The Wilmington morning star., 1947-03-17
TRUMAN ATTENDS
SUNDAY SERVICES
Heavy Rainstorm Keeps
President Indoors AT
His Key West Retreat

KEY WEST, Fla, March ,16-U.R
President Truman today heard
peace sermon in the small 81
year-old First Baptist church
where he went to worship during
a %torrential tropical transform.
Pastor J.. c. Yelton knew only
a few minutes before hand that
his congregation today would in
clude the Chief Executive. But
he rose to the occasion by singing
a solo-"My Hope Is Built" just
before he preached about the spir-
itual qualities of world peace.
The President sat near the rear
OF the small church and Joined
the congregation in singing old
Baptist hymns like I'm the Cross
OF Christ" and "Glory To His
Name"
The church was not full. A
heavy rain pounded Key West as
the President drove in his Lin
coin convertible coupe through
flooded streets to the church.
The rain let Up some after lunch
time, but the skies were leaden
gray and occasional gusts of wind
and rain kept the Chief Executive
away from swimming and sun.
bathing.
Kept Indoors
Mr.. Truman planned to make
an early morning visit to the Fort
Taylor beach, but a heavy over.
cast turned into a %torrential down
pour keeping him indoors until
time for church.
The President went to church
quietly and without fanfare. The
congregation did not know he was
coming until he walked down the
aisle with Admiral William D.
Leahy, chief of staff to the Pres
ident; Rear Admiral James H.
F'oskett. naval aide; Clark M. Cliff
ford, counsel to the President, and
Neal Helm, a friend of Mr.. Tru.
man from Charlottesville, Mo.
The President planned a quiet
afternoon at his quarters. The
big event on his schedule TODAY
was the radio debut in Detroit OF
his daughter, Margaret. She will
sing tonight with the Detroit Sym
phony orchestra in her first pro.
fessional appearance.
The broadcast, over the Amer
lean Broadcasting company, will
be piped into the Presidents quar-
tiers over special lines from the
local radio station W-K-W-F.
After the broadcast, scheduled
for 8 p. m. (EST), the President
is expected to telephone Margaret
in Detroit. Mrs. Truman will hear
the broadcast in Washington.
Streets Flooded
The rainstorm put a crimp in
Mr.. Humans sun bathing plans.
The down-pour was SO heavy that
it overtaxed the local drainage
system and water in some streets
was at curb level during the height
of the storm.
The Presidents car moved slow
ly through the trenched streets on
the way to church. Few people
were in the streets to see him.
MI. Truman got up at 1850 a.
m. and had breakfast at 8 O'Clock
with his staff. He spent the early
part OF the morning reading the
Sunday newspapers and overnight
dispatches from Washington.
The rain was SO heavy while the
PRESIDENT was in church that the
streets of the submarine base
where he is CHARTERED were block
ed IN some areas by flooding con-
ditions. Key West. which is only
SIX feet above e level, has an
ever-present drainage problem
which was visibly demonstrated by
today's downpour.
The block on one side of the
Presidents quarters was so flood.
ed that cars could not pass through
the street. The water was above
running board level, and flooding
up to the steps of officers quar-
tiers.
Shadows" Damp
Coming home from church, the
PRESIDENTS convertible coupe went
through water at times that was
over the running board. He was
tralled by exceedingly damp sec.
ret service men in a jeep.
The a faltered momentarily al
one deep spot on the submarine
base, but plowed on through the