New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1921-07-14
Editors Present
Historic Chair
To Harding
A L. - = A - A ss9
Official Seat Fashioned OF
Tirnbers From Frigate Re.
venge, Which Was Sunk
in Lake Champlain, 1880
Capper Gives Him Token
President, in Acceptance.
Emphasizes World Need
for Tolerance, Good VIII

From The Tribune's Washington Bureau
WASHINGTON, July ia chair
fashioned from the timbers of the old
ident Harding to-day as the gift of fell
low editors and publishers throughou out
the country. The presentation was
made in the rear of the White House
by Senator Capper, Of Kansas, himself
publisher, in the presence of group
of Senators, editors and newspaper
men. The President, in brief speech
voiced his thanks, and later sat in t. q
chair and posed for photographs.
Subscriptions to the chair were lins
tied to a dollar and camp from news
paper men throughout the country. E,
p. Berry, managing editor of The
Fourth Estate, represented the pub
Usher Of that paper l.. d. Birming CHAM
who started the movement among the
editors to present the chair. MIR. Bir-
mingham was unable 20 be present
owing to the serious illness Of his wife
The chair itself is a massive, COM
Portable affair, designed by Alfred c.
Bosom, q New York architect. II is of
dark oak with natural finish. The only
decoration is an American eagle at the
top and underneath thanking the in
scription plate two carvings, symbolic
ing the two functions Of newspapers
The collection and disscmination Of
news. At the left is a hand grasping
the lightning indicating the teieufn9n
and at the right the head of woman
with a trumpet to her lips, indicating
the spreading of news.
Built of Historic Timber
The Revenge, from which the chair
was made, was built on Lake Cham
plain in 1776 1t was sunk with two
other gunboats in 1880 in an attempt
TO capture Ticonderoga. The ship lay
under twenty feet of water until 1909,
when it was raised. Because of the in
roads made by time it was exceedingly
difficult to find enough timber in it
sound enough for use in the chair.
Included in the group who witnessed
the presentation were Senators Carter
Glass, of Virginia.; Frederick Hale, Of
Name, and Medill Mccormick, of Hi
nos, all of whom are interested in the
editing or publishing of papers; Ogden
REID, of The New York Tribune. and
Newbold Moves, of The Washington
Star.
In making the presentation Senator
Capper said that the occasion was
unique in that Mr.. Harding was the
first member of the profession to be-
come President.
"Permit me to say this is no ordinary
chair" he said. with singular thought
:fulness, the originators of the idea
have had put into this testimonial
materials which entered into the con-
struction of the first warship in the
American navy, the Revenge, taken
few years ago from the bottom of Lake
Champaign.
"1here is no Revenge to-day in the
navy of this country. There is none
in the American plan for the future.
There is only good will in American
hearts for all the world
Press Protector of Ideals
Owe believe the American press, ex-
emplifed by your own honorable part
in its upbuilding, does much to make
men more thoughtful and considerata
and upright in the forming of, the
highest ideals of American citizenship.
That the newspaper men have com
plete confidence in your ability and
determination to measure up to the
great demands of the time is shown
in this spontaneous expression TODAY"
The President in accepting the gift
said:
at goes without saying that I am
delighted to have this token of the
esteem of men Of the Fourth Estate
1t touches me rather deeply because |
have a very great pride in the part +
have had in the newspaper profession
eff | could have my life to live over
with all the experiences that have