San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-08-03
Washington Stunned by
Suddenness Of Hard
ing's Death.
HUGHES SPREADS NEWS
Postmaster General Only
Cabinet Member in City
When Word Comes.
By the Associated Press.

4
slow rcaliza ton that President War
rem G. Harding lay dead in far away
San Francisco.
| The suddenness Of the blow struck
last night with numbng force. Not
until the morning papers bore the
news over the city was it fully credit
ed.
And among the common folk every
where realization Of the truth carried
with it sense of personal loss. The
! big, kindly man. who for two years
had lived at the White House haI
come to be looked upon with very
friendly eyes as he moved about the
city. There was that in his face that
won friendship for him from thou
sands who saw him only as chance
brought him into the streets or public
places.
To the very few in high official life
who were in Washington when the
wires brought the i'll tidings over the
country. the shock came with trebled
force. They knew him best. and after
! many hours of anxiety and eager
scanning of the bulletins from his bed.
side, they had been lulled into conf
dence that he was soon to be among
them again, the calm, kindly leader
with whom they have toiled shoulder
to shoulder
Only One i'm Washington.
1t was to a strangely scattered Of
fetal family that word of their lead
er's death was flashed. OF all the
| cabinet. only Postmaster General New
| was actually within the limits of the
national capital. Secretary Hughes
the only other cabinet officer within
more than days journey. was at
his summer residence in Maryland,
a score of miles away.
At the request of President Hard
ing, the man on whose shoulders
destiny has flung the mantle of high
authority, Calvin c. Coolidge, also
has been member of the cabinr,
family. He has sat regularly in the
bi-wcekly councils in the White
House cabinet room ever since the in
auguration. Thus unknowingly he pre-
pared himself to pick up the threads
OF national and international affairs
where they dropped so suddenly from
the lifeless hand of his predecessor.
All Cabinet Members Told.
Official word of Mr.. Hardng's
death came in a message from ,Attor-
ney General Daugherty in San Fran
cisco to Secretary Hughes. The telc-
gram stated merely that President
Harding had died of cerebral hemorrh-
age. This message the secretary
promptly relaycd to all members of
the cabinet, to Secretaries Mellon and
Davis in Europe, to Secretary Weeks
on his New Hampshire farm, to Sec
rotary DENLY in Michigan. and to
Chief Justice Taft in Canada. Secre-
tary Work is among the physicians
who We're at President Harding's bed
side. and Secretaries Hoover and
Wallace also were with the presi-
DENTAL party. Secretary Hughes also
took steps TO see that formal notifica-
ton reached Vice President Coolidge.
Mr.. Hughes received the first ncwG
of what hal happened. however, from
the press wires, relayed to him at his
summer home. He came Immediately
10 his office at the State Department
10 do what must be done that the af-
fairs of the nation should move for
ward in orderly fashion.
He was in his office long after mid
night. and dispatches went out tG
American ambassadors and ministers
and consular officers everywhere that
today brought the Stars and Stripes
to half mast over the world Similar
worl was sent also to army and navy
posts and ships everywhere that their
colOrs should be lowered in mourning
for the dead commandcr-in-chief.
Few Lawmakers i'm Capital.
Very few senator's or members OF
the House We're in Washington. Some
of them failed to hear of President
Harding's death until after daylight.
To others, however. the ill. tidings
seemed to have been spread by the
wind as they bcsieged newspaper Of
fices with inquiries. Extra papers had
carried brief notice widely over the
city and far-reaching whirlpools OF
rumOr spread beyond as the night
wore on. On the downtown streets.
however. the word came after theater
crowds had gone home and only few
scattered knots of folks about the
newspapers offices. talking in hushrl
voices. denoted that tragedy thai
meant much in Washington had oc
Cured.
There was wide speculation as
whether special session of Congress
would be one of the results of the
change at the White House. Appar-
nelly there is no legal requirement
necesSitating such course, and UNI
less President Coolidge calls Congress,
before the December session. thera
! can be no congressional action IN
/ tribute to President Harding before
; that time. beyond the lowering of the
/ flags that float above the capitol ana
/ the office buildings.
! Word of the Presidents death found
+ the White House offices torn up in
I the summer repair work made possible
| by the long journey of the chief exccu
tive. The floors of the Presidents of
flee are being renewed, and at present
n skeleton framework of boards alone
gives footway. The adjoining offices
also are dismantled for redecoratine
and President Coolidge probably will
take m his official duties in his Of
fices in the Senate Office building
until the work can be completed.
In the executive mansion itself. the
summer overhaul has been less extern
svie. The heating plant has been dis.
mantled but n working force was
rushed on the task Of restoring il
early today that the building may be
made ready as soon as possible for oc
cupancy.
u Through the night the complete staff