Perth Amboy evening news., 1922-06-26

afternoon, make a Striking picture
These are typical OF n Whlte
House garden party. The unusual
feature this time is the crowd.
There is a sprinkling of women
in organdy and silk and a few MD
dle-aged government ofhcials. But
the blue, gray and white OF nursing
uniforms, and the khaki or the serV-
ice, and the rolling chairs, crutches,
and bandaged arms and heads domi-
nate the scene.
There are chairs all about in the
shade so that the boys for whom
this affair means unusual exertlon
can rest. One nurse says that every
man who could possibly walk or
be safely moved left her hospital.
Some of them tried desperately TO
make enough progress to be able
to come, and there was great dis
appointment among those who were
pronounced not quite well enough
for so much exertion.
Some of the boys sit quietly In
one place. For the most part
however, the guests of this occasion
move about, trying to see as much
as possible. They recognize Sec
rotary of State Hughes, and they
watch with amusement the group
OF camera men who are following
him about, swapping him as ne
talks to a row of men in wheel
chairs or as he poses with his wife.
They are keenly interested in recog-
nizing and pointing out to one an
other Vice President and Mrs. Cool
idge; the cabinet officers and their
wives; Brigadier General Sawyer,
the dignified little doctor, who
guards the Presidents health; Theo-
dore Roosevelt. Jr.. assistant secre-
tary of the navy; and Mr.. Christian,
the Presidents secretary.
A large audience gathers around
the receiving line to watch the other
guests meet the President. 1t is a
sign OF the informality Of the occa-
sion that a number of snapshots
of the President are taken. One
young oma leading a sightless
soldier receives permission from an
aide and goes up to the President
and snaps a picture for the boy to
send home.
1t is more than an hour before the
last veteran In line has been re-
ceived. Even then not quite all the
guests have been greeted. The
President and Mrs. Harding go back
to the driveway where two automo-
4 oI6AAAAAo" - S@
a group of veterans who cannot
walk and have come without wheel
chairs. They have been on the out
skirts of the party. Now they are
the center of II. for the President
stands by the two cars and talks
with the boys in them for some
time.
The Presidential Autograph
There Is a mai furry of excite
ment after this when some soldier
is inspired 10 have the Presidents
autograph Each man is wearing
an Identification tag. labeled with
the name of his camp or hospital
and under it White House party.
June n" Different colored tags for
each contingent enable the Presi-
dent and the nurses 10 place the
boys quickly. They are from Fort
McHenry; Soldiers Rest at Culpep-
per, Virginia; Walter Reed; st,
Elizabeth's Hospital; Naval Hos
pital; Evergreen Institution for the
Blind. Baltimore; Silver Spring
training center, Mt. Alto Naval Hos
pital; and the Carry-on Club.
1t is one of these tags that Is
presented to the President for his
signature. The President signs it
and at once a dozen more tags are
offered him. In three minutes the
crowd around the President is so
deep that the outside row knows
only by hearsay what is going on.
Mrs. Harding and Gen. Pershing are
also besieged for autographs. The
news continues to spread. Eventually
Mrs. Harding suggests that some OF
the tags be marked with the owners
name and address and given to her
to he signed later and returned. II
is 6 o'clock and the party is over.
The afternoon must have beer
one of great emotional stress for
the President and his wife. These
men, so many of whom had to be
led, assisted. or wheeled in chairs
are the heroes of a war that is over
but they are still fighting. Ever
the most boyish of them is no
young and exhuberant. At a White
House party in their honor. on &
brilliant June afternoon. they are
quietly happy.
Even TO stand apart and see 80
many of them together-the mer
who are paying for the wars ar
affecting sight. To greet 1000 per.
sonally and to see at close range the
endless possibilities of war injuries
and muttlations must ~pecezsAEtly b.