New Britain herald., 1923-12-11

could ear be found, for this kindly, gentle. gracious soul?
 "Yet he found his place. He caught the ear of war-tired world. He called our country back to paths of peace, and gladly it came. He beck oned the nations to come and sit in council. He pointed them the way to peace. He set example of readiness to cast away the sword from the arm of might. He sought for men and nations a peace-the only true and lasting peace-based on justice and right. He stood first and firm for his own country then for mankind. His sincerity and frankness won
 to his side those who sensed the great truth of human the monumental accomplishments of the Washington conference on limita- tion of armament.
 ''The same simplicity and direct ness marked his program in domestic affairs. His was the steady, strong, inspiring hand of guidance and help fitness. It was never the mailed fist uf compulsion. He knew that the greatest need of the world was peace with industry and production. He asked for these, and with them for thrift and the will to make good the losses what had been inflicted in the years of strife. He called his coun- trymen to set an example of these homeIy virtues, and they did. He gave without remorse of his own strength, down to the tragic end. He rose above misunderstanding and mis- representations, but he was curiously incapable of hard feeling toward those who were unfair with him. In time when the minds of many men were prone to seize upon hurried con clusions, he held back and dared to take his time and thought before de- ciding. He was free from the pride of opinion, but strong in the deter imitation of conviction. He had that calm courage which could not be over-pressed, but that was firm and final when decision had been reached.
 He was criticized because his own country, under his leadership, did not move forward so fast as some wished.
 
 he had so bravely borne, he laid down the burden, his critics saw clearly what his leadership had accomplished. They saw that it had been a leader ship forward and upward. in an era when most other countries were mov- ing backward and downward. They saw that prosperity smiled once more on a favored land. They saw that prosperity and material well-being were somehow strangely rare in other lands. So they came to realize what his modest. unassuming leadership had wrought for his country.
 Tt was natural that such a char acter passing from the stage of life, should leave the multitudes a sense of personal loss. Seldom indeed has any mans death left that feeling among so many. He was mourned abroad and at home. The conviction was felt everywhere that he was one of the mon best fitted to serve dis tracted world in a difficult period of its history. ish his task. He broke and went down under it's load. In tho hour of sor- row for his loss, men and women were moved to broader charity, a relaxa- ton of partisan excesses, a determin- ation to be fair and moderate and rea- sonahle. His life became. in the tra- gic sorrow of it's end, lesson in the value of simple and modest ways.
 We mourn him today. and we shall mourn him so long as remembrance holds before US the picture of his pa tience, forbearance. faith and Chris