The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-07-06
CHEERING CROWDS BID GODSPEED TO CHIEF EXECUTIVE
Harding Sails For Far Away Alaska In Happy Frame
 Of Mind

 sociated Press. )--Amid the blaring of bands and the farewell cheers of thousands of Tacoma citizens. President Harding sailed today for Alaska, the first chief executive of the nation to visit that territory since 1t came under the American flag 56 years ago.
 A few minutes after 2 p. m. the United States naval transport Hen derson which for the next 20 days will be the White House." got un- der way, circled the harbor and steamed past the Tacoma stadium, where a few minutes before, the President and Mrs. Harding had re- ceived the godspeed of Governor Hart of Washington and where the President had declared for an Amer ican merchant marine second to none.
 As the big transport swung by the stadium, those assembled there to hear the President speak, cheered. Mir and Mrs. Harding acknowledged the cheers and waved the farewell from the bridge until distance made them only indistinct figures to those on shore
 President Is Happy.
 The President. as he boarded the vessel. was In an unusually happy frame of mind, pleased by the re- ception given him in Tacoma. glad to obtain a few days of rest after the 15-day transcontinental trip, and overjoyed by the prospect of realiz- ing the ambition he has held ever since he entered the White House an ambition to visit the great north ern territory and obtain first-hand information with respect to its prob lens.
 Two days of steady sailing lay ahead of the party when 1t left here up through the inside passage of British Columbia and Alaska. It will not be q monotonous voyage, for the boat will pass through narrow. wind ing channels with mountains rising directly from the waters edge.
 The first stop will be made at Ketchikan either late Friday or early Saturday and after a stay there the Henderson will go on to Wran- gell, arriving there to spend Sunday, according 10 the tentative Sched- ule
 The arrival at Juneau, the terri torial capital, has been fixed for July 10, and three days later the kparty will reach Seward. Four days zen will be devoted to the trip up
 Alaskan railroad to Anchorage,
 ickalon, Nenana and Fairbanks.
 hin 200 miles of the Arctic
 ,le.
 rec Cabinet Members Aboard.
 he President was accompanied by
 ee members of his cabinet. whose
 artments are most diretcly in-
 tsted in Alaska. They are Sec
 ry Hoover of the commerce de-
 tyment Secretay Work of the in
 |or department, and Secretary
 llace of the agricultural depart
 t. Also in the party are Speaker
 ett of the House. and Dr. Greeley
 the forest service.
 r. and Mrs. Harding had a busy
 tr hours in Tacoma before they Fled. Arriving here about 10 o'clock, Icy held public reception at their otel, visited a hospital to greet sol IAier patients and attended the fare well ceremonies held at the stadium
 Governor Hart, in his message of farewell, expressed the hope that from the visit of the President to Alaska might come a removal of some of the letters of misconcep- ton with which both Alasna and this western country have been bound" Imagine. Mir. President" the governor said, with what feel ing of elation and anxiety the peo- pie of the great empire of the north await your coming. What a thrill must have come to the hardy men and women of Alaska and their chill dren when the news, The Presi- dent is coming, was flashed by radio Tor carried by dog train through the mining camps, the valley farms the fishing towns of the great no country"
 Urges Merchant Marine. Despite the drizzling rain that as the chief executive was spei ing, the stadium was comforta filled.
 The Presidents address was VI received, and hls reference U { proposal for elimination of the hour day in the steel industry WAS roundly applauded. He again was ap- plauded when. departing from hls prepared address he expressed the hope that the maiden voyage of the reconstructed steamship, Leviathan which sailed yesterday from New York in the transatlantic service of the shipping board, would "estab- fish new oceanic record and fur nish the impetus to revival of the on the seas of the world"