The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-02-04
WILSON-HARDlVG CASES SIMILAR
Two Great Presidents Both Stricken While On West
 ern Tour

WASHINGTON, Feb. 3.-(By As sociated Prets. )--Dssth laid it's finger tips On Woodrow wilsont as it did on his successor, Warren G. Hardnis, while he was On speskint trip in the west.
 While HardingS collapse led to Ap- oplexy and death within . week, Will sons led to paralysis and | disability of years. @$
 Strangely enough, Wilson was cam pAigning for the entry of the United Harding was campaigning for the entry of the country into the world court. Wilson lived to see Harding dead and buried, participating in the latter's funeral, and yet any one of the hun who saw the two men riding to the capitol together on the day Of Hard ing's inauguration March 4, 1921, would have wAgered that Harding would help lay Wilson under the sod.
 Sorrowful Spectacle
 The one sight of the inauguration spectacle on that day which thousands of Americans took home with them was Harding's gentle consideration for his stricken predecessor. He had Ac- tually helped lift Wilson down the steps of the White House portieo and into their carriage. On the way to the capitol, where he took the oath, he had silenced with a gesture the cheering throngs, in respect to the srunken sick man beside him. Throughout all the inauguration ceremony Harding pursued studied course of careful consideration for Wilson. It was the gentleness of Harding's nature to do 50, and as time told the acts were stored away in the memory of the man whom some called cold and unresponsive and others called ungrateful. s/
 At the start of the ride that inaugu- ration day along Pennsylvania avenue there was an embarrassed silence be- tween the two men. Then Harding, casting about for a topic that would perhaps serve to take his companions mind away from the severe strain through which he was passing, started discussion of White House pets. From that the conversation led to tlak of pet animals in general and Harding related story of how his sister, d missionary, in India, had been touched by the devotion of an elephant that in his last hours moaned piteously until his keeper had been summoned, and then, folding the man to him and en. icircling him tenderly with his trunk, had peacefully and contentedly. passed away.
 To his astonishment, when the story vas over, Harding saw tears coursinx down9the wan cheek of the man beside him.
 Compliment Unappreciated
 Wilson, living in seclusion in his home here, never had any social inter. course with Harding, but he always re- membered him kindly. One night at d vaudeville show a motion picture of Wilson was thrown on the screen. His fellow-townsmen gave it a roar of ap- plause. Harding's picture followed and was greeted with a lesser demonstra- tion. Inquiring faces were turned to Wilson. They, saw his jaw set and his eyes flashing.
 That is gross disrespect to the President of the United States.'' he said to those about him." and I do not appreciate any such kind of a compli- ment."
 
 Time passed and one day death knocked at the White House door. He fingered there, too, reluctant to go away. He was beckoned to Mrs. Harding. At the same time in his secluded home. not many blocks away, Woodrow Wilson, the paralyzed invalid, As he supported his waverink frame upon his chair and said his prayer for grace as. he sat down to his meals, murmured his plea to God that she might be restored to health. All that the world knew was that he drove to the White House and left his card.
 Later with genuine sorrow he par ticipated in the state funeral for Mir. Harding and publicly declared him President who undoubtedly had won the esteem of the whole nation by his honorable and conscientious conduct in