The New York herald., 1921-10-04
PRESIDENT EXTOLS
DANTE ALIGHIERl
600th Anniversary of Death
of Great italian Observed
in Capital.

WASHINGTON, Oct. 3.-The six hun
dredth anniversary of the death OF Dante
Alighierf was commemorated tonight at
exercises In the auditorium of the Ma
tional Museum, presided over by Secre-
tary Of State Hughes. who said of the
great Italian. "He is ours as well as
Italy's."
Harding. who was unable to attend. and
other speakers included Guido Sabetta.
Counselor of the Italian Embassy, and
Prof. Charles H. Grandgent of Harvard
University
1T is well to turn back 500 years."
Secretary Hughes said. ito learn once
more the lesson that moral supremacy is
the cn.y one that leaves monuments and
not ruins behind it,"
Dante embodied all the knowledge
and culture of his time. he said. He
was scholar. patriot and poet. but his
distinction transccnds his age and be-
comes more impressive as the centuries
pass. He is universal because
with the ideals OF that faith ne wrote
the epic Of the human SOUL
Dante, with matchiess power, taught the
lesson Of faiths victory of the soul tri-
umphant, of the strength which alone
gives the mastery Of life and cannot
know defeat"
President Harding in his letter said:
Ny dear Mr.. Secretary:
l wish you would be good enough
to express my regrets to the gather
ing at the National Museum on Mon
day night for the memorial Of the
six hundredth anniversary of the
death Of Dante Alighieri.
| Had it been possible, would have
| been present, and would have found
| much satisfaction In paying my own
! poor tribute. among others, to
| the memory Of one Of the few men
| who have approached nearest to touch
with divinity.
| In arms, in his great thoughts, In
his noble moral conceptions. he was
| ever q rebel against wrong. oppres-
| sion and error. His lifetime of suf-
| fering and privation produced. be-
cause the fire Of his genius was be-
! yond quenching. works In many
| realms which place him among the
foremost of mankind's benefactors.
| Probably no other In history SO
| nearly as he deserves credit for Gre
| ating at once national literature
and q national spirit in q great but
oppressed people. To him. think.
| the glories of modern Italian art and
| literature. and the unity and power Of
| the Italian people, may be esteemed
twin monuments.
| It Is a justification for rejoicing
that his anniversary Is being so wide
ly and so understandingly commence
| rated In our own country this year.
| Though he was privileged to see in
| his lifetime little realization of his as
| pirations, 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 fitting
that not only those Of Italian descent.
but their friends, and the lovers Of
| humanity everywhere. should now
| give voice to their rejoicing in the full
| filment of his prophecy.
Let us hope that the coming CEN
| tury may witness the fulhlmsnt Of
| yet others Of his aspirations for the
| good OF the commonwealth of nations.
| to which he has been so long and
heartening an inspiration.
Sincerely yours,
WARREN G.. HARDING.
| The committee in charge Of exercises
included Waldo G.. Leland of the Car
negie Institution, Mgr. Aluigi Cossio
Apostolic Delegation, Washington; Prof
Henry Grattan Doyle of George Wash
ington University, and Constantine E.
Mcclure of the Inter-American High
Commission.