The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-12-05
U. s. TREATMENT IN MARITIME TRADE IS
 HARDING'S PICTURE
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joicing,'' he continued, Ito know that you all are here as volunteers in the service of your country. The greatest thing in life is service, and the greatest achieve ment in life is the highest service one can give. How fortunate it is that our civilization has been developed to a point where you are more than trained to de- fend your country; you are trained also to live for your country.
 "The navy is the first line of American defense. No nation can hope to be emil nent in commerce in these times without a naval institution adequate to protect it's rights. I want nation righteous in it's purpose, righteous in it's commerce and then everlastingly determined to de- fend it's commerce and it's rights.
 T can only speak to you today as private citizen but have in my heart the pride of private citizen of Am<r- ica in such representation of American manhood When it is time to come into responsibility I want to have your con fidensce. I know you will have mine. | hope you will continue in your devotion and service to your country, but at the same time I hope you will never have to fire a gun in defense of your country"
 w 0en senator ltaCiiCu thC se-c ernacle an audience was singing religious hymns, and he asked for one more be- fore he began his speech. Then he paid tribute to the influence of religion, de- claring that if he did not believe there was a God to aid mankind he never would want to take the responsibilities or the pr esidency.
 Neither would I want to be President if I did not feel that I would have your help" he continued. q want a united nation and 1 want somehow to appeal for that understanding that will have the peopie of the old Confederacy understand that's only memory"
 CAN'T DISCUSS POLICIES
 q cannot talk today about public poll cies, because there is yet proper ana respected administration in power, ana I'd be the last man in America to glve offense to the President or his friends by assuming responsibilities before my time. So I can only say that I want to know you and want you to know me. because we're going to work together and, God helping US, we're going to preserve rep resentative popular government.
 T do not speak in criticism Of any personality. I believed very much in an essential autocracy for the winning or the war, but now that it is over, want restoration of normal government.
 
 America the greatest maritime nation on the face of the earth. I have profound conviction that if our America had been possessed of great merchant marine as auxiliary of national defense our rights never would have been affronted by tho central powers.
 "A lot of old hide-bound democrats and a lot of miserable old mugwnmp republicans have been utterly blind to oft he nation CiVlnS a thought to an adequate merchant ma , rine. If I4aFollettes seamen's act rep- resents the conscience of the American people-and I believe 1t does-then the American government ought to step III and share the burden it imposes. q want to call attention that the chief propagandists against subsidy of Amerl- can ships were the agents Of the liam burg-American and North German Lloyd's steamship line. don't Know whether their opposition was inspired oy selfish competition or whether it was due to a far-reaching design of the ruling class of the central empires Sometimes aspiring monarchs think of these tnlngs' and I believe the ruler of Germany was looking forward to world domination
 What I want for America is that the 10 OOO. 900 tons of shipping we bulldeo III haste during the war shall be turned over to private management under gov ernment encouragement. Ana Wah'' above all that we shall preserve one .nihg more. We must preserve the majesty or government and of law and respect for the constitution. And I want the citi. zens of Virginia to join the citizens or Ohio. and the citizens of Maine to JOE the citizens of California in one concord of American union and consecration 10 the service of our common country