The New York herald., 1922-07-08
HARDING WOULD SET
INA7ION right FIRST
EThen 1T Is Up to America
to Help the World Get
on Its Feet
GETS ANOTHER DEGREE
Tells Students of School He
Attended They Must 4
Serve Humanity.
FOR OLD SOCIAL ORDER
insurgency Of 5000 Years
Has Not Changed 1t, the
President Says.

Epecial Dispatch to THE NEW York HERALD
NEW CONCORD, Ohio. July 7.-Speak-
: ing to the faculty and student body of
Muskingum College and the towns
folk of New Concord to-day President
Harding declared "it is up to America
to help the world get on its feet" but
first 1t must put its own house in
order.
Addressing himself to the young
men and women, the President said
1922 had mighty bequest for them
because there were greater problems
to meet than ever before.
He had stopped at Ne- Concord to
receive from Muskingum the degree OF
Doctor of Laws. Simple ceremonies were
held at the spring on the college campus,
which is in the center Of large natural
ampitheater.
Muskingum College Is the successor
to Ohio Central College at Iberia. where
the President received his education.
The two institutions both Presbyterian
schools, were consolidated many years
1 ago and located at New Concord.
The President's Speech.
Upon receiving his degree the Presi-
/ dent said:
IT do not know when 1 have locked
upon more attractive picture than this.
4 1t strengthens the heart of one in au-
\ thority and responsibility to see such a
reflex Of the citizensip Of our Republic.
i I very much appreciate this degree OF
u Muskingum. 1 appreciate it first be-
/ cause Of the relations of Ohio Central to
your notable institution.
Nothing ever happened to me in my
| college days that gave me so much grief
as the discontinuance of the college
where my father had gone before me. It
was one of those institutions where
every student knew every other student.
and Of course every student knew every
member of the faculty. Sometimes
thought we saw rather too much Of
them.
II like your school also because Il Is
very close to my ideal of the American
Educational institution. I have full
pride, have every reverence. for the
A great universities of our country. / sup
N pose should be as UNHAPPY as you II we
"A did not have them, but II were to
\ choose would rather have an America
Y made up OF those who are educated at
our less conspicuous and less largely
a attended universities.
"Perhaps I ought to explain why
feel that way. Personality is the great
est quality In life. and In the institu-
tions where the student bodies form
seven to eight to ten thousand there Is
little opportunity for the students to be
impressed by the personality Of those
responsible for their training. Ever
since civilization began there have been
institutions Of learning available to
those who are fortunate In material pos
sessions of life, but in our modern
America we have added everywhere
throughout the land like institutions
which are available to the rank and file
of the youth of America.
Service Is the greatest thing in the
human calendar. and the better we
equip ourselves the better we serve,
because in the expansion Of the mind
comes the better understanding Of how
best to serve. Let me tell you, young
men and women. no matter what your
fortunes In life the greatest compensa-
tion that will come to you tomorrow
or next year or the closing year of your
life will be the consciousness that you
have somehow been of service. either
to your friends. your State or your COM
mon country. That Is the greatest thing
that can happen.
Made More of Freedom.
''rn larger sense modern invention
has put us In touch with all the world,
and here In America has come to us
a very unusual responsibility. Whether
1t has the design of the infinite, whether
1t has the hand of destiny pointing the
way. somehow In this republic we have
made more OF freedom and we have
Ja -
contributed more to the human ad-
vancement in a century and half than
all the people of the world In all the
story of the world.
After the upheaval Of the world war
we found ourselves more powerful. and
because OF this responsibility 1t is up to
us Americans to stabilize ourselves and
get on the right track again.
1T is our responsibility to help the
world get on Its feet again. We cannot
do that unless we look first to see that
our own house In America is in order.
Il think the highest duty of America
to-day Is to call the attention of ALI
its citizenship to the heritage OF 1922.
Here we have the utmost OF freedom
and fullness of opportunity and can
only have security In the maintenance
OF the Constitution. the Just enforce
lnent Of the laws created Hereunder.
pared to play your part.
1T has been forty years since I re-
cefved tho degree of bachelor OF science.
and II knew as much and felt as con-
fident as / did then I would fear none
OF the problems of life. Life is a very
practical thing. but II you meet the
problems of life in simplicity and in
patriotic devotion to your country you
need have no fear.
THE institutions or the present must
be maintained. Men come to us and tell
us we must revolutionize the social sys-
TEN, but all the insurgency OF tho last
5000 years has made no impression and
no change. like to think you are pre-
pairing for service In good conscience.
There came to the executive office
not long since an acknowledgment OF
the assistance America he's given to the
great republic of Russia and the predic-
tlon that the famine has to continue
Into another year. You will wonder
what the explanation Is.
"The explanation OF impending famine
- another year lies in the fact that
unrer the present system OF Russia men
have no Inspiration TO plant and harvest
more than they need for their own Use
and protection. We have in America
the best system ever devised by man.
IF / may return to the original
thought, the greatest compensation that
comes to heart and to soul Ia the thought |
that In your life you have somehow.
somewhere been of service to your fel. |