Herbert Hoover Autograph Message Signed as President

Sent by telegram as a press release, it offered condolences upon the sudden death of the publisher of the Chicago Daily News, an early Hoover supporter

“He was so fine an American, so staunch in every righteous course that his loss is a loss to all our people.”

Walter Strong was the publisher of the Chicago Daily News, and an early Hoover backer for the presidency. The two remained friends when Hoover became president, with Hoover turning to Strong for advice about press relations. In one noted instance, Strong suggested that with the Depression on, Hoover ought to cultivate better relations with reporters covering the White House. Strong died suddenly of a heart attack on May 10, 1931, at the age of 47. Hoover was close enough to Strong and his paper that he was consulted about who the next owner should be.

Hoover was understandably upset by Strong’s death, and that very day composed a message for immediate release to the press. Autograph message signed as president, issued as a press release, Washington, May 10, 1931. “I am deeply shocked to learn of the passing of Mr. Strong. He was so fine an American, so staunch in every righteous course that his loss is a loss to all our people. Mrs. Hoover joins me in expression of our greatest sympathy and our prayers that strength may come to you. Herbert Hoover.” The American Presidency Project lists this as among the presidential messages of President Hoover, and as such it is printed in full on that website.

Probably the greatest of presidential rarities are Hoover autograph letters signed as President (we have never had one in all these decades), and this is as close as to a letter as a collector is likely to get.

After releasing this message, President Hoover handed it directly to Leroy T. Vernon, head of the Washington Bureau of the Chicago Daily News – Strong’s newspaper – from 1903 – 1934. He was also on very friendly terms with Hoover, and his description of Strong’s death, Hoover’s writing of this message, handing it to him, and being sent as a telegram, are at the Hoover Library. This was obtained from the estate of one of Vernon’s descendants and has never before been offered for sale.