Evening star., 1932-09-09
President Anxious.

freSi0enk ANXIOUS.
With President Hoover and members
Of the cabinet watching developments
closely, anxiety over the whereabouts OF
Col. Raymond Robins, social economist
and prominent prohibition worker, was
heightened today as no trace OF him was
found by Federal agents and police OF
several cities.
Col. Robins, whose disappearance was
disclosed by his failure to keep White
House appointment Tuesday. had been
the recipient of numerous threats from
Florida bootleggers," his wife said at
her. Maine home in expressing fears Of
violence.
Discussed by Cabinet.
It was her statement that Robins
may have been kidnapped or killed that
led President Hoover and others to ex-
press concern and spurred official in
quiries here and in New York, where
Robins was last seen Saturday. The
case was discussed informally at today's
cabinet meeting, and later Attorney
General Mitchell said special investi-
gators from the Prohibition Bureau had
been assigned to investigate the disap-
pearance. Mitchell said this was done
because of reports that Robins might
have been kidnapped because OF his &C
tivities against bootleggers.
Amos w. W. Woodcock, prohibition
director, said all the 166 special agents
in the prohibition force had been in
structed to join in the search.
This does not mean that every sin
gle agent will be out working on the
case at the same time" Woodcock told
newspaper men. But it does mean that
they are to be on the lookout for any
possible clues, while some of them work
on the disappearance continually"
Capital police have no indication that
Col. Robins arrived here for White
House appointment. Detective Sergt
Richard j. Cox member of what the
metropolitan police terms the ''out-of-
town squad" vas assigned today to the
Washington angle of the case. The as
Signment was made by Acting Chief OF
Detectives Bernard j. Thompson, who
said he had instructed Cox to cooperate
with Federal agencies active in the case.
DIR. Fred B. Smith, a New York friend
of the missing man, who also was a
noted social economist, talked with the
White House after Mrs. Robins state
I1ient in Maine yesterday, and reported
the President was quite worried"
Believed "Oyeranxious.'
Personally, however, Smith said he
felt Mrs. Robins may be overanxious "
She had told of many threats on her
husbands life for his active work in be-
half Of constitutional prohibition and
against liquor violators.
col Robins is a lone wolf," Smith
said When he wants to learn some
thing, to dig up something, it occasion
ally happens that he will go off with
out telling any one. and he goes it alone
until he finds what he wants.
Threats against his life never feaze
him. He Just laughs at them"
But" he added, "of course, 1t does
seem unusual that he should break ar
engagement with the President"
Robins was last seen at the City
Club in New York at time fixed by
employees at between 4:50 and pm
Saturday. He had checked out. leav-
ing the Dodge Hotel in Washington
as forwarding address. This hotel
however. said Robins had made nc
reservation and had not bsen there
His baggage was located today in the
City Club check room.
I,cbins' unexplained absence was first
made known at the White House By
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