Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-11-12
HOOVER WILL START
ON TRIP NEXT WEEK
Batt|eship Maryland Will Be
OverhauIed in Drydock
for Southern Visit.
BY REX COLLIER,


PALO ALTO, Calf, November H.
Memories of his war time services STIR
red anew by the observance of Armistice
day. President-elect Hoover gave little
thought today to preparations for his
forthcoming tour of South America.
There was no armistice, however, in
the activities of the excited crew of
Uncle Sans great battleship, the Mary
land, assigned the honor of carrying the
President-to-be on his unprecedented
mission of international friendship.
Ship Awaits Overhauling.
Anchored over night off Hunters
Point, the pride of the Pacific battle
squadron was being made ready for a
thorough overhauling in dry dock at
San Francisco. Her hull will be scraped,
paint renewed and living quarters made
over into a SumptuouS presidential
suite. Several days hence she will steam
out toward San Diego, where about a
week from now she will receive her dis
tinguished passengers.
President-elect Hoover and his son
Allan will occupy suite in the Of
ficers' cabin, according to present plans.
in other rooms will be quartered a
picked staff of assistants and advisers
and a restricted group of newspaper
correspondents and photographers: In
command of the flagship is Capt. v. A.
Kimberly. A number of junior officers
will leave the. ship to make room for the
Hoover party.
Arrangements for the voyage are be-
| ing worked out in series of conferences
between Rear Admiral Thomas Wash
| ington, commandant of the 18th naval
district and Mr.. Hoover and his per-
i sonal assistant. George Akerson.
It is believed other members of the
official party will include George Barr
Baker, longtime friend and confldant
of the next President, and Col William
j. Donovan, Assistant Attorney General.
| The latter is on his way here from
Washington. At least one representa-
| tive of the State Department is expected
| to make the trip.
Hoovers Honor War Dead.
The President-elect and his wife
| stood and bowed their heads in a silent
two-minute tribute to Americas heroic
dead of the World War during an i'm
pressive devotional service of undenom-
national character yesterday in the i'm
posing Stanford Memorial Church.
They heard an inspiring patriotic
sermon by a visiting clergyman, the
Rev. William E. Barton, Congrega-
tionalist, of Oak Park, ILL.,, and formerly
of Massachusetts,. 1t was reminder
\ to the citizenry of the Nation that upon
their shoulders rests the burden of good
government, good morals and friendly
international relations.
\ axNsn 10 u
services by their old friends from San
Francisco, Mr. and Mrs. Henry M. Ben
| jamin. After church Mr. Benjamin
| joined Mr. Hoover. Mr.. Baker and Mr..
Akerson in walk through the sun
swept hills fringing the Stanford
campus. Mr.. and Mrs. Hoover arrived
at church nearly five minutes early,
accompanied by Henry M. Robinson,
San Francisco banker and friend. Every
pew in the big cream limestone edifice
was occupied and the doors later were
closed to many others who had come
from points as far away as San Fran
cisco.
President elect Not a Singer.
The President-elect and his party oc-
cupied pew roped off down front and
the group was cyncSure of all eyes
hoover
listened intently to the sermon. but
made no attempt to join in the sing
ing. although Mrs. Hoover did. Amer
ica's future President could not sing
with any degree of success if the very
welfare of his country, or even the
world. depended on it. He tried sing
ing once while in boarding house in
his college days, they say, and his room
mates threatened to throw him hodilv
from the house if he did not stop.
The non-sectarian service was opened
by the university chaplain, the Rev
DR.. Charles D. Gardner He read the
Twenty-Seventh Psalm, supplicatior
for divine strength in undertaking
daily tasks. and led the congregation ir
singing the "Old Duke Street Anthem
dedicated to those who fled from reli.
gious persecution as Hoovers Quaker
forebears, did many years ago. Laws
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