Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-12-26
PRESIDENT MOVES
INTO FAMED ROOM
USED BY LINCOLN
Continued From First Page.)

CONTINUED From First Page)
the burning building and in answering
such communications as were consid-
cred of vital importance at this time.
PascuaI Ortiz Rubio Guest.
Virtually no business engagements
were made for the President today, al
though he received calls from Senator
Allen Of Kansas, a personal friend, and
Interstate Commerce Commissioner
Campbell. This afternoon he receives
formally Senior Pascual Ortiz Rubio
President-elect of Mexico, who Is visit
ing washington, and tomorrow night
the President and Mrs. Hoover will give
a state dinner in honor of the visitor.
The reception to be accorded Mexico's
next President will be precisely in line
with the cordially shown Mr.. Hoover
curing his good will tour Of Latin
America last Winter.
The President will meet with his
cabinet as usual tomorrow morning.
1nasmuch as the attendance will likely
be small because several of the cabinet
members are out of the city for the
holidays. the meeting will be held in
the Presidents temporary office in the
White House. In the afternoon he will
hold his semi-weekly conference with
newspaper correspondents, using the
famous east room on the first floor for
this purpose.
The President has been advised by
Lieut.. Col. U: S. Grant, Sd. officer in
charge OF public buildings and public
parks, that 1t will take from so to 90
days to restore the executive Office to
a condition permitting the work of the
PRESIDENT and his executive force to
resume their activities there.
1t has not been decided Just how
much OF an appropriation Congress will
be asked for to restore the office build
ing. Col. Grant expects to be in a po-
sltion to determine this either late to-
day or tomorrow. In the meantime he
is receiving estimates from contractors
on the reconstruction work.
Roof Funds Available.
Col. Grant has some available funds
which can be used to pay for a tenn
porary roof over the executive ONCE, to
place supports for the roof and walls.
and for other immediate purposes. The
work OF putting on a temporary roof
was started early this morning. and 1t
is expected before the end of the day to
nave this job completed Support for
the roof and walls also were being nut
In place. This matter was considered
absolutely necessary because Of warn
lngs on the part of f1remen and engi-
neers to the effect that a collapse might
occur at any moment.
PRESIDENT Hoover has taken a personal
interest in all these preliminary plans.
as well as the plans being worked out
Tor the temporary quarters in the State
and War Building. He personally visit
ed the ruins early yesterday and again
late In the afternoon. On the latter oc-
caslon he was accompanied by Mrs.
Hoover and his son Allan, who is visit
ing his parents for the holidays. The
family had just returned from a long
stroll in the downtown section of the
city.
The President personally pointed out
to Mrs. Hoover the various things of
interest incident to the fire destruction
and made observations here and there
as to what is to be done in the way of
restoration. Considering the soundness
of the foundation, exterior walls, base
ment and first floor, 1t was decided that
1t would not be necessary to undertake
the construction Of an entirely new
office building.
The wreck of the office building has
revived the talk of building a large
modern ONCE building on Jackson place
racing Lafayette Park, or some nearby
location, to be used as the executive
ohce. Mr.. Hoover is known personally
to favor such project and has several
times since becoming President ex-
pressed himself on the matter. He is
known to feel that the work of the
Executive is expanding to such an ex-
tent that 1t will be physically impos-
sible to carry on his work in the quar-
tiers in the west wing Of the White
House.
Modern Office Necessary.
Mr.. Hoover contends that large
modern Office building must be built
eventually, but has given no indication
since the executive ONCE fire that he
is going to make any such recommends
ton to Congress at this time. It is
thought doubtful that he will even in
1ect the slightest suggestion in this con-
nection into special message he will
address to Congress, in which he will
ask for an immediate appropriation to
restore the office building.
Virtually every President In recent
years has been more or less cramped in
the matter Of working quarters and all
OF them have been recorded as favor
ing a larger place to work.
Among the other sites suggested for
such an Office building Is the :azing of
the State, War and Navy Building after
the occupants have been housed else
where. and the acquisition of the square
opposite. bounded by Pennsylvania ave-
nue., Jackson place and New York ave-
nue. and Seventeenth street. It has
also been suggested to place the Presi-
cents ONCE In the Mall property facing
pennsylvania avenue. as near to Fiji
tenth street QS T0SSihla
Wing Sufficient for Present.
President Hoover is understood to be
familiar with all Of these proposals
and plans, and to have some individ-
ual ideas Of his own, but for the present
he proposes to be content with the
restoration of the west wing of the
White House. This he had remodeled
by more practical utilization of space
without enlargement Of the building it
self.
Mr. Hoover will be put to no great
Inconvenience while using the Battle
Monuments quarters. They will mere
ly necessitate a short walk across the
street. The ONCE room he personally
will use Is a most ornate one, and 1t Is
expected that he will find 1t comfort
able and convenient. The Battle Mon
uments Commission and the War De-
partment activities win be transferred
to other buildings. The Monument
Commission will be housed in the old
Southern Railway Building and head
quarters for the War Planning Division
of the War Department will be trans
ferred to the Barr Building.