Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-05-30
UNION CLUB WINS
HOOvER'S PRAISE
President, Accepting Por-
trait, Says Reception Great
Iy Encourages Him.
Ry the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
PHILADELPHIA, May 30.-President
Hoover tcld the Union League here
last night that after two years OF
reception extended him would be an
"undoubted and great encouragement"
in the tasks ahead.
Speaking extemporaneously in re-
Spouse to a speech by George Stuart
Patterson, president of the club, who
presented the Chief Executive with
portrait of himself, Mr.. Hoover de-
scribed the club as a sanctuary OF the
great tradition of loyalty to the Gov
eminent of the United States"
Likes Portrait Of Self.
The Union League Club was formed
during the Civil War to combat or
ganized sympathy with the Southern
States. Through its portals have
walked all the Republican Presidents
of the United States since that time
with the single exception Of President
Harding. He had accepted an invita-
ton for october, but died in August,
1923.
The portrait, painted by Philides
Costa, a Greek artist, was characterized
by Mr. Hoover as a representation OF
himself he liked much more than the
very lifelike pictures the photographers
make"
In presenting the portrait, Patterson
told the President that the Glib wished
to take the liberty of saying that you
and your associates have met the crisis
of worldwide economic depression with
courage and ability and in accordance
with the principles upon which the
Government was founded"
Receives $500 Members.
In times of encouragement. he said
the club wanted to urge that there IS
vast amount of common sense hidden
away in the minds of the American
people and that common sense teaches
them to have confidence in you"
A dinner was rendered the President
before the portrait presentation and he
afterward received more than 1900
members of the club.
Sitting near the Chief Executive at
the main table of the dinner group was
Gov. Pinchot and practically every Re-
publican leader in Pennsylvania. The
only Democrat at the table was George
Norris. governor of the Federal Re-
serve Bank for this district.
Expresses His Appreciation.
In accepting the portrait Hoover
said:
Il am deeply honored by your cour-
teous hospitality. When your commit
tee came to me and made the invita-
ton extended to every President of the
United States that I should come TO
your club, as your guest. l said that in
these times Of extra and heavy burdens
that I should prefer that I might be
PREPARED, under easier circumstances,
perhaps, to discuss public questions as
my predecessors had done-as they had
felt hcnored to do before this body.
They, however, extended to me a
delicate consideration that brooked no
refusal, the suggestion that the club
would like to extend its hand Of en-
couragement by a reception, with nc
request for public address. In these
times when a large number Of our pop
ulation are seeking relief. that was, in
deed. the greatest and most considerate
relief ever extended TO the President
of the United States.
Your gen rouS reception has gone
beyond even the frontiers of hospitality
You have presented to Mrs. Hoover and
myself a portrait by a skillful artist
1t is difficult for me TO express with
my natural modeSty that it gives one
pleasure to see ones self presented in a
better fashion than the normal snap
| photographs, and perhaps a justifiable
admiration that it may serve as an
| antidote to some of the current portraits
under which I suffer. Yet I would not
criticize that phase Of the gift: other
wise it would seem something like the
old term about the gift horse
Sanctuary OF Tradition"
ct have felt all evening that the club
represents more than comradeship. II
is the sanctuary of a great tradition