The Washington times., 1923-09-27
PAYS
own TRIBUTE
To HARDING
President Refuses Invitation to
Speak at Memorial Serv-
ices to Predecessor.

q TX "a. .a = y
President Coolidge feels that q
more fling tribute to the memory
of the late President Harding than
the Executives presence st q
memorial ceremony to be held in
New York. November ., would be
to use all the time between now
and the opening Of Congress in
'crystallizing constructively the
policies Of President Harding.
This was the gist of an answer
he has made to 4 subcommittee II
eminent men, representing the gen.
eral committee which win havs
charge OF the affair. He made no
direct refusal, but he asked the
group to decide the matter for him.
Whether he would not be best
honOring the memory or the late
President by remaining In wash
ingtOn and utilizing hts time III an
endeayor to lay before the Congress-,
for the benefit az the American peO.
pie. attempted solutions OF pending
questions IA the light 81 the late
President Hardingss policies? Or
whether his duty, as well as his
high privilege lay In the direction
OF accepting the delegations invita-.
ton to Be present I'll New York,
with the attendant loss In time that
would be taken Iii preparing any.
thing like an adequate address k0r
such a solemn coca siOn.'s
This was Mr.. Coolidge's PROPOSE
ton as reported BY the delegation
Agree With Him.
Considering the Presidents ext
gency from every point Of view,
the delegation felt obligated frank
" to inform Mr.. Coolic@n that. 'in
view Of the tremendous Importance
to America and the world OF cor.
rect solution OF the problems which
he was now facing, and Ia view
OF the inestimable value OF his
time for administrative purposes"
II was their best judgment that It
would be more In the interests Of
the American people that he should
remain In Washington.
The upshot Of the matter Is that
President Coolidge has decided to
send q letter to be read on the oc-
caston OF the service, to- give ex-
preston OF his love Of the late
President and evolution of his char
acter and great services to his feI.
l0w-men," the Committee reported.
The general committee to have
charge Of the services was formed
for gala purpose. namely to fete
Mr.. and Mrs. Harding at New York
some two months after the return
from the Alaskan trip. It did not
disband after the onset Of his ILL
8
least idea that he would not re.
cover. At present it stands . body
ready to pronounce an elegY. i'm
stead OF celebrating q homecoming.
The date, November 2, ii the
late Presidents birthday anniver-
sary. An invitation has now been
extended. Chief Justice Taft to be
the principal speaker. He win I'M
doubtedly accept.
The members Of the subcommittee
are John "A. Stewart. chairman.
Waiter Scott, Charles MerWin Tur-
ner. =. F. Albes. former Senator
O'Gornaan, OF New York; Judge
Morgan j. O'Brien, H. H. Benefit,
ID. y. Beineckc, John Edmund
Hewitt, Andrew B. Humphrey,
Barron Collier, chairman. commit.
tee Of arrangements; Judge Alton
b Parker, Mayor John +. Hylau.
Of New York; Police Commissioners
Richard p. Enrieht, Calvin ".
Rice. American Society Of Mechan.
ical Engineers; George z. Vincent,
Rockefeller Foundation; Philip A
Elting, collector OF the port Of New
York; Frederick j. H. Kracke,
Judge Frederick e. Crane, Or. Caleb
r. Stetson, OF Trinity Church. New
York; F. Trubee Dawson. G. w. A.
Cannon, first vice commander, De-
partment Of New York; American
Legion: Robert I. Todd. Commits
sioner John M. Shaw, Henry Wise,
Charles Evans Hughes. jr., Dean
Emory. L. Gordon Hamrnersiay,
William Curtis Demorest, Judge
Townsend ScI1dder.