New-York tribune., 1912-06-11
YlIF HOPES TO SEE TAFT
President Will Try To Be Present
ON Commencement Day.
CORPORATION REFLECTS HIM
DR.. Atwater, of Springfield, '3S,
Oldest Graduate Living
Plans for Busy Week

New Haven. June 10 (speciaD Those ir
charge Of plans for the Yale commencement
nrorramme hoped to have President Taft a,
The graduating exercises OF the class Of i2
"a receive a unanimous election as member
~ the Yale Corporation at the same time
that he was renominated for the Presi-
dencv OF the United States
Uncertainty has arisen, however. as 70
bis being present at commencement. Since
his election as a member of the corpora
ton he has not missed Yale commence
rent and he came from Washington TO at
tend most Of the corporation meetings dur
ing his term as a member No word has
been received from him, except that he will
come If il Is possible. Definite announce
ment Of his plans Will be made probably
toward the close of the week
Yale commencement exercises will begin
on Saturday and will continue until the
following Wednesday afternoon. The cor
poration will meet Monday, and proba bly,
on Tuesday, and the general exercises will
take place on Wednesday. Because Of the
pressure Of business in both Washington
and Chicago. il is not thought possible that
President Taft will be able to be here for
more than commencement day At this
time formal announcement will be made
during the annual alumni dinner Of his re-
election 10 the corporation.
Should this brief visit be decided on. the
President would leave Washington late on
Tuesday afternoon and either spend the
nigh, in New York with his brother. Henry
W Taft, or else come TO New Haven dur
Ing the night, remaining in his sleeper till
Wednesday morning going 10 President
HaGley's TO breakfast and with him, 10
the commencement and the formal Grad-
uatnc exercises in the Wcolsey Audito-
rum. where he would sit on the rostrum
as { member OF the corporation.
Following the alumni dinner. which will
close about o'clock he would, according
10 these tentative plans, leave here imme-
d.ately for Washington.
The programme of the Republican con-
vention at Chicago. Of course, makes il i'm
probable that nominations will be reached
before Thursday or Friday. yet many Of
the Taft campaign managers deem it mad
v.satle for the President TO leave Wash
irgton next week. They point out that the
tr.p 10 New Haven and bac. would keep
The President out Of touch with a difficult
situation.
Some Of the Presidents friends, on the
ether hand. urge that he come - Yale. and
n accepting his reelection 10 the corpora
ton speak for his national administration.
Tie President is invariably at his best
surrounded by his college mates and with
the mark Of their approval and their in
Gorsement in unanimous reelection 10
the corporation al the alumn! reunion he
would md fresh inspiration
TIE clash over the annual election 10 the
Yale corporation this year partook of con
tlct between the progreSsives and the regu-
Ia, wing Of the Republican PARTY Presi-
dent Tafts only opponent for reelection
was Clifford Pinchot Mr.. Plnchot revlNeI
the block OF twenty-five votes Of alumni
necessary TO place him in nomination for
the election as member of the corporation.
Mr. Taft. Of course received similar
block formally placing him in nomination.
After the announcement; that both had been
formally nominated, Mr.. IInchot an
nounced his withdrawal. Mr.. Pinchots act
was regarded as an announcement that
some future year he would Ue a candidate
for the corporation.
With such notables present as Franklin
MacVeagh and Senator Frederick 7. Du-
ojs the dinner is bound 10 have u political
asp4ct Mr.. MacNeagh is a member OF the
class Of g.. and Senator Dubois Of the
class Of ~.
The Oldest living graduate this year is
DR.. David r Atwater. Of Springfield. Mass.
Two who have held that title have recently
died. among them Judge Henry +. Hedges
of Br!deehampton, y. Y. who had inc
..,iou. honor Of having attended TWO com
-,.rcAnoents as the oldest living alumnus.
IN the history Of Yale, except in the case
- I-dge Hedges, the Oldest graduate was
nsver blo 70 attend commencements. the
tydg4 was d member Of the class OF %
~, Atwater. who has succeeded 10 the ute
n the surviving member OF the class oi o.
Although a handful Of members OF 'he
classes Of - and 81 survive, II is lhpfoo-
able that there will be an attempt 10 holo d
,e,riou Of any earlier class than that OF o.
There are thirtv-fve living members OF 'hd'
,,rueually vigorous class, among them eA-
p,.eident CYRUS Northrop of the OnlNerS'S
~. ,,ir,.eo,a. General Joseph cook JACK
.. >..u. York the Rev. Dr. Stuart Dodge
>.,. york. Judge Alfred Hand, Scranton
r.o,ia.,, Augustus Strong, Rochester I'M
,6rei,,. General Luther Tro"bridge' De
,-o,, the Rcv Henry Huntington Milton
[ise. and Professor ArthH NJ Wheeler
Yale -a .,
The class will have headqlar'ers d,
D,,,gbt Han. and will dine at the ho,e,
TT Many Of the reunion classes VIII
~. ed,.r,age Of the Ieopening "i 'n'S
ne, to,.l dedicated TO the family oi '"e
-,,e, DISTINGUISHED graduate Of Yale anu
~ hold ,beir reunion dinners there.
m, orlv formal event on the cofhhle'''e
,,,,., ,rogramrne for Saturday Is the pres
r.,.,,or of Robin Of Sherwood by 'ne
r,r,r,a,,c Association. The baccaiau''a'e "
,la-.,s u.iu be delivered on MohhaN' "'e
1,.s. day exercises of the academic anu
.'1.,,iac depar,ments will be held on MON,
,,.ui tho commencement exercise Va
,t.' ',a,, md medical schools Justice f,o'',
- ,,,,,i,, the address at the Ia" s'''o''
and rrof.esor Henry Herbert D"i'a',i'
,,.',a.i,I,.hia At the Medical Schooi.
.r,.,day wjll be devoted to alumni 'I.',
,,, Tho formal business sessions con''"s -, -,
NE morning. the Yale-HarVafd pa'o ,an.
y.,,e N the afternoon and me a'''''
o.ets IN the evening