Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1922-06-16
HARDING SPEAKS
At FORT NJ HENRY
President Pays Tribute to Writer
of u. S. Anthem.
NATION NEEDS FAITH OF KEY
Executive Calls the Author a Shining
Example for the People-mrs.
Harding KneeIs Before the
Blind Veterans.

Baltimore bay-the scene of the writ
ing under fire OF The star Spangled
Banner'-President Harding walked
between lanes of living heroes of the
great war who never again shall see.
They were the blind from Flanders,
the ArgoE~e, Messines and Chateau
Thierry.
President Harding, accompanied by
Mrs. Harding, shook hands with each
member of the sightless battalion and
Mrs. Harding knet before some of the
more gravely stricken men as she
murmured words of comfort to them.
The presidential party motored TO
the fort. on the bay point from the
Emerson hotel, where they had been
the city's luncheon guests. On ar
rival at the fort, the President was
given a salute Of twenty guns. A pro-
gram of speeches and songs preceded
the Presidents speech. President Har-
ding's speech "The shrines OF Amer
lean patriotism not only reflect the
quality of its gratitude. but they are
ever refreshing and inspiring. We are
assembled today TO rededicate one of
these sacred shrines.
Come to Praise Service.
Here the patriotic sons Of the early
republic crushed one of the most
ambitious invaslons ever aimed
against our nation. Here. during the
rage of combat. was born the swell
ing anthem of American patriotism.
at is wholly fitting that Flag Day
should be chosen for this commemO-
ration and rededication, because our
hymn of patriotism is an apostrophe
to the flag we love Yea, il is apos-
trophe and invocation as well, born
of a. patriotic and poetic soul in the
trasail of a sublimely heroic light.
"Some one has said in substance,
let me write the songs of n people,
and / care not who makes their laws.
That quotation presents one of the
living truths in every land, under
every sky, about the appeal of poetry
and song to the finer sentiments of the
human heart. The truth is completely
demonstrated in the appeal which
The Star Spangled Banner made to
the American people
81 think it fair to say that we have
come here today, not so much to pay
tribute to the genius which caught the
Inspiration of a vital moment and
wrote that inspiration into one of the
songs Of the ages, but rather more to
memorabilia the patriotic service of
the author in his everlasting contribu-
tion to the soul uplift and exaltation
of his countrymen who live after him.
More Than Great Poet
Francis Scott Key, though he pro-
duced some splendid lines, which are
less familiar than they deserve, was
not a great poet He was less, but he
was also more, than a great poet. He
was possessor of patriotism which in
a supreme moment could make words
and meters its creatures aud servitors,
and so a modest genius was raised in
one flaming hour to place among the
immortals.
THAT the song became instantly
popular, and that when set to music
1t was Immediately adopted as the
anthem Of militant Amerj"anism, testi-
fies that already, more than n century
ago, the conviction of great nation
alism and great destiny had taken
hold upon the American people
ITO give the ringing voice to such
n conviction TO such mn aspiration,
was one of the greatest services which
any man could do for the young re-
public That was the service of Fran
els Scott Key.
1T was not in he production of soul
stirring lines, thrilling With martial
appeal-it was in the contribution of
his great hymn toward creating that
sense Of national pride and that reali.
cation of responsibility for a great adj
venture in behalf of humanity which
became Mt last the inspiro ton OF
union preserved and of nationalism
established"
The President quoted from "The
Star-Spangled Banner" the lines:
20, thus be 1t ever, when freemen
shall stand
Between their loved home ana the
wars desolationn
THAT was The poets prayer" he
said. I'VE may fairly claim. in pride
for the deeds OF our fathers, oul
brothers the prayer has been granted
the faith has been kept.
I'VE need all the inspiration anc
faith which fired his (Key's) glowing
soul Of uariotiSm. No generation OF
men has ever come into the world I,
find its path Smoothed or to find IT,
problems solved for it in advance
Solution is the fit price we pay for oui
inheritance Of liberty and opportun
ity."