The Washington times., 1931-03-18
HOOVER STARTS
TONIGHT FOR
HIS CRUISE
Hurley and Wilbur Slated
to Accompany President
on Voyage to Caribbean

With a real vacation in pros
pect-the first of his two years in
office save for seven days of fish
ing in Florida more than a year
ago-President Hoover was ready
to board a special sleeper for Old
Point Comfort, Va, tonight.
Early tomorrow he and his
party will board the reconditioned
battleship Arizona, lying in Hamp-
ton Roads, to begin a cruise OF
the Caribbean Sea with stops
planned at Porto Rico and the
Virgin Islands.
"Shake Down" Voyage
It is a "shake-down" run for
the newly-overhauIed dreadnaught.
and she will loaf along to and
from the southern waters, bring
ing the President back to Wash
ingtOn the end of the month.
In the official party will be
Secretary of War Hurley, whose
department controls Porto Rico;
Secretary of Interior Wilbur, who
has Jurisdiction over the. Virgin
Islands; Secretary to the Presi-
dent Lawrence Richey; Capt. Joel
#. Boone, White House physician;
Capt. Russell Train, the naval
aide, and Col. Campbell Hodges
the military aide.
Added to these guests are 10
newspaper men, four movie men
and two still photographers.
Secret Service Men Fly
Two more White House secret
service operatives left for Florida
by train today to catch a pas
senser plane of the Pan-Amer1can
line and make the 1,600-mile hop
over the ocean to San juan
Porto Rico. They are Harvey E.
Ingley and George C. DreScher.
They will join Col. E. w. Star
ling, assistant chief of the detail,
who preceded them, in making
ARRANGEMENTS in advance of Mr..
Hoover'S arrival. The rest Of the
detail sails with the party.
Although no final sailing Sched-
ule has been made public, it is
believed the Arizona will reach
Ponce, Porto Rico, Sunday night.
The following morning the party
will motor across the island some
10 miles to San Juan, the cap
itaI, where Gov. Theodore ROOse-
welt will receive them.
To Remain Overnight
The President will remain over.
night at the governors mansion,
conferring on the islands prob
lens, and the next day he will
return to the Arizona by a cir
cuitouS motor route which will
give him an opportunity to see
the greater part of Porto Rico.
Again aboard ship, they will
weigh anchor for st. Thomas,
Virgin Islands. President Hoover
expects to go ashore there and
lunch with Paul Pearson, the new
civilian governor, but it is doubt
full if he will remain overnight,
as St. Thomas could be inspected
afoot in several hours.
Many Watch Maneuvers
Although it has been decided
not to stop at Cuba, the route of
the Arizona takes her past Guam
tanamO Bay, where the American
fleet is holding target practice,
and it is not unlikely the Presi-
dents ship will be hove to to
watch maneuverS.
Another possibility that may
caus the big fighting craft to
pause briefly would be the sight
ing of any of the bigger game
fish. The President is an in
veterate fisherman and it has.
been a long time since he has
wrestled with such a worthy foe
as a barracuda or sailfish.
That it will not be all play was
indicated by the inclusion in the
party's personnel of Jose Espi-
noSa, young stenographer of the
White House staff. Mr.. Hoover
has eight speaking engagements
in April, May, and June and he
probably will start debating the
rough drafts of several Of these