The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-02-02
HARDING FLOODED WITH INVITATIONS
 OF FLORIDA CITIES
Rival Coast Towns Using Pres. ident- -eIect for Exploitation Purposes-0ne Little City
 Blocks Channel
By ROBERT T. SMALL

Wldill sbedCH, FId., EeDFuaTy l---NopS- aL)-Senator Harding's famous cruise down the Florida coast has not been without it's amusing side It has created vast amount of jealousy among some of the smaller communities which are bidding for the winter tourist trade, and where vast tracts of weed-strewn lands have been subdivided into city and villa lots
 The fact that the senator seems deter mined to confine his visit to the east coast has caused deep disappointment to all the residents of the west coast cities and colonies. Every former Chioan now a resident of Florida has sent teie- gram to the President-eleet urging hlm in the name of the old Buckeye state to visit this or that community. Othef friends of other members of the party with Senator Harding have joined m the telegraphic bombardment, and sort of endless chain has been created. sen ator Harding thus far has resisted the hail of invitations with all due gracious ness but once or twice he has fallen victim to the wiles of the intriguers-
 BOOSTERS ARE BUSY
 Two rival cities on the east coast, both of which are booming like wild western mining camps, are Vero and Fort Pierce. These rivals are only about Ii miles apart Senator Hardings itinerary
  either at yero or Fort Pierce. Naturally, this indefiniteness of schedule stirred the boosters of the two communities mto q high pitch of excitement. It so nap pened that Vero, lying north of Fort Pierce. had first go at the President-elect
 His houseboat, the Victoria. was sur rounded by gaily decorated craft when II reached Vero and was "shooed into the landing Senator Harding went ashore and played game of golf i;a"- ing stopped at Vero, Senator Hardlns very soon was made aware that if he should give Fort Pierce the cold shoulder the world unquestionably would come to an end or histadmlnistration would start under a cloud. The Fort Pierceans were in ferment. A lone secret servIce man happened into the town to see that all was well in the event the senator had decided to stop. and he was all but held as a hostage once his identity was dis- covered.
 HE "PLAYS" TOWN
 Former Ambassador Henry fletcner, d member of the Harding partN was made the particular object of attack m this instance, because he happened .o have relative ifi Fort Pierce So was he who finally induced Senator Harding to "play'' at Fort Pierces and the cruise proceeded without untimeiy disaster.
 But the best story of the cruise IS yer to come. It so happens once more that very Inr1VlnS llIIlo cOulitiuitilN hiic"it .-@ Fort Lauderdale lies between Palm Beach and Miami, on one of the canals which the houseboat cruisers must take Fort Lauderdale never was on the Hard ing itinerary and there was no thought of stopping there. By some strange mis- chance, however, when the Harding houseboat hove in sight at the fort an immense dredge happened to be blocking the channel When the houseboat came to . standstll the skipper was informed that it would be impossible for the dredge to stop work right away, and that even if it should be moved it would De dangerous for the houseboat to attempt to go through the channel until certain instructions were removed
 DREDGE TRAPS HIM
 Not a soul connected with the job couid hazard a guess as to how long this would take, but there was "a unanimous oplnlon that the best thing the senator could do was to go ashore and play a few holes or golf on the Fort Lauderdale links. The town was all dressed in bunting, anyway. and Judging from the crowds which were out to greet the Presidtnt-elect when ne landed it was evident that every good Fort Lauderdalian had expected that big dredge to do it's full duty. The dFedge did.
 Very soon after the senator was safely and securely ashort the big mud sucker moved slowly out of the channels, so that all other craft could pass with ease ana safety Senator Harding grinned dryiy over the ruse when he was told how quickly the dredge had completed us job after he had landed, but he enjoyed his little visit and let it so Ut that.
 All of the Florida cities visited have wanted to give Senator Harding noisy receptions and speeches of welcome ana fireworks and everything, but he has asked that all such ceremonies be called off and so far his wishes have been conn plled with. prex dent-elect is having the best weather of tle trip, and is thoroughly enjoying hin1se1f If he had not already made a number of important engagements for St. Augustine he has said he would finger . hero indefinitely. for southern Fiorida is af the height of it's attractiveness just now.