Evening star., 1932-11-08
CAMPAIGN LEAVES
PRESIDENT WEARY
He's Glad It's Over, Associ-
ates Gather-Festivities
at PaIo Alto Tonight.
BY ]. RUSSELL YOUNG,


there is one thing certain. and that is
he is glad it is ended. To friends
aboard his train with whom he dis
cussed the campaign Mr.. Hoover old
not say exactly Thank Heavens the
campaign is over" but his tone and
his expression unn1istakably carried the
thought.
The President insists that he feels
great physically, and Capt. Boone. MS
personal physician. corroborates TINS;
but Mr.. Hoover is weary and mentally
tired. Speech writing is real labor to
him and the actual delivery is an effort.
Besides this, meeting so many people
and talking to them also contributed 10
his WEAKNESS, despite the fact that thelr
cordial and enthusiastic greetings
pleased him.
When he reaches the cozy. familiar
atmosphere of his home in Palo Alto.
where he will hear the returns and
where he is hoping he will be able to
loll around and rest for few days
before going back to the grind at the
White House Mr.. Hoover will have COW
cred more than 10000 miles and slept
20 nights in railroad trains since he
entered upon this intensive personal
campaigning, Just six weeks ago.
Thirteen Major SpeecneS.
Besides the many miles of tedious
travelling, he has written and delivered
13 major speeches, no one of which was
under $500 words. Most OF them were
more than 5000. In addition to this,
he has made several hundred rear
platform appearances and half that
many extemporaneous talks to station
crowds.
During all this campaigning there
have been at various times anywhere
from 13 to 25 newspaper correspondents
and about a dozen news and sound pic
ture men with him. 1t is roughly esti
mated that these correspondents have
sent out over the country 100000
words about the Presidents campaign
ing and speeches.
Probably it has been the speech writ
ing and the resultant loss OF sleep that
have bothered the President most in his
Journeys. Because he has remained up
so late at night, struggling with the
writing of these speeches, Mrs. Hoover
has tried to get him to take afternoon
maps Several times he surrendered to
her coaxing but his mind was too much
alive to bring sleep.
He did succeed in doing off the
other afteroon just before his train was
scheduled to reach Minneapolis. Rather
thon awaken him, his associates gave
orders to hold the train in the station
yards before pulling into the station
and to remain there until the President
awoke.
First Lady Greets Crowds.
Mrs. Hoover. who has been at the
Presidents side throughout all this
electioneering, made no campaign
speeches. but she many times talked
from the rear platform to the station
crowds. Invariably the crowds called
for her after the President had made
his bow and uttered few words OF
greeting. She always responded with
some happy reference to the people
themselves and their community. and
directed her talks especially to the
mothers and children.
Seldom did the Presidents train
reach scheduled stop without large
bouquet being brought aboard for Mrs
Hoover. This tribute came generally
from the local Republican Committee
or local Girl Scouts. Mrs. Hoover per-
sonally presented flowers from these
bouquets to women and children In the
crowds assembled in way stations far
ther down the line.
The Far Western country through
which the campaign train has passed
has been Of particular interest to both
the President and Mrs. Hoover, both OF
whom are so familiar with the country.
Mrs. Hoover was up and about before
the President today, so great was her
interest in the snow-covered mountains
and valleys. When the train came to
a brief stop at Green River, Wyo.,
where number of people, mostly men
bundled in heavy coats, were standing
in the snow that had fallen during the
night, Mrs. Hoover went to the rear
platform and spoke for her husband,
who was asleep.
Two inches of snow covered the
ground and the thermometer registered
2 above zero. Mrs. Hoover wore a
heavy fur coat and small dark brown
felt hat.
Train Halts for Smithers.
Edward w. Smithers, chief Of COM
munications at the While House, who
has occupied that place since the days
of William Mckinley, narrowly escaped
being left behind in this snow-covered
mountain village. He had left the train
to 20 into the station to file number
of presidential messages with the tele-
graph operator.
When Mr.. Smithers reached the sta
ton door on his return the train was
under way He started on a sprint
which really was more of a slide on
the snow. He gave up the effort when
he saw the train was too far away
and moving too fast. At that moment
Mrs Hoover. who was still on the plat
form enjoying the cool air, recognized
the gasping Smithers in the distance.
Quickly she gave orders, bringing the
train to stop.
In accordance with the usual Hoover
hospitality. Mrs. Hoover decided 1t
would be appropriate as well as enjoy
able to have open house at their Palo
Alto home tonight to add to the inter-
est of receiving the election returns.
She telegraphed her son Allan, who is
learning the banking business in Los
Angeles and is now at his parents
home. to arrange al bountiful buffet
luncheon for the occasion She wasn't
able in her instructions to him to say
just how many people would be on
hand. but she told him to prepare
"a-plentv."
Four years ago on election night, the
Hoovers had a house full of people
relatives. neighbors and members of
Stanford's faculty. as well as newspa-
per correspondents. Evidently Mrs.
Hoover intends to have just such a
party tonight.
President Chats With Smoot.
President Hoover seemed to enjoy his
visit at Salt Lake City. Senator Reed
Smoot. veteran Senator from Utah. who
IS described as being in the midst OF
the fight of his life to retain his seat,
boarded the campaign train with his
wife early in the day and remained
with the party until the train pulled
cut of Salt Lake City.
This gave Mr. Hoover an opportunity
to have a long chat with Senator
Smoot. 1t is understood that 1t was
because of his strong friendship for
Senator Smoot that Mr.. Hoover al
tered his original train schedule to the
Coast to include a speech in Salt Lake
City.
The crowd which packed the taber-
nacle rose to its feet with mighty
rbaorc u-bpp the President during the