Evening star., 1921-06-06
BY the Associated Press.

~
VALLEY FORGE, Pa. June g.
President and Mrs. Harding. who
spent the week. end at the country
home of Senator P. C. Knox here. left
for Washington in their motor car at
S :35 am. daylight saving time. They
were accompanied by the senator and
Brig. Gen. Sawyer, the Presidents
physician.
A sermon Of faith in established
American institutions and of hope for
, day of peace and good will through
out the world. was preached py
President Harding yesterday from a
woodland pulpit overlooking Gen.
Washington's historic camping ground
in Valley Forge.
Thousands Hear Sermon.
Civilization. declared the President,
has been beset by "vandals." This ma
tion. he added, could discharge its
responsibilities to humanity only If 1t
preserved securely it's independence
of action and the traditions inherited
from the fathers.
An America dedicated to its stand
ards at Valley Forge" said Mr.. Hard
ing. will hold fast and suffer, If need
be. until our inherited institutions
are justified and guaranteed anew.
When 1 pledge America to world
helpfulness, at the same time 1 ex-
to her own independence; of action
and to herown conscience"
The Presidents address was de-
livered from the cloister Of the Wash
ington Memorial Chapel to a crowd Of
several thousand persons assembled
under the auspices of the Valley
Forge Historical Society.
Attends Service In Chapel.
Just before the address he had at
tended service within the chapel it
self, to which he and Mrs Harding
motored from the home of Senator
Philander c. Knox. with whom they
are spending the week end.
At luncheon Gov. Sproul and Sena-
tor Penrose also were guests at the
Knox home and during the afternoon
Senator Knox and his three distin-
guished visitors had a long talk. -
Late in the afternoon the entire
party took an automobile ride
Park and paid a short call at the
home of E. T. Stotesbury, financier,
and member of the Morgan banking
firm of New York. in the Chestnut
Hill section of Philadelphia. The
evening was spent quietly at the
Harding retiring early in preparation
for tomorrow's 140-mile motor ride
back to Washington.
At the memorial chapel. whose cor
ner stone was laid in 1903 by Presi-
dent Roosevelt. special patriotic
services were held yesterday in honor
of the coming of President Harding.
Former service men bearing the
presidential flag and the national
colors preceded the President and
Mrs Harding up the aisle to their
reserved pew and during the services
q
sides of the chancel. Patriotic airs
were sung for the occasion, after con-
cluslon of the regular Protestant
Episcopal service.
Text Of President's Speech.
The Presidents speech follows.
Il have always been grateful to my
good friend. Senator Knox. for the
one of it's ablest statesmen. but I
find myself paying the tribute of add
ed gratitude because today. for the
second time, he has made it possible
for me to come to this shrine of
American patriotism. and join with
YOU in tribute to those who gave US
the heritage of liberty and nation
ality. 1 thought while the rector
was speaking how indissolubly we, are
linked with the beginning. Washing
ton came to Valley Forge in the max
ing of the republic and you made him
here. and a century and a third after
ward come; as President, because
we share the heritage he left US and
we can join in paying tribute to his
service.
TT is good to come to this shrine
of liberty. not alone to offer willing
tribute to those who. perished here.
but to rededicate ourselves to the
patriotism which suffered and sacri-
feed here in order that our new
standards of freedom and democracy
should abide.
Valley Forge Tested Liberty.
Valley Forge tested the heroic
resolution Of the new world con-
tenders for liberty. In the crucible
Of suffering they blended the con-
fiicting elements Of the colonies and
reyeaied % the theme metal OF the republic
is not always tragic. but develops
its supreme Offering In the dull, pro-
longed suffering which glorifies abid-
i :.