Alan Fox, good 1928 Hooverizer, to get the job. Last week Mr. Snell brought into the Old Guard's insistence a threat of legislative warfare against the White House. "And it's the chairman of the Rules Committee talking." said he. The affair hung fire.

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