New-York tribune., 1920-12-05
Renews Plea for United
Effort to Make Nation
Great to Huge Crowd
That Halls His Return
Urges Rebirth of
Merchant Marine
Hopes for World Disarm-
ament, but Asks Ample
Navy in the Mean Time
By Boydcn r. Sparkes


NORFOLK, Va. Dec 4.-For six days
at sea aboard the United Fruit steam
ship Pastoros the fellow passengers of
Warren &. Harding saw him engaged
in nothing more weighty than games Of
huifleboard on the promenade deck or
selecting freely from the generous
menu in the dining saloon In the
familiar contacts inevitable among
ships company there was nothing to
suggest that this unassuming, bushy-
browcd man, chewing dry stogic,
within a few months will come to the
place OF greatest power in all the
world But the people of Tidewater,
Va, in welcoming home the President
elect of the United States to-day, re-
stored the perspective.
While steaming at half speed
through the gray morning mists that
shrouded shores and shipping in Hamp-
ton Roads and dampened the code flags
swapping in the breeze high above her
white hull, the Pastores became the
focal point OF a great feet of aircraft
that whirred into view seemingly from
ali points OF the compass. There were
score Of insect-like army planes dart
ing and twisting with as little regard
for the law of gravity as wind blown
leaves in artumn; half as many navy
seaplanes flying on even keels, and
three silvery navy blimps, slow and
digniiied.
Passengers Enjoy Spectacle
It was "show" for Senator Har-
ding, but all the passengers lined the
rails to enjoy it. Even the mess
jacAeted stewards halted their last
minute frenzy OF attent;veness to bag
gage, palnt-scraping seamen detailed
to the steaming winches and loosened
hatch covers in the we'll deck braved
the wrath Of the strict individual who
is "chief officer' according to the gold
letters on his cap, but first mate" to
the old hands who bunk in the glory
hole and forecaste.
Senator Harding missed not 4 single
detail Of the aerial maneuvers, and eX-
claimed that good solid deck would
suit him as one of the himsy appearing
planes sailed not far overhead Then
the distinguished homebound vacation
was dropped by one of the flyers and
discovered that it was pulled downward
by weight of tightly rolled news
papers. Some one suggested that these
might be copies OF The Marion Daily
Star
81 hope So" said the Senator ear
nestly, II want to see if the advertising
is keeping up. Been spending money!"
The first parachute deposited its bur
den in the sea, and itself collapsed
hundred yards from the ship. but an
other caught in the @nal halyardS of
the Pastores and was brought to deck
by an agile seaman ordered aloft by the
square chnncd mate. Then the papers
proved to be The Norfolk Ledger Dis
patch, and there on the first page was
reproduced in miniature the first page
OF The Marion Daily Star, with a full
column of fresh Gossip from the region
of the front porch, including one item
about Thomas Brooks Fletcher editor
OF The Stars rival, The Marion Tribune,
telling that the PrcsideNt-e elect would
denver the annual memorial address TO
Bedford ElAs tomorrow.
Salute From Battleship
Senator Harding read every word
of il eagerly and then looked up to
past the battleship Florida and the
Pres dental yacht, soon to be his
Yacht Mayfower, and the crews of
both ships were standing at salute
N deck. Then he saw the colors dipped
in salute, not to himself but to the
Pastores. Whistles on the shores that
were still difficult to see in detail
and hoarser sirens on the dressed
ships lying at anchoragcs in the road
stead were blowing long blasts that
were heralded by Jets Of steam several
seconds before the sounds assaied the
cars of those aboard the ship that
was home from the tropics. From the
decks Of four-masted schooncrs, full
rggcd ships and barkcntincs messages
of welcome were wgwaGged TO the
Pastores
Then amid an Increasing din that
was only comparable to that in New
York liarbor when the transport
we're bringing soldiers homo from the
war the Pastores was warped into her
dock at Newport News, gangplank
was run aboard Ivy eager hands and
Mr.. Harding, of Marion. tourist.
stepped on the ship, and Senator uar
Continued next pasc)