Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1921-05-05
FIRM
FOR j. s. RIGHTS
Harding Tells Sailors America
Will Fight for Right.
VIEWS BIG ATLANTIC FLEET
Sixty Warshps in Naval Parade Led
by the Pennsylvania OFF Old
Point Comfort-crews Man
the Rails.
VIEWS BIG ATLANTIC FLEET

Old FONT Comfort, Va, April %
The Atlantic fleet, bringing back new
record OF accomplishment from its
southern drill grounds, passed in cere-
monlal review before President Har-
ding as it entered home waters i'll
Hampton Roads.
More than 90 ships of war, led by
the flagship Pennsylvania, were in the
long column that filed by to pay
commander in chiefs honOrs to the
President as he stood with Secretary
DENLY and Il party of officials on the
bridge Of the yacht Mayfower.
1t was a few minutes past nine
O'Clock when the Pennsylvania, pass
ing the reviewing ship, opened up the
thunder of her presidential salute, and
before the p guns had been spent, the
next ship in line took up the firing,
While the MayfoWer's batteries spoke
in acknowledgment. The cannOnade
continued in an almost unbroken roar
until the review was over.
President Harding boarded the
Pennsylvania amid salutes from sur
rounding ships, while scores OF sight
seeing craft circled in and out among
the big fighters.
Admiral Wilson presented the Off
GERS Of the fleet to the President on
the quarterback Then the President
gathered them around him for a brief
speech.
Wants Only What Is Due.
Il want to tell you who serve how
deeply interested and thoroughly con-
fldent America is in you," he said.
America will never ask anything of
you that isn't in accord with the best
conscience of the freest people on
earth.
''The United States doesn't want a
thing that isn't right. 1t doesn't want
any territory and it doesn't want any
tribute, but it does want that which
is righteously our own, and by the
eternal we mean to have that"
Il wish you might never be called
to fire a gun again" continued the
President. eff every government was
inspired by the same motives as ours
is there would always be peace. But
l wouldn't have peace without honor
and without the consciousness that
America is right and is protecting it's
every interest.
Il bid you make ours an efficient,
conscientious and effective navy and
I pledge you in return the conscience
and confidence of 100000 Ameri-
cans"
Crews Man Rails.
Crews Of the battleships manned
the rails in living walls of blue as
the fighting craft steamed by. On the
quarterback of each the marine guards
spanned to present arms" opposite the
Mayflower, and the bands played the
opening bars of the "Star-Spangled
Banner" In return the presidential
yacht paid the proper hOnOrs to the
senior officer on each passing ship, fir
ing a salute, however, only to the
Pennsylvania.
1t was Mr.. Harding's first view of
any part of the nations sea power
since he assumed office, and it was
the navy's first opportunity to salute
him. From the proud flagship Penn.
sylvania down to the humble "beet
boats" and from admiral down to blue
jacket, ships and men were sleek and
alert for the occasion.
With Admiral Wilson, fleet com
mander, on the Pennsylvania was AS.
sistant Secretary Roosevelt, who made
the cruise from Guantanamo with the
fleet and was on the fagship's bridge
when she passed the Mayfower. The
blue-and-white flag of the assistant
secretary fiuttered from a topmast.
Following the Pennsylvania came
the battleships Oklahoma, Nevada
Arizona, Utah, Florida, Delaware,
North Dakota, Michigan South Caro-
lima and Connecticut, the Utah flying
the flag Of Vice Admiral FL. P. Jones.
commanding the battleship force.
Close behind the battleships was the
tender Blackhawk, leading three d.
visions of six destroyers each and
thirteen submarines of the O and K
classes. They were followed by "a
number of mine force vessels and
ships of the supply train, headed by
the cruiser Columbia, flagship of the
train.
Throughout the review seaplanes
from the naval base and army air
craft from Langley field buzzed and
hummed overhead, while three dirigi.
bles droned lazily over the pageant.
The review occupied a little less
{I,on m how on1 hoJ