Evening star., 1920-12-06
HARDING TALKS
TO VIRGINIA ELkS
Delivers Memorial Address
at Bedford, Redee,ning
Promise to Friend.

BEDFORD, Va. DecAmber s tby the
Associated Prsss) ss).LPressaent-elect
Harding redeemed a promise to his
boyhood friend, Henry NJ. Stowe. now
a blind resident Of the Elks National
Home here, and practicea HIS own
preceptS Of "piemory's revealments in
feifowships and friendships which
formed the basis of his oration when
he delivered the address yesterday
afternoon At the annual memorial ex-
ercdses At the National Hone Lodge
Of Eiks.> AS
It was at the invitation OF Mr.
stowe, formerly a business man OF
Marion. Ohio, that Senator HarainS'
nomination for the presidency, agreed
to deliver the memorial services ora
ton at the Elks National Home, and
when he was nominated he repeated
his promise, to be carried out IRE
spectiye of the result of his CAM
paign.
So he delivered the address. declar-
ing in the presence of the friend of
his youth that "it is not given to all
men to inspire great shafts OF granite
or tablets of bronze. but it Is the
privilege of every living being to
plant an ever-blooming friendship in
some fellow breast and gather all the
fruit it BEARS
The oration was delivered in the
open, beneath the mild sun Of an
Indian summer day. from the portico
of the Eiks' National Home. while
2, 700 Eiks and friends from all parts
Of Virginia gathered On the lawn
Senator Harding was introduced by
Grand Exalted Ruler William ~ Alb
| bott of San Francisco.
Substanee of His Address.
The greatest gift in Gods mastey
bestewai upon man Is memory, SAID
Senator Harding. in opening his
| memorial grafton. 1T 10 the store
house Of everything in life worth
spires ali hope. 1t takes all the ina-
pressions of human existence and by
some alchemy Of love removes the
dross and makes goiden Cross OF
| faith. which: is the rasary 70 every
human prayer.
without the mesnorys Fexealmenfs
| in fellowships and friendships:
| without love and attaohments: With
out encouraSements and endeer-
ments; without Inspirations and the
! consciousness Of achievements"
! sane man who had his sanity restored
by a surgical operation at the eK-
pense Of his memory. the orator con-
tinned:
We are met Ia memory To-Day, In
grateful fraternal memory. ip behalf
of the road to eternal peace. Ours
is not a memorial of grief. Only
happy memories are becoming to the
only helpful memories are
worth while to the living. If the de.
parted brethren could know Of our
|memortal. n we eos1d soiye the great
|nystery of pye eertes ana know that
memorial above the ,murmurings of
sorrow.
Interest in the IAvlax.
For them the book Of HE II closed.
Sorrow has had tts becoming express
sions. but normal, natural interest is
in the living. Indeed we are met for
the living, else this meeting would
be in vain. We are INST TO rsnsind
ourselves that as ws I've. e ehan
fresh conclusion today that in our
daily lives We are making memorials
Lana 1t - the DF5vileEe.o{ AsaEy huuneH
[tetng TO leave such D memory ~ he
would like to have recalled.
The influence Of example was IL
Experiences Of his own. 10 which by
words of cheer to men who had be.
oone. the victims Of strong drink be
had the satisfaction o. turning them
away from the paths they were fol-
lowing into a successful life. OF the
dtsappointments of p4s.ic life he
said:
How often do We criticize baesh1y
when We ought 70 bestoWA garland.
We do it in private life and leave a
wound where praise would be more
We do II In public life
and withhold from sacrificing public
(men the one compensation that might
fftoue."