The Washington herald., 1921-01-21
Accompanied by Secre-
tary and Carload of
Correspondents.
TALKS DEMOCRACY
BEFORE STUDENTS
No Room for AutOcracy
Unless People Will 1t,
He Says.

MARION, Ohio, Jan. 2O.-Presi-
dent-elect Harding left here late to-
night for St. Augustine, Fla, where
he will board the houseboat of Sem
ator Joseph S. Freliughuysen, of
New Jersey. Saturday afternoon for
twelve-day cruise along the Flor
Ida east coast before he resumes
in some southern resort cabinet
selections, conferences with best
minds" and preparation of his in
auguration address.
Accompanying the President elect
on the private car Ideal" are his
secretary, George B. Christian. jr.,
Harry NJ. Daugherty, who will be
guest on the FrelInghuysen
houseboat Victoria" and Judson c.
WeIllVer, publicity director at Har-
ulhs headquarters during the cam
palgn. Secret service men, two stem
ographers and 4 special car fun Of
newspaper correspondents make up
the rest of the party.
Attends EIks' Initiation,
Mr.. Harding boarded his private
car late tonight after attending an
initiation of 100 candidates. known
as the Harding class" at the Mar
ion lodge Of EIks. Earlier in the
day he spoke to the pupils of the
Harding High School, until cleo
ton day known as the Marion High
School.
The President-elect was fntroduc-
ed by his sister, Miss Abagail Hard
Ing, a teacher of English in the
nigh school, who referred to the
Senator as my big brother"
have come to the conclusion
that the greatest achievement lis
a sense OF being helpful to others,"
senator Harding said. IF you can
blend in your lives the consciops-
ness of service you have wrought
the greatest thing in the world.
Faith Lost by Close Contact.
You have brought into a little
closer contact with government and
the tendency in popular government
Is to lose faith to a certain degree
when you are brought close to it.
But popular government is a nor
NAL thing and there is no real au-
tOcraCy in it.
You have heard the Car re-
ferrcd to as an autocrat. but he
was merely the mouthpiece of an
autOCratiC government You have
also heard the Kaiser spoken of as
an autOCrat. but he merely was the
head OF an autOcratiC system. There
is no autOcracy of power in Ameri-
ca exCep tas the people have it in
their own hands.
You young men and women are
coming into full citizenship and
would ask you to strive for ex-
ceIlence. The worsct doctrine is
that of basing everything on a
foundation of mediocrity. That is
why America rejected International
ity-because that meant the de-
struction of national aspiration.
That is the trouble with the doc
trine and practice of socialism.
When you adopt mediocrity your
lives are failures.
Striving Is Sole Worth.
Strive to excel. I care not what
pursuit you are in. 1t is no dis
credit not to excel, but il is not to
strive to excel.
In short time I am going 70
leave YOU" Mr.. Harding said in
conclusion Il am going to assume
great responsibility. 1t is not to be
mine alone, however, because the
President is only the instrument
through which the popular will is
invoked.
For thirty years have been
listening to public sentiment. and
every public servant who listens
to the call of the cOul of America
is sure to get along. I firmly be-
lievC the soul of America is right
I firmly believe in the destiny of
America, and am going to my
tasks with full confidence. and, II
hope in few years to come back
and find you in the full citizenship
and consciousness with which Won
have fulfilled your duties as mem
bers OF the Harding High
Copyright, 1871, Public Ledger co.,