The White House Week

At his conference with the press the President explained what he wanted done with Muscle Shoals (q. v.): 1) If possible Congress should decide definitely on a lease of the plant before the end of the present session. 2) Some provision should be in the lease so that the lessee would be required to manufacture nitrates as well as electric power, because the manufacture of nitrates would not only tend to give farmers cheaper fertilizer but be absolutely vital to the country in time of war, since nitrates are essential to the production of explosives and the U.S. has almost no domestic source of nitrates.

Callers at the White House included : Congressman Madden, Chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, to discuss methods of keeping the government appropriations within the revenue in the coming year; Kermit Roosevelt to tell the President about Ovis poli and the Himalayas (TIME, March 8, SCIENCE); a delegation from the American Legion to urge that a military guard be placed over the tomb of the Unknown Soldier to preserve it from desecration (the President asked them to take up the matter with the Secretary of War-it would have his approval); John V. Mahan, National Commander, and a delegation of the Disabled American Veterans of the World War to ask the President to attend their convention in Atlanta next June; Governors Brewster of Maine, Hardy of Florida, Groesbeck of Michigan, "Twenty-four-votes-for-Underwood" Brandon of Alabama, to lunch and to ask the President to attend the next conference of Governors to be held either at Mackinac Island (Michigan), or at Cheyenne; Socialist Congressman Victor Louis Berger of Wisconsin to ask the President to restore rights of citizenship to Eugene V. Debs (see POLITICAL NOTES); Senators Lenroot and Willis, to ask the President to oppose an ocean ship canal through New York to the Great Lakes (see THE CONGRESS).

The condition of Colonel John pain. He had direct communication with the White House by telephone whenever he desired it. His physician, Albert W. Cram of Bridgewater, Vt., has visited him several times a week, going by sleigh or snow motor over the miles of snow-covered roads to Plymouth, where the snow now lies about four feet deep. Recently the Colonel arranged to lease his sugar lot, because he will be unable to harvest the maple sugar this year since he has lost the use of his legs. The sugar bush, known as "Lime Kiln Lot," because of an old lime kiln that stands on it, is really the property of the President, having been willed to him by his grandfather, Galuchia Coolidge.

The President received a delegation of those who favor an Ail-American ship canal to the Great Lakes through New York State.

Reports to the White House from Plymouth, Vt., told of the flagging strength of the President's father. They were none too hopeful, but the President was sufficiently reassured to go for a week-end cruise on the Mayflower, Calvin Coolidge, the President's father, was reported less satisfactory last week. He was in some keeping in touch with his father's condition by radio.

Guests on the Mayflower included Mr. and Mrs. Herbert Hoover, Mr. and Mrs. Frank W. Stearns, Mr. and Mrs. George Horace Lorimer (editor of the Saturday Evening Post), Congressmen Purnell and Crumpacker and their wives.