Duo

Early one evening last week a waiter with a tray of cocktails approached two grey-haired, dinner-jacketed gentlemen chatting amiably in the Colonel's Reception Room of Manhattan's Seventh Regiment Armory. One smiled, shook his head. The other grinned, took a glass, raised it in his companion's direction, cried, "To your health!" Few minutes later Herbert Clark Hoover and Alfred Emanuel Smith marched out to a banquet table, sat down to continue their chat over the water tumblers. After dinner the Presidential rivals of 1928 mounted the same platform for the first time in their lives, united in urging contributions to the Salvation Army.

Two days later Messrs, Smith & Hoover met again, this time at a directors' meeting of New York Life Insurance Co. Reporters were admitted afterwards to ask: "Any news for us?"

"I will not answer any questions relative to public matters," announced Mr. Hoover.

Unabashed, a newshawk chirped, "Is your hat in the ring for 1936?"

Mr. Hoover froze. "I will not discuss any indecent questions," said he.

Mr. Hoover, Mr. Smith and New York Life's President Buckner lined up behind President Buckner's desk for three-cornered handshaking photographs. There was a moment's hush, broken when Mr. Hoover leaned over to President Buckner, volunteered in a sepulchral whisper: "I have shrunken an inch."

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