New-York tribune., 1922-07-06
Tells Veterans They Control
Affairs of the Nation as
Completely as Did the
G.. A. II. After Clash Of '61
Burden Greater Than w ar
Pershing Sure of Them as
in Argonne; Presidential
Party to Start Back To-day
By Boydcn Sparkes

States, as complete as that exercised
by the Grand Army Of the Republic
after the Civil War had passed into
their hands.
| Mr.. Harding expressed his confidence
that the country is in good hands.
Among the veterans of the World War
General John J. Persning, Hanford
MacNider, National Commander of the
American Legion; Eddie Rickenbacker,
foremost ace of the A. E. F., and groups
Of soldiers and sailors from virtually
every county in Ohio.
The Presidents talk at the fair
grounds was quite mpromptu He had
gone there where the men were holding
a reunion after parade down town
which had been reviewed by Mr.. Hard
ing and General Pershing, merely to
Marionite introduced him and ne
yielded to the yells for a speech.
General Inspires Remarks
Brigadier General John r. McQuigg,
who commanded regiment of engi-
neers, began to speak soon after the
President arrived and it was some Of
his remarks that inspired most of what
was said by Mr.. Harding. General Nc
/! Quigg said that the Legion was con-
secrated to the preservation Of the
Constitution and the maintenance of
| law and order
$50 long as the American Legion is
consecrated to the preservation of the
Constitution and the maintenance Of
| law and order in this Republic" said
the President, "the United States of
America is everlastingly secure. An
other thing the general said / must
| o1oh 70 fny. ,of
then l shall have done. He said your
program was one of the future. Have
you ever stopped to think, young men,
of the wonderful part the Grand
Army of the Republic has played in
fifty years Of American progress -?
| The veterans of the Civil War, once
they organized, entered into the social
the political, the business, the moral
| life of this great Republic. There was
not anything that happened for fifty
years that did not have the sanction
of the Republic. So, men, you are
charged with a greater responsibility
now than you were charged with on
the battlefront in France, because in
your hands Is the destiny Of the next
half century Of the United States of
America, and l have no hesitancy in
saying to you, l think it is in good
hands, because if you will serve with
conscience and your capacity and with
| the same devotion and conservation
with which you defended the flag in
France, l know this will be a con-
structive and forward contribution to
the good and welfare of our United
States of America.
Il am happy to greet you. / like, as
Marionite, to see that the visiting
members of the Legion have come to
join us in our centennial. 1t gives me
the opportunity to speak to the Legion
Of Ohio and to give you my greetings
in an official capacity and to show you
the best that can come to men who have
offered all OH the altar of their
country"
Pershing Is Greeted Wildly
Then General Pershing spoke. AS he
rose he was greeted with the widest
sort Of demonstration, which caused
him to smile happily. He addressed
them as Comrades of the World War;
and said he knew that they were going
to carry the country forward.
Il am just as sure of that" he said,
"as | was when / ordered you into the
battle of the Argonne, that you would.
by, your efforts, bring success to the
Allies"
This is the last day of the Hardings
visit 18th their home folks To-mor-
row =, ing they start back for Wash
miles from here. Attorney General
Daugherty, who arrived in Marion to-
day, is going to entertain the party at
the Scioto Club there for lunch
con. The Columbus Glee Club, which
played conspicuous role in the front
porch campaign, is to have a share in
the entertainment of the President.
The night is to be spent at the home of
Robert Jeffrey, wealthy machine
manufacturer and old friend of the
| President from the days when he was
} Lieutenant Governor of Ohio.
! From Columbus the party will d,,,re
to Uniontown, Pa. and then on Satur~
day complete the run to Washington.
President Brushes Up His Golf
To-day began with golf foursome
at the new Marion Country Club. The
President had as his partner, Orley
friend. General Pershing's partner was
General Dawes.
There was "a large gallery present as
the foursome drove off the first tee, a
long hole. The President got good
drive, but General Pershing topped his
ball. which rolled feebly off the tee.
"And that" said General Dawes,
! polnglnE fudelY at MS TREND and Tor
mer commander, sis the hero of the
Argonne.'
The President and Mrs. Harding had
luncheon with Mr.. and Mrs. c. B. King
in East Centre Street. Mr.. King is
Mrs. Harding's brother. At o'clock
they motored down town and took their
places with the rest of their party in
| the reviewing stand to watch the pa
| rade.
|
"Indiars" Can't Fool Him
Well up in the front of the process
sion was band of Indians in war paint
and brown tights. They whooped and
yelled their way past the grandstand,
and the President talked behind his
| straw hat into the ear of Mrs. Harding
whenever he penetrated the identity Of
one of the "Indians"
One float filled with little girls in
their very best frocks was drawn up
close to the reviewing stand, so that
young woman might toss bouquet
of roses to Mrs. Harding. The Presi-
dent and General Pershing between
them caught the flowers. There was a
company of tottering old soldiers of
the Civil War, marching in blue uni
forms with their rifles on their
| shoulders. They brought tt~se to
port" as they passed the stand and
| won the snappiest salute of the day
from General Pershing.