The New York herald., 1920-12-06
FRIENDSHIP IS TOPIC
OF HARDING SPEECH
Delivers Memorial Message at
Elks' National Home in
Virginia Mountain.
HIGH LODGE MEN THERE
Members From Every Section
of u. s. Unite in Fraternal
Day With Senator.

Special Despatch to THE NEW YonK HIRAM
BEDFORD, Va. Dec. .-President-elect
Harding forgot Cabinet appointments
and the big tasks which win engage him
in Washington tomorrow, while he
basked In the sunshine OF this Blue
Ridge Mountain town, and IN the af-
fection shown him at the Elks National
Home, where he delivered memorial
address The service was staged out
Of doors, in front Of the hall before
thousands, who had come from the town
and from the surrounding countryside
Elks were here from all parts Of the
United States.
In his address in memory of the de-
parted Elks the Senator took friendship
as his text. The circumstances Of his
appearance in Bedford gave eloquent
testimony to his own anxiety to pre-
serve the finer human relationships 7e
bent all his vacation plans to be 9are
because year ago he promised his Old
friend Henry Stowe. II was before he
became candidate for the Presidential
nomination Stowe, an old Marion
friend. had met with true friendship
from Mr.. Harding. They had been to-
gether In many activities in Marion,
where Stowe was once a man Of inn
portance and means. Harding, MS a
newspaper man. met him often and a
warm and lasting friendship began
To-day Stowe found his friend un-
changed when he called at the private
ear superb
Hello. Henry" said the President
elect.
Hello. warren. was the simple re-
ply.
Where is Baptist church," in
quired the Senator
There isn't any here" was the reply.
II was noon before tie Senator
emerged from his car to ride at the hea
of an automobile parade through the
town. The people bad been lining the
streets for hours waiting. Academy
cadets were drawn up ia military for
ma tion in the main street.
The Senator said in mart:
I'VE are met in memory to-day in
srateful, fraternal memory. in behalf
Of those who have taken the fork OF
the road to eternal neace.
1--WE are met to remind ourselves tha-
in our daily lives we are making
memorials. and It is the privilege OF
every human being to leave such a
memory as he would like to have re-
called.
AFTER all it is the sum total Of little
things which make q great life It IS
llOA ElNtU " dlA Ultli W iUEEllt bIftt
shafts Of granite or tablets Of bronze
but II is the privilege Of every living
being to plant IN ever blooming friend
ship in some fellow brerst ard gather
all the fruit 1t bears Men live most In
their helpful relationships, and 7 have
thought good many times that the
best life among MS s that Of the one
whose life is such that It softens sor
row and relieves distress. and cheers
the downhearted and counsels those
who need II and spreads hopefulnnss
and encoura cement everywhere You
find them In every community trusted
and beloved BY every citizen thereof
1T is all so simple to serve And ii
is vastly conipensatlng to encours eitf
hesitant and hating, TO aid "a
struggling genius, or bind a wound and
speed broken warrior on TO victory tli-
umphant
ITO me the realization Of neglected
opportunities. the waiting moments fo~
helpfulness. which we have overlooked
because Of their very simplicity 81 TIE
sorrow of occa sions like this 7 eno
OF It because I never attend a lodge
memorial without rcfectine on the mau-
ner choose 10 be remembered We join
In this memorial Of song and tribute, but
IT is the individual momorv that goes
TO the heart. Men are only fully re-
vealed to their intimates And the pity
Is that we do not always understand"
The Senator was presented by Willinm
NJ Abbott. Grand Exc tied Ruler of ti-a
Elks who came hCre from San Francisco
for tine ceremony. Fred g. Robinson
r. j. Brennan. Patrick J. Powers John
Halpin William r. Drislane, John T
Tanning. Fred Harper, jess W Smith
and John Calvin. Mayor Of Cincinnati
were among the prominent EilSs present.