New Britain herald., 1923-08-03
WAS TRYING TO GET
CLOSER TO PEOPLE
Harding Dies While Bringing
Government TO Public
Rx TIL. Associatsd Pres.

BY the Associated Press.
San Francisco, Aug. 3.-Warren G..
Harding made the supreme sacrifice
in an effort to bring the government
closer to the people and the people
closer to the government" The eff
fort was not futile.
On the long and strenuous journey
which he began June 80 to achieve
that purpose by personally visiting the
remote sections of the country meet
ing the people and learning their
problems first hand, including even
those of Alaska, and ultimately the
Canal Zone, Porto Rico and the Vir-
gin Islands, he had those with him
who still remain on duty in Washing
ton and will carry on as though their
chief still stood at the helm, guiding
and directing the future course of the
nation.
From the inception of his idea, Mr..
Harding preserved the objective and
steadfastly refused to permit those
who would want to inject any element
of politics into his visit to the coun-
try or the declared purposes for which
he set out from Washington. At one
time when the plans for the then pro-
posed journey were under considera-
ton at the White House, definitely an
nounced that if the trip was to be
made political in any degree, he would
give up his idea and stay in Wash
ington.
Invited Those Interested
To serve his fixed intention TO
bring the government and people into
closer contact, Mr.. Harding invited
those of his cabinet officials, whose
departments were most concerned
with the problems of the country to be
his guests. Secretaries Hoover, of
commerce.; Work, of interior; Wal
lace of agriculture: accepted the in
vitation. Then still further to ex-
tend the knowledge of Washington,
he drafted Frederick H. Gillett, speak
err of the house of representatives.
the man under whose gavel legislation
is enacted for the nation and money
for its needs is appropriated.
The cabinet officers, Speaker Gillett
and the president worked as they
travelled. The objective-to secure
knowledge beneficial to the nation as
a whole and for the guidance of
Washington government in admins
tering its affairs-was always kept in
the front.
In Alaska as we'll as the states
traversed by the party. conferences
with local representatives were held |
almost at every stop.
Community interests became fami-
liar to the Washington executives. No !
question, was considered too local for
the attention of the president and his |
aides.
Doctor Was Provided
A woman in small Alaskan viii
lage told Mr.. Harding through his
cabinet officers that there was need in
that section of the Northland for a
doctor. Her plea was heard. The |
president said the government would
station medical attendant at that /
point within the reach of all. |
Almost as a secondary relationship
to the Journey he was making, did
Mr.. Harding treat his more important
addresses and the subjects they dealt
with. with the possible exception of
his Denver speech on national prohi-
bition, that at st. Louis on the per-
home of international court
and that at Sedttle WneH Nc Iepoi tou
to the American people on his studies
of conditions in Alaska, the president
was more concerned with the peoples
problems than with his own"
The visit to Vancouver, B. c.. was
In line with the presidents main OBJ
iective in the visits made within Am
ericar boundaries to know the peo-
pie and to be known for the mutual
good of both the localities reached
and the Washington government.
1t was held fitting by members OF
the presidents Alaskan party that Mr.
last speech should have
been made to the newspaper men of
Seattle. He spoke to his ''co-workers"
there as one newspaper man would
speak to another.
San Francisco was the first city to
know the president as a seriously Ill
nan.
The American battle fleet, dressed
'or review in Seattle harbor saw him
Is its commander-in-chief. as he stood
IN the flying bridge of the transport
receiving the ships salutes
Is he passed by, never suspecting
hat he stood at attention racked and
orn internally.