The Colorado statesman., 1923-12-01
HARDING MEMORIAL
WEEK ANNOUNCED
EXERCISES AND SERVICES WILL
BE HELD THROUGHOUT THE
COUNTRY DEC. 9 TO 16.
PLANS OF THE ASSOCIATION
BY EDWARD B. CLARK


Washington. Announcement is
made in Washington that Harding
Memorial week will be observed
throughout the country from Decem-
ber to 16. During this time eXer-
cises and services of many kinds VIII
lie held in commemoratlon of Warren
G. Harding's life as citizen and as
president.
There recently was Incorporated un-
der the laws of Ohio an organization
known as the Harding Memorial asso-
citation whose duty 1t shall be to pro-
vide suitable depository for the re-
mains of the late president and TO
take over and maintain his homestead
at Marion as shrine for housing
mementos of his long public service.
This association has opened headquar-
ters in Washington and today Is en-
gagged in effecting organizations In
each state for the purpose of carry
ing out the general memorial plan.
1t is said that the association has In
mind an appropriate but modest
memorial for the late president
In his home town of Marion. 1t
is not yet known what form this
memorial will take. The site for 1t
will be selected by a committee Of
which President Harding's widow will
be member. A sufficient sum of
money will be set aside as an endow-
ment for the perpetual care of the
memorial.
Marion Home viii Be Maintained.
The Harding home on Mount YER
non avenue, Marion, will be main
tanned for all time and with It the
front porch which, like the front
porch at McKinley's home at Canton,
became famous in presidential cam
paign. 1t is said that 10000 visitors
have gone to the Harding home since
the death of the president last August
1t also is said that about 100000 peo-
Pile 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 women.
1t was only few days ago that the
| Roosevelt birthplace in New York city
was turned into memorial museum.
| The house which stands on Twentieth
| street was the one in which Roosevelt
was born and in which he spent the
days of his childhood and earlier
youth. The home of Theodore Roose-
welt 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.
Thon as Jefferson's home at Montl-
cello Va, it is believed soon will he
taken over for preservation for all
time in memory of the author of the
Declaration of Independence.
About Il year ago a great oil com
pany purchased an old house at Della
ware, Ohio. and was about to turn il
into n filling station or something of
that kind when it was learned thar
the house was the birthplace of Ruth
erford Il. Hayes. The company there
upon turned the house over as n 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 to establish 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 lie
spoke frequently to his friends of the
need of special training for our rep
resentatives in foreign countries.
Not long before his death in speak
ing about what he had attempted to
do during his administration Presi-
dent Harding said nothing had given
him more satisfaction than the CO.
ordination and greater efficiency which
he had been able to bring about in the
various government departments. 1t
is proposed to include special instruc-
tions for executives of the government
In the plans for the establishment of
the chair of diplomacy and functions
of government.
President Coolidge heads the Hard
| ing association board of trustees The
cabinet officers are included In the
boards membership and with them
! are numbers of well-inown Ameri-
cans A plan for associate members
| has been approved by the executive