Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1921-02-01
SPECIAL Dispatch to The star.

Special Dispa tch to The star,
MIAMI BEACH February t-~Sena-
tor Harding's famous cruise down tho
Florida coast has not been without ITS
amusing side. 1t has created vast
amount OF jealousy among some OF '"'
smaller communities which are hiu-
ding for the winter tourist trade. ana
where vast tracts. of weed-Str'"h
lands have been subdivided int" '''E
and villa lots. The fact that the Srna- !,
tor seems determined TO conhh' MS !
visit to the east coast has caused u''P |
disappointment to all the residents "'
tht. west coast cities and colonies
Every former Ohioan now a feSluth'
of Florida has sent n telegram 10 we
President elect urging him, III t"'
name Of the old buckeye state I" WISH
this or that community. Ana 1rie'i"S
of other members of the part! WIZ
Senator Harding have Joined in the
telegraphic bombardment. until now
a sort Of endless chain has been ere
ated. Senator Harding thus lar I.la
resisted the hail of invitations WI"
all due graciousneSs hut once OF
he has fallen victim TO lhe WIGS Va
! the intriguers. -.
! Two rival cities on the east toaS'
, both of which are booming IKE WIN
! western mining camps. are Ntf' "'
! Fort Pierce. lntSp flNaIS ~ 49,
| uhout seventeen miles apart. Senator
| Iiardins's itinerary down the Indian
river called for a stop either at \tro
or Fort Pierce. Naturally TINS ihueu
! nitancss of schedule stirred tine hooS'
! prS of the two communities my -
high pitch of excitement 1t sh nap
pened that Vero. lying north OF fort
| Pierce had first go at tn" ircsinfn'-
elect His househoat. the Victoria,
was surrounded by gayty decorateu
! craft when it reached N"ro, ana was
''shooed" into the landing. Senator
| Harding went ashore ana p'"geu d
! game of golf.
Then Comes the Mud SroN.
! Having stopped at Nero. senator
! Harding very soon was made aware
| that if he should give Fort Pierce the
( cold shoulder the world unqueStlon-
| ably would come to an end or nus az
| ministration would be started under
| 4 cloud The Fort Pierceans were in
| a torment A lone secret service man
; happened into the town to see that
| all was well in the event the senator
, should decide to stop, ana ne was
tan but held as hostage once ms
identity was discovered. Former Am
bassador Henry u. Fletcher. mem
Der of the Harding party. was made
the particular object of attack in TINS
instance because he happens to nave
q relative in Fort Pierre" So 1t was
ing to play" at Fort Pierce, and the
cruise proceeded without untimely
| disaster.
But the best story of the cruise is
wet to come. 1t 50 happens once more
THAT a very thriving little community
known as Fort Lauderdale lies be
tween Palm Beach and Miami on one
tof the canals which the houseboat
icruiSerS must take. Fort Lauderdale
never was on the Harding itinerary
land there was no thought of stopping
There BY some strange mischance.
however. when the Harding houseboat
ihove in sight at the fort an immense
idredge happened to be blocking the
channel. when the houseboat came
TO standstill the skipper was in
formed that it would be impossible
for the dredge to stop work right
away. and that even if il should be
moved it would he dangerous for the
houseboat to attempt to go through
the channel until certain obstruction:
were removed.
Florida IL at Its Best.
Not II soul connected with the iof
lcould hazard "A guess az to how Ions
this would take. but there was ;
unanimous opinion that the best thinl
1.-THE senator could do was to go ashor'
and play a few holes OF golf on thu
| Fort Lauderdale links. The town wa
all dressed in bunting anyway, anf
judging from the crowds which wer
out TO greet the President-ele Whe
he landed. it was evident that ever
good Fort Iauderdalian had eXpecte
that big dredge TO do it's full duty. Tn
idredge did. Very soon after the sen
ator was safely and securely ashOr
the big mud sucker moved slowly OF
of the channel so that all other cra1
could pass with ease and safety.
Senator Harding grinned drily over tn
W he told how urIicklV IN
dredge had completed its job after h
had landed But he enjoyed his litt
visit and let it go at that.
All of the Florida cities visited ha,
wanted to give Senator Harding nois
receptions and speeches of welcome ar
i fireworks and everything but he h:
asked that all such ceremonies be Gale
off and 50 far his wishes have bee
complied with.
Down here in the Miami district I