The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1920-11-09
GOES after
BIG FISH At
PT.l ISABEL
Harding Dons Soft Shirt
and Baggy Trousers and
Tries for 'Whopper.'

Point Isabel, Texas, Nov. o.
UNITED Press.) = Throwing aside
the restraints of public life. Presi-
dent-elect Warren g. Harding got
into soft shirt and baggy trous-
ers today and went out into the bay
to fish for tarpon. His chief am
bition on this trip is to land one Of
the monster fish, a feat said to he
the height of every anglers desire
down here.
This afternoon Harding expects
to motor over to Brownsville Coun-
try club for golf. The Harding
party shifted as best it could last
night, as the one train running from
Brownsville jumped the track with
all the baggage aboard. There was
much clamor but all was in vain,
as nobody around would do any
thing until daylight.
Senator Harding said today he
recalled having seen = cable from
Elihu Root during the summer in
which Root urged that the League
of Nations covenant be modified in
accordance with the Lodge reserva-
&;orc rothop thon thrnuu ovar on
tirely. To scrap the league, Root
argued, would bring chaos and loss
Of the results Of the war. Harding
would not comment In any way on
the Root message only to say that
Root is one of those he expects to
call to Marion for conference dur
ing the winter.
There is great hustle and stir in
this normally sleepy little fishiul
village. No quainter spot could
lhave heen chosen by Harding n 1
lretreat from the hordes Of oflice
seekers than this struggling little
Village, with ks low weather stain.
ed shacks on the bare sandy point
there at the southern extremity Of
Texas, Just six miles from the Mex
iicah border.
Chartered I'm Cottage.
! Senator and Mrs. Harding are
quartered in the roomy summer
i cottage of r. B. Creager, Browns.
willie lawyer and personal friend oi
Harding. The low green house
built on comfortable rambling lines
islands out on the point overlook.
ing the village on one side and thu
serene bay ON the other. F1shine
smacks bob at anchor along tht
beach.
| A hundred yards from the Crea'
, ger cottage il the only hotel a
Point Isabel, q 2-story affair witt
rallied porches running all the wal
around. Pigs and chickens wan
der about the courtyard or patio:
obliques," to the excitement attend
ing the arrival Of the next .presi
. dent of the United States. The mar
row guage railroad connecting tn
point with Brownsville runs dowr
the main street of the town.
Burros, goats, pigs, chickens ant
cattle mingle peacefully with th'
children Of the hundred families G
the village, all swarming arount
in the dusty street on terms o
equality. -
Ninety-eight per cent of the 40'
population here is Mexican and tn
Harding party made themselves un
derstood with greatest dimcult!
when in quest Of food. The lon'
hotel here was utterly swamped b.
the arrival Of the party, guests be
: ing squeezed in, three in a room
Conveniences are Of the most prim
tive nature and all guests line vi
before breakfast to wash in BASH
On the back porch. The Carlos caf'
and restaurant, boasting Of q larg'
sign in front but an exceedingl!
small kitchen in the rear. had t.
wash dishes several times befor'
the entire party could be served
Mosquitoes and other insects wer'
Imuch in evidence during the night
The inhabitants live in small on
and two-room shacks, unpainted
some with matched roofs, other
pieced together 0f rough boards IL
moDt rudimentary fashion. Darl
jskinned, black haired Mexican chill
dren run all over the town. Ever!
woman holds an infant in her arms
Whine the fishermen Of the villag'
ait lazily in front Of the genera
store, chewing tobacco and swap
ping yarns. All had q curiousl!
! foreign air. A naval officer and
detachment Of marines at the nava
radio station here were the oni!
. reminders that this Is still tn
|. United States.
Nexicans Give Dance.
II Members Of the party who ven
tured out into the village afte
dark carried lanterns, there beinl
. no street lights. Mexicans OF tn
!. village celebrated Harding's ar
, rival with . dance In =. low barn
Ike hall, lighted with two dim OF
/ lamps. Mexicans in shirtsleeves
tlwearing bright handkerchief
i laround their nevks. danced Spaniel
j steps with the gaily dressed girls
Mothers sat by while the younge
t children played around the tow
; guitar orchestra platform.
Harding will sail from New Or
l Leans Nov. Is for Panama and vi!
. arrfye n Norfolk ON his retur1