The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1922-04-28
Centenary Used to Stress
Disarmament With Suf-
ficient Preparedness.
BOATS TAKE THOUSANDS
Ohio in Wild Welcome to Pres
ident on Trip Back to His
Home State.

Special Dispatch to THE New YoRK HERALD.
POINT PLEASANT, Ohio, April 81
President Harding to-day came to this
tiny village, the birthplace Of Gen.
Ulysses S. Grant, to lead the nation in
honoring the memory of its soldier
President on the Tooth anniversary of
his birth.
The Executive made of tie occasion
an opportunity again to stress the adj
vantages Of peace and disarmament.
with sufficient preparedness to repel
any aggression. Peace and recon-
struction on this basis were the key
note Of his address and he got an i'm
pressive reception on his first return
to Ohio since the Inauguration.
Deck falls on. Ship.
The enthusiasm was dimmed some
what by an accident on the river
steamboat Island Queen. Three per-
sons were severely injured and twenty
eight Others suffered cuts and bruises
when a deck on the Island Queen,
largest excursion steamboat on the
Ohio, collapsed under a great weight
of excursionists. Skillful handling of
the crowd prevented a panic.
But for last minute switch in plans
made by Richard Jervis. head of the
White House secret service force, the
President and his official party would
have been on this vessel.
Plans were made in Cincinnati to
have the Presidential party make the
pilgrimage on the steamer. Hearing
that 1000 persons were to be aboard
Jervis vetoed the plans. His action
brought much protest in Cincinnati.
where 1000 had bought tickets to ride
with the President.
The damaged steamer was off New
Richmond, Ohio. when the struts sup
porting the deck gave way. The col
lapse was slow. giving thoses threatened
time to get from under. Two bands
aboard kept playing and the steam
boat men kept order The most seri-
orsly hurt were Wilbur Morgan. who
has a wrenched and possibly broken
back; Richardson Armstrong, broken
arm and other injuries. both members
OF boys band on the second deck, and
Mrs. Isaac Pritchell. wife of a news
paper man.
Point PIeasont Meeting.
The ceremonies at this village OF not
more than thirty houses were simple in
the extreme. The President spoke from
a platform on Main street adjoining the
house that now stands on the site of
the Grant cabin.
In leading up to his eulogy Of Gen.
Grant the President said:
II would rather have come to spot
Ike this than to any other in the re-
public that | could choose-not but
what / have great reverence for the
genius and the determination, and the
capacity which belongs to great cities.
but iff my observation in life counts
for anything I want to say to you that
the one everlasting anchorage of the
republic is in the communities like this
i'm which we are gathered. In the SIM
pie life of the hamlet and the village
there's the typical sturdy life of our
America. and ! rejoice to come among
you and participate in this celebration" !"
The President took issue with the
present day conception Mat the small
town vision was pitifully clrcumscribed
when he said Clermont county had given
the United States two of its thirteen
lieutenant generals. and the military
chleftain OF a century. Grant, he said.
was an exemplification of American OPP
portunity because after circumscribed
life of early failure ne had risen through
the fire OF war TO great leadership. Ii
was we'll, he said. for the nation to pause
and take example from the lives OF the
men which could teach so much for the
good of the country.
Address I'm Full.
President Harding's address in full
follows:
MY CouNTRYMEN: The military hero
Of the Republic. a commanding figure
In the military history OF the world.
the SURPRISING exemplar OF magma
nimity OF all times. the most strik-
ing example of the possibilities in
American life. the confident and re-
lentless commander In war and the
modest and sympathetic petitioner for
peace after victory
All OF these may be said most be-
fittingly OF the great American whose
hundredth birthday anniversary we
are met to commemorate. to whose
undying fame we add fresh tribute OF
memory to-day.
In that inevitable contemplation In
cident to the preparation OF an adj
dress for this occasion have pom
dered again and again what distinc-
tlon. or what attribute---or, better.
what attribute and achievement---of
Gen. Ulysses S. Grant appeals to me
most. Hc looms majestic In the blend
OF them ali--his fame is secure.
One must revere his military ge-
Mus, even though Its development was
enc OF those miracles OF grim war IT.
self. No one would have picked him
in youth or early manhood or in his
early career as regular officer. for
the great commander. Responsibility
and necessity set ablazc the latent
genius. Donelson was flash OF dar-
Ing, vlcksburg his trophy OF courage