Evening star., 1932-03-06
HOOVER IS GUEST
AT PRESS BANQUET
Program at White House
Correspondents Annual A.
fair 0mitS Speeches.

A distinguished company, headed by
President Hoover and including mem
bers of his cabinet, members OF the
diplomatic corps. congressional leaders
and others prominent in political and
official life in the Capital. were guests
last night of the White House Core
spondents Association at their tenth
annual banquet. held in the ball room
of the Willard Hotel.
The occasion was one devoted entirely
to fun and entertainment. The PreSl-
dent, although some of the fun was at
his own expense. semed to enjoy fully
all that went on and applauded the
various features of the entertainment.
The Presidents pleasure was made all
the more complete because he did not
have to make an address or listen to
any one else make one.
The established rule of the aSSo-
citation to bar speeches at its banquetS
was strictly followed, except for brief
address of welcome by Paul r. Mallon
of the United Press During this greet
ing Mr. Mallon introduced the other
officers Of the association, who, like
himself, had been reelected for the
ensuing year These officers were Rob-
ert B. Armstrong of the Los Angeles
Times vice president: G. L. Tarry, Wall
Street Journal. secretary treasurer;
William P. Flythe of the Universal
Service and John F. Chester of the
Associated Press. members of the Ex-
ecutive Committee.
Durno Is ImpreSsario.
George E. Durno of International
News Service, chairman of the En-
tertainment Committee, was the asso-
cations impreSSario. The first section
of the entertainment was contributed
by the correspondents themselves. the
feature Of this being a Mcvietone News
reel directed by Arthur de Titta, Wash
ngton representative of that organi-
zation. 1t was entitled "Crystalizing
the NeWS-or JuSta Lotta Poppa
Gandhi.' Miss Jane Rodgers, vaude-
vile and radio singer, sang half a
dozen songs of her own composition
to popular tunes and written around
current topics in the Capital.
One was a ballad concerning the re-
cent brush between Secretary of War
Hurley and Senate committee regard
ing the Philippine Islands. The lines.
to the tune of Wearing of the Green"
included these:
once an Irishman named Patrick, our
histories relate,
Freed the Emerald Island from evry
kind of snake
That's the only independence that Ire
land ever had,
And the credit goes to Patrick. He
was sure clever lad.
Nov another Irish Patrick has ap-
peared upon the scenes.
He Is strong for independence-bu not
for the Philippines.
And dangerous combination-as Harry
Halves has seen
Is a man who's seeing red when he's
a-wearin' of the green"
At o'clock there was a pause to per-
NIT President Hoover to press button,
which formally opened the George
Washington Bicentennial historical loan
exhibition at the Corcoran Art Gallery.
Offer New "OId Song"
George O'Connor and Matt Horne,
who have taken part in the associations
dinner since the outset 10 years ago,
introduced a new "old song entitled
Little Tommy Murphy, with O'Connor
singing and Horne at the piano. They
got several encores to hilarious applause.
At this point Impresario Durno turned
the program over to Charles Field, radio
star, and better known as "Cheerio, %
who was a classmate of President Hoo
yer at Stanford University. Field, as
master Of ceremonies, conducted swift
moving, high-class hours entertain
ment produced by stars from the Ma
tional BroadcaSting Co. Merlyn H.
Aylesworth, president of the company,
was one of the guests.
The numbers included performances
by the Revelers Quartet; Halle Styles,
opera singer; Ruth Etting, blues
singer; Frank CrIlmit, musical comedy
star; James Melton, tenor; the Countess
AlhaYi the GCicfarc ~ the
Skillet" skit, and Seth Parker and his
Jonesport Neighbors.
Harold Woo directed special 25-
piece orchestra, which included several
guest stars, such as Andy Sanella and
Russ German, who did solo numbers.
At the head table, aside from the
President, on Mallon,s right, were the
Italian, British and German AmbasSa-
dors, the Irish and Albanian Ministers,
members of the cabinet, with the excep-
ton of Secretary of State Stimson; Re
publican and Democratic leaders in the
House and Senate and other political
leaders.
The list of guests, totaling nearly 500,
follows:
Secretary of War Adams, H. R.
Adams, Phelps H Adams, George Aker-
son, Theodore c. Afford, Maurice Allen
Robert S. Allen, Eugene Anderson, Paul
Anderson, Representative August An
dresen, Robert B. Armstrong, Robert
Armstrong, jr.; Jack C. Atchison, w
H Atkins, George Authier.
Hugh Baillie, Joseph Baird, S. M
Ballard, Carlisle Bargeron, James E
Barnes, James Barrett, John Barriger
George Barrows, Norman w. Baxter
w. w. Beale, w. w. Beale, jr.; Thoma!
Beck, Felix Belair, L. NJ. Benedict
George Benson, K. H. Berkeley, Kar
A. Bickel, w. H. Bladen, Richard Blais.
dell E. G. Bliss, Representative So