United States Senate, WASHINGTON, D.C. December 23, 1932 My dear Mother: We wish you a Merry Christmas! Enclosed is a check for $50 which is altogether too small, but it is full of love. I thought you would be glad to see the progress made from day to day in the Merger Bill, and am enclosing two clipp- ings. The Senate passed the bill last night. It will now go to the House, and, if the amendments are agreed to, it will then go to the President for approval. I feel gratified to have been able to put energy enough into this dead old project to dig it out of a hole about thirty years deep, and give it vitality. Besides that, I am relieved of a great sense of responsi¬ bility, and can really relax on our wonderful trip with the President and Mrs. Hoover. We will leave tonight on the train at eight o'clock, taking the boat Sequoia at Savannah tomorrow morning at 8:30. This boat will be accompanied by a smaller boat which we probably will use for fishing. There are to be no dress clothes on this trip, no invita- tions will be accepted, and it promises to be a real party of good companions, without ceremony, and for actual rest.