Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-12-13
Surrounded by Throng.

that he would be delighted to take the
trip.
Surrounded by Throng.
Hundreds of Navy Department work.
ers had congregated in the entrance
hall of the Navy Building. When Mr..
Smith and Mr.. Kenny arrived, q hastily
formed Gordon of United States park
police was needed to get him through
the wildly cheering throng, made up
mostly Of women.
While the crowd of Navy Department
workers awaited al" q modest-looking,
smallish man alighted from an incon-
spicuous taxi and strobe into the build
ing unnoticed by the throng.
He was Ambassador Dwight w. Nor
row, Americas envoy to Mexico and
father-in-law of Charles Augustus Lind
bergh, who came to the Navy Building
to confer with Admiral Hillary P. Jones
on details of the London naval confer
ence.. No member of the crowd await
ing former Gov. Smith so much as
recognized the father -in.la of the
greatest crowd drawer in America.
The conference with the Secretary of
the Navy was brief. While no word was
given out as to what transpired, it is
understood that the Empire State firms
proposition was placed before the Sec
rotary of the Navy and referred imnie-
diately to Admiral Moffett for determi-
nation Of its feasibility.
Pose for Pictures.
After the closed conference, Secretary
Adams and ex-Gov. Smith appeared in
another portion of the Secretarys Office
and posed for still, motion picture and
sound picture cameramen. Secretary
Adams nervously fingered his watch and
cut short the picture taking, for the
hardness OF ex-Gov. Smiths visit had
made him late for the cabinet meeting,
which he was to attend at the White
House this morning.
When Secretary Adams left for the
cabinet meeting, Admiral Moffett posed
with the famous visitor, explaining, the
while, the, general details of Navy
planned dirigible mooring rnasts. It
was during this talk that Admiral Moi
fett invited Mr.. Smith to bring his
friends ana take a ride over the side
walks OF New York in the tirigible Los
Angeles
The cameramen wanted the admiral
to make the invitation for the sound
pictures, but Mr.. Smith objected, de-
caring. Il don't think we'd better say
anything about that invitation to Lake.
hurst. The newspaper men will be on
my trail for week to find out when I'm
going to make the trip"
After his conference with Admiral
Mohett, in which he was assured that
the Navy would help his project in
every way If the plan was feasible, Mr..
Smith announced that he was COINS to
the Capitol to see his friend Senator
Wagner of New York.
Police Help Out.
He left the Secretary of the Navv,s
once to meet a still larger crowd of
Navy Department clerks in the railways
and on the stairs leading out of the
pullulng. He was nearly mobbed bv
scores Of enthusiastic woman cIerIrs
anxious to shake the hand of the man
VINO did not win the last presidential
election. He was almost out of the
building, pushing by main strength
through the crowd, before the mark
police rescued him and gave him safe
passage the rest of the way.
Leaving to see Senator Wagner. he
dlo not again trust his journey to a
washington taxicab, but accepted the
use OF tne machine OF Navy Depart
ment ofhcial who knew the way.
Throughout the visit to the NAVY
department, the distinguished visitor
maintained a genial attitude. lauphinp
ana joking with newspaper men and
cordial to the crowds who sought to
shake his hand.
He is planning to leave the Capital
this afternoon.
AT the Capitol he explained the build.
ing Wnlcn empire State, Inc, of which
ne is one OF the directors, is to build In
New York. The building Is to townr
1.lO0 feet in the air, and the moorinV
mast has been estimated to cost ap.
proximately $500 900.
He explained to newspaper men at
the Navy Department that he did NOT
believe he would visit the White House
on this trip, as he understood a cabinet
meeting was being held there today.
Declined Invitations.
The former governor declined all in
vitations to make calls around the CITY.
saying, These are busy men down here
and l do not feel like taking up their
time"
While he was chatting with Senator
Wagner, Mrs, Nellie Tayloe Ross. for
mer Governor of wyoming and head
Of the wornans division of the Demo-
cratic national committee, called Smith
by telephone to pay her respects.
Jouett Shouse, chairman of the execu-
tive committee of the Democratic ma
tional committee, talkd with him at
Wagner's ONCE.
It was said, however, that politics
was not discusSd.
The former governor had hoped to
meet Senator Robinson, Democrat,
Arkansas, his running mate on the
Democratic ticket last year. but Senaz
tor Robinson was In conference at the
State Department with members Of the
American delegation to the London
naval conference.