The New York herald., 1921-09-12
ATLANTIC CITY Crush
SOON ENDS HARDINGS
BOARDWALK STROLL
President Emerges From
Hotel Back Door, but Is
Quickly Recognized.
ADDRESSES VETERANS
Promises Aid to Those I'M
paired in War, but Is
Against Bonus.
HE SPURNS GOLD DISHES
Likely to Come Here to Thea
tire Tomorrow Night, Later
Boarding Mayflower.
HE sPURNs GOLD DISHES

ATLANTIC CrTY, Sept. 11.-President
Harding came to Atlantic City from
Washington with the intention Of pass
Ing quiet Sunday here, but the crowds
that jammed the Boardwalk from
morning until midnight would not per-
nit 1t. Hundreds of persons stood all
day in front Of the Presidents hotel
hoping to get glimpse Of him, and
every time he appeared he was sur
rounded and followed by a crowd
which grew in proportions until il
! frequently became so large that 1t
blocked traffic and disorganized the
whole Boardwalk.
| Once during the late afternoon,
when the President was strollins
along the Boardwalk with Alexander
p. Moore, publisher of the Pittsburgh
Leader. ,the party was forced to leave
the Boardwalk and so through a side
street to escape the mob. The other
members OF the party did not join the
President, because of the threatening
weather, and he and Mr.. Moore evil
IDENTIFY hoped to escape from the hotel
unnoticed and enjoy their walk in
peace and quiet. Instead of leaving
the hotel by the front entrance, where
large crowd and battery of moving
picture and still photographers were
gatherered, Mr. Harding and Mr..
Moore went out by back door.
The President, however, surrounded
as he was by Secret Service men. had
not gone far before the crowd began Ia
recognize him. Several fell in behind
him. and then others, until at length the
crowd that followed and checred became
so great that detail OF Atlantic City
policemen Joined the party and marched
directly behind the President, so that the
crowd was not able to get close to him.
Small Boys Get to Harding.
However. many small boys managed
to squirm through the lines OF policemen
and Secret Service men. and every hun
| dred feet or so the President stopped
and shook hands with some youngster
who planted himself almost beneath the
Presidential feet and who would no;
bulge until he had been noticed. One
boy held out sticky hand and offered
the President some taffy.
mo. thank you," said Mr. Harding,
laughing, candy makes me fat"
The boy said afterward that while he
was bit ashamed OF himself for feel
Ing that way, he was quite bit re-
iovaI 4bn rapd,. ~~o...-
stuff and he wanted IL himself Other
children gave the President flowers, as
did many grownups. Several of the
lunches Of flowers struck the President
on the back and shoulders. but he always
laughed and picked them up, CARRYING
them for a short distance before hand
ing them to some child or some other
member OF his party.
The crowd that followed the President
kept Increasing until 1t became gigantic.
The bombardment of fiowers and flags
and the insistent presence OF small boys
and girls with sticky hands became so
great that Mr. Harding suggested to Mr..
Moore that they leave the Boardwalk;
Accordingly they went to Ocean avenue.
thence to Pacific avenue and then back
70 the Boardwalk. But the crowd was
just as big and the President hurried
back to his hotel.
Harding Refuses Gold Dishes.
The President enjoyed his sleep at the
Ritz-Carlton last night, but he did NOT
enjoy the solid gold dinner service tha,
The hotel management set out for his
first meal there. It was said this after
haf ,rhn t1,a
gold service hc frowned and said:
Take those things away and bring
some regular dishes"
The President arose bright and carly
this morning, and throughout the dav
wore cream colored flannel suit He
attended service this morning in the
Chelsea Baptist Church. where the Rev.
J. Keith Mcleod OF Pleasantville
preached the sermon. Mr.. Harding was
accompanied to the church BY Mrs
l Harding. Herbert Hoover and Mrs
\ Hoover and Under Secretary or state
Fletcher and Mrs. Fletcher. Later the
4 President went to the Atlantic City Hos
ptal to visit Mrs. Fred Upham, wife OF
the treasurer OF the Republican National
\ Committee. lie was accompanied there
by Mrs. Harding. his secretary, George
| II. Christian. and Mrs. Fletcher. Mr.
Hoover did not 60. but spent the time
in window shopping along the Board
walk.
During the afternoon n thousand
members Of the Fifth Division Associa-
tion, who were winding up their con-
ventlon In Philadelphia with n day at
this resort, called at the Presidents
hotel lie made speech TO them from
the entrance. declaring that there is
nothing too good in America for "its
veteran defenders" and intimated
strongly that ho was opposed to any
bonus legislation.
"The man who came back wounded
and impaired in ability to carry on the
vocation of his life," said the President,
deserves the fullest aid In our power
TO give. and I purpose to use all inhu-
ence have to see that he gets it. But
am not 80 much concerned with those
who came out of the war unimpaired,
They have the compensation OF supreme
service and experience. You may he
disappointed with matters of legislation.
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