The Honor of a Call

THE PRESIDENCY

The Honor of a Call

"It seems that the whole press of the United States has given me the honor of a call this morning," said the President to about 100 newspapermen who trooped into his office.

It was a momentous sentence--because it appeared in direct quotation in every newspaper of the country on the following morning. It was the first time in years that the public has been permitted to learn the actual words of a President--other than such as have appeared in public speeches, official messages and unconfirmed rumors--since the practice of holding official press conferences was begun by President Wilson.

What Mr. Hoover told the press was that in general he would continue the arrangements made by President Coolidge: 1) that correspondents might submit questions in writing; 2) that he would answer such of those questions as he saw fit; 3) that sometimes he would give correspondents information not to be quoted in order to explain his attitudes.

But Mr. Hoover added: "I am anxious to clear up the twilight zone, as far as we can between authoritative and quotable material, on one hand, and such material as I am able to give from time to time for purely background purposes on the other."

As a token that he would allow certain of his remarks to be quoted, he gave permission to quote his remarks on quotation.

Other events of Mr. Hoover's first week in office:

P: Word came from Helsingfors, Finland, that Mr. Hoover would be presented with the hide of an especially beautiful and monstrous brown bear shot in Finnish Lapland on his inauguration day.

P: Mr. Hoover's first caller was Dr. Hubert Work, Chairman of the Republican National Committee, his second was Secretary Frank B. Kellogg who came to discuss the problems presented by the Mexican revolution. After this meeting the President announced his intention of allowing the present Mexican Arms embargo (permitting the recognized Mexican Government and no one else to import arms from the U.S.) to stand.

P: After his official visitors President Hoover received 2,900 persons, including delegations from Iowa, Texas, Illinois, California, New Jersey. He gave each a new handshake which he has devised, one full clash of the hand at arm's length, quite different from the little jerk he gave hands during the campaign. He posed for photographs with several groups, for an artist, for sound movies.

P: The Hoovers dispensed with certain aides and attendants. The President announced that he would have but one medical advisor (Lieut. Commander Joel T. Boone), instead of the customary two. The First Lady dispensed with Secret Service men. Mrs. Harding was the first lady to have Secret Service protection; Mrs. Coolidge continued the usage.

P: The President did not comment publicly on a cartoon by Rollin Kirby (New York World) depicting him as St. George holding a seven-foot sword and attacking the dragon of bootleg rum. The giant sword was held in his left hand. As every good journalist knows, Mr. Hoover is neither left-handed nor ambidexterous.

P: On his second day in office Mr. Hoover received 809 callers and decided that after the first rush was over he would probably eschew noontime receptions. Among those received were Chief Spotted Crow of the Sioux tribe, three squaws in paint and feathers, and a five-months-old papoose named Lena Lou White House, whom the President blessed.

P: The President issued a proclamation calling the 71st Congress into extraordinary session on April 15 in order to consider legislation for agricultural relief and "limited changes of the tariff".

P: For the first time in many years a cradle was set up in the White House. It accommodates Herbert Hoover III, the President's grandson. Master Herbert's three-year-old sister, Peggy Ann, is also in residence there.

P: Four new Pierce Arrows, a Packard, and a Lincoln, each bearing the seal of the U. S., were delivered at the White House. Cars used by President Coolidge were retired.

P: Mrs. Hoover, accompanied by her sister Mrs. J. H. Large, the President's sister Mrs. May Leavitt, and Mr. Hoover's uncle, W. D. Henry, appeared in a stage box at Poll's Theatre for an afternoon concert, the last of a series given by the Boston Symphony Orchestra led by Sergei Koussevitzky. The program opened with "America" by Ernest Bloch.

P: Concerned about affairs on the Mexican border, the President summoned Maj. Gen. Summerall, Army Chief of Staff, and later Secretaries Kellogg and Good and Senator Borah, for an evening conference.

P: President Hoover's first cabinet meeting assembled eleven men besides himself. The eleventh was Vice President Curtis who will attend Cabinet meetings as did Calvin Coolidge when Vice President. Most of the new members were somewhat self conscious when they appeared. Walter F. Brown the Postmaster General came in breezily having been a friend of President Harding's and a former Assistant Secretary of Commerce. Vice President Curtis was as much at his ease as anyone, was greeted familiarly by all. Of the old Cabinet members, Secretary Mellon slipped in by a side door as usual, Secretary Davis came in his amiable way, and Secretary Kellogg appeared preoccupied carrying-a brown paper parcel holding documents about the Mexican situation. in discussing which an hour and a half, was spent.

P: The President made clear that his Prohibition Investigating Commission is to consider how best to enforce the law, not whether it should be repealed. He said in answer to press questioners: "It [the Commission] is intended to cover the entire question of law enforcement and organization of justice." The President also announced that he would probably not oust many officeholders, probably only 20 or 30 all told.

P: After four nights in the bed provided at the White House for Presidential slumber, Mr. Hoover ordered his own bed to be brought from his S Street house.