Pueblo chieftain., 1922-02-12
By FREpER1c J. HAsKIN

attractive of his possessions, yet very
little has beenswritten about it. The
Presidents pets, his hobbies, his daily
program. his home. and taste in dress
are familiar topics to the people of
4 tho United States. Tho Mayflower is
known simply as the presidential
yacht. tho because OF its history and
its association with four Presidents
1t is one of>the most interesting ships
In the Navy.
The u. S. S. Mayflowcr Is a yacht OF
which any potentate of Europe might
be proud. Altho II Is quarter of
century old 1t is still known as one OF
the largest yachts afloat, and while 1t
Is no longer a strictly modern vessel
of its type, its beautiful furnishings
and appointments and it's picked crew
make it comfortable little palace.
The Mayflower is not eXtravagant]y
outfitted with antique furniture and
art treasures. Its nttraciveness Is in
is simplicity. From tho shining decks
with their polished brass to the music
room fitted out In cretonne and cool
green. the yacht is a model pleasure
boat.
The ships rooms are mainly done in
blue and green now-Mrs. Harding's
selections. In December. just after
Mr.. Harding's election. the Mayflower
caught fire and was seriously dam
| aged. Mr.. Wilson was not using the
! yacht and. as it is called for very little
during the winter anyway, tho ques-
ton of redecorating the rooms was
left to the incoming president and his
wife
| Mrs. Harding. planned a new color
for the ship. Before rose had been tho
favored color for tho bedrooms and
salons. Mrs. Harding had the bed
rooms done in soft shade of blue.
With blue silk covers on the polished
| wood of tho beds. and with pink roses
on the chests and dressing tables, tho
statesrooms of tho yacht arc ono OF
tho most generally admired features of
the ship when 1t is shown to guests.
| The music room chairs and sofas are
covered with effective cretonne In
black with a pattern OF marine animals
| and plants in bright colors. Tho pre-
vailing color here and in tho white
pancled dining room is green.
MARBLE BATHS ABOARD SHIP
The baths of the Mayflowcr are OF
solid marble. very luxurious in appear
ance. but according TO one officer.
trifle chilly. There is story that one
OF the Roosevelt boys once brought hA
pet alligator aboard the Mayflower on
| q family cruise. and deposited 1t in ono
OF these marble tubs. BY accident tho
water run into the tub was too hot
even for a tropical reptile and the Al
ligator was discovered later in par
boiled condition. to the great sorrow OF
| the boys.
E'ireplaces In which wood or coal may
bc burned are an unusual feature
boasted by the presidential yacht.
| II Is = roomy. comfortable ship. with
cosy corners where tcte-a-tetcs OF i'm
| portance to the nations destiny are
rumored TO have taken place at various
| times
Ono little nook between two passage
ways has been outfittcd as n study.
A 1etra at,I In 1a1 xlrf n
| reference books mako 1t possible for
tho president to work aboard ship IL
| he wishes to do SO. Tho study is not
| used TO any great extent. however.
When the president travels on business
or when affairs of state are pressing
| he rarely orders out the official yacht.
| Presidential cruises on the Mayflower
are mainly guest parties and short
trips-week-cnd sails to Newport
News. Long Island. or on the Potomac.
| At such times. tho weary Executive
may sign a few papers or dictate i'm
portant letters. but he tries to rest.
TEA AT SEA
Mrs. Harding entertained frequently
| aboard tho Mayflower in the after
| Moons last summer. At such times the
yacht 10 a festive place. Promptly at
the hour set Mrs. Harding comes
aboard with "A group OF representatives
o. the official family. Mrs. Coolidge
is there. perhaps several Cabinet
ladies' "A sprinkiing OF Senator's wives.
| and Miss Harlan. secretary OF Mrs.
| Harding.
After Informal greetings to tho
guests of tho afternoon. Mrs. Harding
may pose for the camera men. Then
she gives orders and the yacht sails
out OF the Navy Yard for an hour or
| two down the river.
The Mayflowor orchestra plays In
corner of the deck. and the guests
dance with the ships officers. or SIT
about in groups. II they have never
! been aboard. officers show them the
interesting parts OF the ship. Mrs.
| Harding moves about among her
guests. talking with tho different
| groups.
Later. she leads the way TO tho din
ing room for tea. Filipino boys, mess
attendants or the Mayflowor. move
about swiftly serving tea, sandwiches.
and cake to the guests who sit or stand
around the room. There are about
twelve OF these mess attendants.
Tho Mayflowcr. being a naval vessel.
requires much larger crew than
would privately yacht. The
| owner of "A pleasure boat may dis
charge most OF the crew when the ship
IS not in use and hire men again when
/ they are needed. The Mayflowcr has
crow OF iso which is kept at all
times and is governed In every detail
| by nava! regulations.
| Serving in the Presidents yach. Is
an honor priced by some Navy mon.
Others find it monotonous to be sta
toned In Washington practically all
| tho time. They prefer n battleship in
| foreign waters to the donesticated
| Mayflower.
| In 1904. 1t ia true. tho Mayflower
went with n squadron OF the Atlantic
fleet to Europe. But for the most part
| It rarely goes farther from its base than
! the West Indies. Tradition and busi-
ness makes most Chief Executives
stay at home.
HAS INTERESTING HISTORY
| Before 1t was detailed to servo the
| President, the Mayflower had an ad-
vcrturous history. 1, was built in
Glasgow In 1895 for Ogden Goelet, New