Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1921-05-24
To Living and Dead
CONTINUED from Page One)


flower steamed into New York har-
Dor and came to her anchorage amid
the salutes of hundred war craft
swinging on their lines in the Hud-
son.
Then the catching in the throat as
he arrived in Hoboken at the bivouac
of the dead, and entered the she'd
! like piers which served as a tenn
porary tomb for the thousands Of
brave lads whose flag covered cof-
fins covered the floors row upon row,
and laid upon the casket of a humble
private from Michigan-the first one
killed on German sofia wreath that
served as a symbol for all the coun-
try's war dead.
And later the CHEEKY welcome of
children's notes.-the voices of tens
of thousands of children, waiting to
greet him as he motored to Brook
lyn through the city's cosmopolitan
East Side.
Then quickening of the pulse
| when in the 23rd Regiment Armory
in Brooklyn he saw survivors of the
war-torn 106th swing bravely past
him, rank after rank, at a review held
in his honor.
And finally the laying aside for a
moment of the emotions of the day
TO lay before his audience the prob
lens that face postwar America in
her reconstruction period.
The Presidents day in the me-
tropolis was SO crowded that he had
scarcely moment Of rest from the
time the Mayfiower dropped anchor
until he again boarded the yacht
| late tonight to return to the capital
New York gave him an enthusiast
tic welcome. Great crowds cheered
him everywhere he went. The greet
ing that reached his heart, however,
was that given by Young America
| the 100000 school children who
lined the three miles of the route to
| the Brooklyn armory.
These children, granted half
holiday, stood in a drilling rain,
waving flags and cheering wildly as
the Presidential car came in sight
The treble of their childish voices
rose in mighty crescendo that
brought radiant smiles from the
President and Mrs. Harding.
The youngsters of New York's
lower East side, with its polyglot
population, gave him noisiest greet
ing. Once, the President ordered
his car stopped while he stepped out
into the rain and shook hands with
number of little girls.
II never knew there were so many
children in America" he said ut
was wonderful"
Another demonstration of youth
full patriotism that delighted the
President was a serenade by a boys
band of 400 pieces. Returning to
his hotel in Manhattan from the
regimental review, he ordered his
car stopped while he spoke a few
words of appreciation to the young
musicians.
At the conclusion Of the military
review in Brooklyn the President
walked across the hall to group of
SO wounded soldiers from the Fox
Hills hospital, Staten Island.
How are you, boys? l wish I
could shake you all by the hand" he
said
Mrs. Harding meantime stopped to
shake the hand of a paralyzed SOL
der and her eyes filed with tears as
she took a pink rose from her gown
and pinned it upon his blouse
The president declared that he
wanted those who come to our shores
to understand that their coming to
this country imposed on them an OBJ
legation, in addition to according
them the privilege of becoming
American citizens. He wanted it un-
derstood, he added, that they must
give as well as receive from the
government.
Speaking at the regimental review
in Brooklyn, the president said:
Il am very happy to have had the
experience of witnessing the make
up. and something of the training of
this wonderful organization l can
not quite tell you the impressions 1
have been having while | watched
your maneuvers. Somehow, in the
wonderful impression you left l felt
new security for the republic in that
assurance which comes of a volun-
tary military organization which can
be perfected as your has been. If L
were resident of Brooklyn-indeed
as a resident and citizen of the re-
public-Pd join you in pride in the
history and in the achievement of
the present condition of the Twenty
Third Regiment
Somehow there is a new feeling in
my breast today saw 5000 soldier
dead-somehow there has been a
prayer in my heart ever since, that
there shall be a nation so righteous
and so just that we shall never be
called upon to make war so long as
God and men may rule tocgthor. I
hope you will never be calle1 but if
you are I should only ask that the
Twenty Third serve in the future as
it has in the past.
And another impress came t. me
today. What a wonderful welcome
you gave us in Brooklyn. I don't be-
lieve / ever dreamed there We're so
many children in the United States
of Amrica-sweet, rollicking, laugh
ing, hopful children of the republic.
] don't believe any one with rsspon-
sibility can ride through such a COM
pany of American childhood rs we
did this afternoon without having
new resolve in his heart. I nave re-
solved, my fellow Americans, Tat
IL