The New York herald., 1921-04-13

the spot on the Vice Presidents rostrum
that soon will be occupied by the Presi-
dent OF the United States.
In the Presidents gallery 10 the left
of the Vicc-President's desk Mrs. Har-
ding has taken her place. She Is in
gray-gray suit. gray hat. gray shoes.
Directly across from her young woman
In black leans forward to overlook the
floor. Her elbows rest souarely on the
railing as she clasps fingers and studies
the faces below. This is Mrs. Alice
Roosevelt Longworth, whose husband,
Nicholas. Is a Representative from Ohio
and big man OF the Ways and Means
Committee. In the Speakers gallery
are Mrs. Frederick III. Gillett the Speak
er's wife; Mrs. Marshall Field. Mrs.
Theodore Roosevelt, Jr., Mrs. Frank B.
Noyes. Mrs. Wesley Merritt. Mrs. Minot
granddaughter OF Senator Lodge, and
Woodbury. Blair
At exactly l r. M. the doorheeper OF
the House makes a simple announce
ment. which is dramatic, simple at 1t is /:
THE President OF the United States"
President Harding, extremely well
groomed as always. in excellent humor.
very obviously; a vigorous and buoyant
figure. enters the hall escorted by Sem
ators Cummins, Lodge, Knox, Hitch
cock and Glass and Representatives
Mondell, Fordney. Good. Kitchin and
Byrns. Everybody stands, OF course.
and there Is burst of applause of
the real spontaneous sort, participated
in by floor and gallery. very general
except for some OF the Democrats. the
kind who would go hungry and thirsty
before clapping hand for any Repub-
lican that ever lived.
Without preface or comment the
President instantly begins the reading
OF his address. IT has been turned out
in pamphlet form by the public printer
and is document of some 5000 words.
He commences reading at precisely
:01 P. M. He finishes at exactly $50
p. NJ. He reads rapidly. smoothly.
sometimes slowing his delivery to stress
an important thought. In the whole
reading he makes but one gesture. That
is in urging great merchant marine.
AS he. speaks the thought he brings
his left hand down with q thump on the
Vice-President's desk The President
reads well. as he speaks we'll. He does
not humble his words. The address is
entirely pleasing to the ear and there
are a. multitude of indications that Il
Is entirely pleasing TO the minds Of the
great majority of his audience.
League Reputation AppIauded.
Applause frequently marks the de-
livery. running through his entire ex-
preston OF domestic needs and policies
and coming to a climax when he de-
nounces the League Of Nations. When
he utters the sentence I'm the existing
League OF Nations, world-governing with
Its superpowers. this Republic will have
no part" there Is a veritable storm OF
applause, floor and galleries joining in
tumultuous handclapping and shouting
very unusual clamor for the dignihed
precincts In which 1t occurs.
Galleries and floor go to their feet
and remain there handclapping for O.
full minute as the President pauses.
Over in the Presidents gallery Mrs.
Harding, following every syllable OF the
address. smiles in delight and claps her
hands with the rest. There are other
bursts OF approval. but nothing to COM
pare with the demonstration detonated
by the Presidents unqualified rejection
OF the league and all it's works. Some
or the propagandfsts for the covenant
look very sad at this point. They have
got their final quietus, it would seem.
Another extremely important utter
ance is received in silence. starting no
applause because for the moment its
purport is not clearly revealed to some.
that the visor course for the nation
would be to engage under the existing
treaty. assuming. of course. that this
can be satisfactorily accomplished by
such explicit reservations and modifca-
tons as VIII secure our absolute free
dom from inadviseble commitments and
safeguard all our essential interests"
1t Is plain that the whole address
pieases and gratifes Senators and Rep
sentatives-certainly the Republicans
of the two bodiee--for no such unar-
unity OF praise for Presidents mes
sage can be recalled. Men representing
all shades Of opinion in tho party mani
fest their approval.
The President retircs Immediately af-
ter he finishes his reading. as his au-
dience remains standing. and at once
returns to the White House for lunch
con.
Congress is ready now for business.