The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1923-12-05
HARDING MEMORIAL
WEEK ANNOUNCED
EXERCISES AND SERVICES WILL
ss HELD THROUGHOUT THE
COUNTRY DEG. 9 TO 10.
PLANS OF THE ASSOCIATION
By EDWARD 3. CLARK

ALAulEAAAIA AI 1tAAAAA
Der 9 to Is. During this time exer-
eises and services Of many kinds Will
be held In commemoration of Warren
G.. Harding's life as citizen and as
president
There recently was Incorporated un-
der the laws of Ohio an organization
known rs the Harding Memorial asso-
citation whose duty it shall be to pro-
vide a suitable depository for the re-
mains Of the late president and TO
take over and maintain his homestead
at Marion as a shrine for housing
mementos of his long public service.
This association has opened headquar-
ters in Washington and today Is en-
g,ged in effecting organizations In
each state for the purpose Of carry
Ing out the general memorial plan.
Ii Is said that the association has In
mind an appropriate but
memorial for the late president
In his home town OF Marion. 1t
is not ret known what form this
memorial will take. The site for 1t
will be selected by q committee OF
which President Harding's widow VIII
be a member. A sufficient sum OF
money will be set aside as an endow-
ment for the perpetual care of the
memorial.
Marion Home Will Be Maintained.
The Harding home on Mount Yer
non avenue, Marion, will be main
tanned for all time and with II the
front porch which, like the front
porch al Mckinley's home at Canton,
became famous in a presidential cam
paign. Ii is said that 10000 visitors
have gone to the Harding home since
the death Of the president last August.
Ii also is said that about 100000 peo-
pie heard speeches delivered from the
front porch Of the home during the
campaign Of 1920.
Several OF the homes of former
presidents Of the United States still
are standing and some Of them have
been preserved as what might be
called national memorials. OF course,
the first in mind is that of George
Washington at Mount Vernon which
stands today just about as it did in
his lifetime, and is cared for by a
national association of
1t was only a few days ago that the
Roosevelt birthplace in New York city
was turned into q memorial museum.
The house which stands on Twentieth
street was the one in which Roosevelt
was porn and in which he spent the
days of his childhood and earlier
youth. The home of Theodore Roose-
yelt at Oyster bay, on Sycamore hill,
still Is occupied by his widow. 1t is
believed that eventually this home
also will be maintained as a national
shrine.
ThOm as Jefferson's home at Month
cello, Va, it is believed soon will be
taken over for preservation for all
time in memory of the author of the
Declaration of independence.
About a year ago a great oil COM
pany purchased an old house at Della
ware, Ohio, and was about to urn it
into a filling station or something of
that kind when ii was learned that
the house was the birthplace Of Ruth
erford B. Hayes. The company there
upon turned the house over as a gift
to the City of Delaware and the under
standing is that today It is under
municipal direction as a memorial.
The Lincoln house in Springfield,
H., still stands and is under public
guardianship. The log cabin in which
Lincoln was born is preserved in
Kentucky.
To Establish University Chair.
In connection with the Harding
memorial it is the intention Of the
executive committee of the association
TO raise funds 10 establish a chair Of
diplomacy and functions Of govern
ment in some leading university. This
is said TO have been one Of the cher
ished ideals Of the late president. He.
spoke frequently 10 his friends Of the
need Of special training for our rep
resentatges il foreign countries.
Not long before his death in speak
ing about what he had attempted 10
do during his administration Presl-
dent Harding said nothing had given
him more satisfaction than the CO
ordination and greater efficiency which
be had been able 70 bring about in the
various government departments It
is proposed 10 include special instruc-
tions for executives Of the government
ia the plans for the establishment Of
the chair Of diplomacy and functions
Of government.
President Coolidge heads the Hard
ing association board Of trustees. Tile
cabinet officers are included in the
boards membership aud with them
are numbers Of well-knoygn Ameri-
cans. a plan for associate members
has been approved by the executive
committee. Every person who con
tributes TO the Harding memorial
fund automatically will become
a member. There are now in
course Of preparation certificates Of
membership which are 10 be hand
somely engraved and to bear the name
OF the contributor TO the fund.
Prospects in Congress.
The administration viii have certain
legislation to recommend to the con
sideration Of congress which soon as