Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1920-08-26
NO SUBSTITUTE FOR
STARS AND STRIPES
Harding Makes That Declaration
Addressing Two Blind Arr
gOnnc Veterans in His Audi
enCe at Marion

Marion. Ohio, Aug. 25.--At the close Of
a speech hero to-day on many issues Of
the campaign Senator Harding turned
from his audience to two visiting soldiers,
both blinded in the Argonne, and solemnly
made a public pledge that there never
shall he a substitute for the stars and
stripes they laet beheld."
The personal touch, which brought
momentaty hush over the gathering and
then was echoed in a roaring avalanche
Of chenrs, followed a broader promise 20
the world that in its efforts for inter-
national concord America never would
surrender it's nationality. and a sugges-
ton chat tt would he better "to cultivate
waiting opportunities in friendly soil ct
the new world than chase a phantom
amid the erves and rivalrie- of the old
In the speech the Republican nominee
also asked for governmental and individ-
ual economy as the primary step to re-
duce the cost of living. declared for n
policy Of federal maintenance Of public
highways. and appealed 10 the new
women voters not To segregate them
selves in a new party based on sex pre-
judice, The Democratic administration,
he accused OF "premoditated" neglect n
preparing for the great war and of tard-
mess in making provision for return to
peace status.
Departing from his prepared manuscript.
he also paid tribute 70 Theodore Roose-
welt and declared his conviction thai
Were he living, I would be speaking for
him at this moment as your candidate for
president"
SPEAKS ON GOVT ECONOMY
The greater part of the speech. which
,.,s Il
delegation from Wyandot county Oslo.
was devoted to government economy. Tho
Republican Congress, Senator Harding
said, had saved nearly a billion dollars
by pairing down Democratic appropris
tlon proposals. and thus had applied tho
one available remedy toward a reduction
in the cost of living. He suggested it
would he difficult to suggest amy par
tcular remedy" for living costs. but de-
clared the government al least should
stop it's extravaganza ms an example to
individual thrift"
Asserting that the adniris-rati ton never
could explain why IT did not prepare for
the war the candidate charged that ad-
mnist-aton officials Knew we could not
escape Involvement"
That neglect was premeditatai" 10
| continued. land tho American pao'1e
who are now forced 70 meet the over-
wheming costs IF that neglect have iu=t
reason to hold the administration 20 ac-
count"
In espous1ng "Pan American coritv,
much dreamed about but SO litt'e
realized" the nominee asserted thar
nobody has a thought Of American
| Hloofress." or Of any failure 70 ma'-e
| full contribution 20 world progress. w
pointing it's efforts toward harmony
| among the nations Of this hemisphe~a
he said. tho United States could accoms
J. plish good in q field where trade in<
torests and political aspirations ard
mutual
| Turning 70 the question of highway
maintenance. Senator Harding said g
was ~ criminal waste Of nuhlc funds
to eXperd thousands Of dollars per mi1s
on improved highways and then allow
them 70 go TO ruin before halt the
bonds issued to nav for them havs
I'comc 70 maturity" Ho nror1ised that q
elected he wouid ask Congress TO maks
a maintenance provision q nart Of evers
federal highway annronrlatior.
.,,,,rC,t, rO vvo,,r>- ,-Orr,e
The Sdmon't'on AGAINST a separate
womanS party came aS digressioo
from 'ho nominees nren7rod spee'h
arter ne hfd eNnress"d Hraufication
Ohht women We're 70 nc 'hfranchised,
Whatever dlff"rNNces fNcre NAV
have heen over the granting OF tho
! right or suffrage 70 women he said,
there can he no question rs 20 their
fitnesS. their capacity. thoir natrtO-
tlsm and tholr earneStness. voted
for the woman suffraFo amendment to
the constitution. 7 hop" 7 may never
| regret II. There Is onlT'one thing that
could make me regret Il and that
would he IN find the women Of th's
country segregatinr themselves into
parties because Of the prejudice Of sex.
you women must come into tho
political parties and make them what
they ought to he, II they arc rot al
ready that, and don't YOU over imacin>
for a moment that politics is muddy
pool It is the finest and most natrio-
tic business in the United States ot
| America, Come on In, the waters
fine"
PLEDGE TO BLIND SOLDIERS
The two blind soldiers 70 whom,
Senator Harding directed his closing
words we're Elmer stevens and Toseph
Fulin, who had come with the Wvan-
dot delegation and had been seated
They were blinded under the Gag. our
flag. in the Argonne," said the nominee,
after he had turned attention 10 them.