Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1921-10-04
ANN|vE RSARY Of
DEATH OF DANTE
COMMUNICATED
Exercises Presided Over BY
Secretary Hughes; "He Is
Ours As Well as ltaIy's,"
Says in Speech.

Washington. Oct. 3.-The six
hundredth anniversary of the death
of Dante Alighieri was comment
Grated tonight at exercises in the
national museum presided over by
Secretary of State Hughes who
said Of the great Italian HE is ours
as well as Italy's.''
A letter was read from Presi-
dent Harding, who was unable 10
attend. Speakers included Guido
Sabetta, counsellor of the Italian
embassy and Professor Charles IL.
Grandgent of Harvard University.
ut is we'll to turn back six hun
bred years." Secretary Hughes
said, "to learn once more the les
son that Moral supremacy is the
only one that leaves monuments
and not ruins behind It,
Dante a Patriot
"Dante embodied all the know
ledge and culture of his time" he
said. HE was scholar, patriot
and poet, but his distinction trans
cends his age and becomes more
impressive as the centuries pass.
- He is universal because
he Is the poet of the Christian
Faith and with the ideals of that
faith he wrote the epic of the hui
man soul. Dante, with
matchless power, taught the les
son of faiths victory. of the soul
triumphant, of the strength which
alone gives the mastery of life and
cannot know defeat.
President Harding in his letter
said: .
my Dear Mr.. Secretary:
II wish you would be good
enough to express my regrets to
the gathering at the national mu-
scum on Monday night, for the
memorial of the six hundredth an
niyersary of the death Of Dante
Alighieri.
HAD 1t been possible. / would
have been present, and would have
found much satisfaction in paying
my own poor tribute. among the
others, to the memory of one OF
the few men who have approach
ed nearest to touch with divinity"
A Rebel Against Wrong
I'm arms, in his great thoughts,
in his noble moral conceptions he
was ever rebel against wrong,
oppression and error. His life
time of suffering and privation
produced, because the fire of his
genius was beyond quenching
works in many realms which place
him among the foremost Of man
kinds benefactors. Probably no
other in history so nearly as he
deserves credit for creating at once
nation
al spirit in great but oppressed
people. To him. / think. the glor-
les of modern italian art and lit
trature, and the unity and power
of the Italian people. may be es-
teemed tomorrow in monuments.
"It is a justification for rejoic-
ing that his anniversary is being
SO widely and SO Understandings
commemorated in our own coun-
try this year. Though he was pri-
vileged to see in his life time little
realization of his aspirations. yet
we cannot believe that so noble
a, soul will have been denied the
satisfaction of knowing at last that
men realize their universal debt
to him. SO it is altogether fit
ting that not only those of Italian
descent, but their friends, and the
lovers of humanity everywhere,
should now give their voice to their
rejoicing in the fulfillment of his
prophecy.
LET us hope that the coming
century may witness the fulfill
ment of yet others OF his aspira-
lions for the good of the common
wealth of nations, to which he has
been so long and heartening an
inspiration.
Sincerely yours.
Warren G. Harding"