Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-02-27
Question of Days, Perhaps
Only of Hours" Hagner
Announces.
PRESIDENT CANCELS
RECEPTION FOR HOUSE
Former Chief Justice Shows Many
Signs of Final Weakening,
Doctors Reveal.
By the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
Broken by weeks of illness, William
Howard Taft had lost so much ground
in his fight for life today that his
physicians said there remained 40 hope
for recovery.
Confirming for the drst time the fears
of the family and friends of the for
mer President and Chief Justice, DR.
Francis r. Hagner said, after a morn
ing call at the Wyoming avenue home
that it now was question of days
and perhaps only of hours.
"Mr. Taft is in a critical condition,
said the physician. There is no hope
of his recovery. Any improvement will
only be temporary"
A general breakdown had followed
upon the combined inroads of the sew
eral ailments which early in February
forced Mr.. Taft to resign as Chief JUS
tice and since have kept him in bee
under the anxious eyes of family anc
physicians.
Battle Has Been Losing One.
All along the battle had been a los
ing one He had almost held his owr
for short periods; sometimes there were
signs which gave his attendants some
slight hope, although their official bull
letins never reflected confidence In
his recovery.
His active life, TIE exertions and vi
cissitudes of which kept him national
figure for a generation, had levied heav-
lily on his reserve strength and left hin,
with less than the normal fighting pow
er of man of his age. He was 70 last
September.
News of his condition today spread
sadness throughout Washington. I'm
mediately after DR.. Hagner's bulletin
was received at the White House the
President and Mrs. Hoover cancelled the
reception which was to have been held
tonight for members of the House OF
Representatives.
Suffered Severely This Morning.
The statement issued by the White
House canceling the reception read as
follows:
I'm view of the physicians statement
as to the critical condition of former
President Taft President and Mrs
Hoover regretfully have Cancelled the
reception which was to have been given
members of the House of Representa-
tives this evening"
1t was disclosed that Mr.. Taft had
suffered a severe sinking spell about
O'Clock today. Both DR.. Hagner and
DR.. Thomas A. Clayton were summoned
BY IL o'clock some improvement had
been noted, but the physicians did not
regard it as indicative.
His condition showed signs of a final
weakening in many ways. Heart trou-
bic and hardening of the arteries had
combined with the bladder trouble
which first caused him serious difficulty
a month ago. Thickening of the arte-
rial walls added heavy burden to his
overtaxed heart.
News Spreads Swiftly.
Announcing to the House that to-
nights White House reception had been
Cancelled, Republican Leader Tilson
read to his colleagues the statement OF
Mr.. Taft's physician that there was no
hope of recovery.
News of the announcement spread
rapidly in other parts of the Capitol.
President Hoover was among those who
kept in close touch with the Taft resi-
dence by telephone.
The only members of the family at
the bedside were Mrs. Taft and q
daughter, Mrs. Helen Manning. The
two sons are in Ohio.