Evening star., 1923-08-03
FATAL TRIP FILLED
WITH INTENSE WORK
60 Speeches Delivered Dur.
ing SO Days Prior to Halt
Because of Illness.

When President Harding reached
San Francisco Monday he had been
away from Washington thirty-nine
days. and. according to the schedule
as originally made. he was to have re-
turned to Washington about August
2S
Up until the time he became i'll
President Harding had made sixty
speeches on the trip OF this number
thirteen were set speeches-all OF
great moment and all upon subjects
very dear to the heart of the execu-
tive. The talks made by him that
were not set-impromptu as il were
were made to gatherings at points
along the journey. Many were. made
from the rear platform Of the train
during stops. Some were made on
streets and on steps. On one occa-
sion the President addressed a small
group of enthusiastic citizens while
he stood upon a rough box near
street curb in Seward. Alaska.
Speeches Carefully Prepared.
1t is known that Mr.. Harding spent
much time in the careful preparation
Of his set speeches. Three OF these
were written by him in his study at
the White House several weeks be-
fore starting on the trip. During the
last week in Washington the Presi-
dent spent little time in his office, but
devoted the entire time to these mes
sages and to other details of the long
trip
(. For more than a month before the
date for leaving attaches about the
White House were busily engaged in
mapping out the trip and planning for
every detail. All Of this had to be
gone over by the executive and re-
quired his 20 X"
In President's Party.
Accompanied by Mrs. Harding.
George Christian, his secretary; Brig.
Gen. Charles E. Sawyer, the family
physicien; Secretary of the Interior
Work and Mrs. Work, Secretary of
Agriculture Wallace and Secretary of
Commerce Hoover and Mrs. Hoover
and Speaker of the House Gillette and
half dozen friends and a score of
attendants, stenographers, aids and
other White House attaches and gov
ernment officials. as well as twenty
FIVE newspaper men and number of
news photographers, the President
pulled out of the capital on the Bal
timore and Ohio railroad at 2 o'clock
on the afternoon of June 20.
The party arrived at st. Louis at
o'clock on the following afternoon,
and it was in that Missouri city that
the executive made his first speech Of
the trip. He took this occasion to ad-
vocate again this nations entrance
into the International Court of Justice.
He made a most earnest plea for the
naturalization of this and at the
same time explained his reasons for
urging this step.
West From st. Louis.
After a most strenuous afternoon
and evening the Presidents special
train left St. Louis at midnight
headed for Kansas City, Mo. In the
speech to an especially large gather
ing. in which he explained the rail-
road situation.
Aside from the time occupied in de-
livering this speech, Mr.. and Mrs.
Harding and the members of their
their stay to sightseeing and recep-
tions. The following day found the
travellers in Hutchinson, Kan. and at
just before noon the next day, June
"a, the party alighted at Denver.
where the President made his famous
prohibition speech. which has been so
widely discussed since.
The next important step was Salt
Lake City, Utah, which was reached
on the morning of June 26, after a
speech at Salt Lake City, Mr.. Harding
discussed the financial situation, tell
ing of the soundness Of this nation at
this time; of the great savings
brought about by his administration
by resorting to strict economy, and
also to the reduction of the public
debt, and outlined the administra-
tions ideas regarding taxation for the
future.
Through Picturesque Country.
Then came a ride through a most
picturesque section of the United
States, during which stops were made
at Cedar City, Utah, which included a
visit to the famous Zion Park: Pcca-
tello and Idaho Falls. Idaho: Butte
and Helena, Mont.
Gardiner, Mont, was reached July
1. and from that place the President
and Mrs. Harding went to the Grand
Canyon OF the Yellowstone. After this
delightful stay in what was referred
to as the nations greatest play
ground" the party headed that night
for the coast, preparatory to boarding
ship for the cruise to Alaska.
The next stop was Spokane. While
in that city he delivered a spirited
address on development and reclama-
tion. In that speech he declared
against locking up the public domain
"as a treasure house of potential
wealth." on the grounds that such ac-
ton would prevent 1t from being
ready for use when needed.
Trip Through Oregon.
From Spokane the presidential
party went to Meacham, Ore. to
participate in the old Oregon trail
celebration, arranged in their honor.
July found the party in Port
land, where the President was the
orator of the day at that city's OBJ