Evening star., 1924-02-27
Eulogy Delivered at Joint Ses.
sion of Senate and House
by Secretary.
FACED IDLE INVALIDISM
IF LIFE HAD BEEN SPARED
Late President Sacrificed Himself
in Interest of Country, Con-
gress Is Told.

Official Washington paid tribute iii
memorial services in the House today
to the late Warren G.. Harding.
Addressing crowded galleries and
the members of Congress assembled
in the House chamber, Secretary
Hughes eulogized the late President
declaring that "he belonged to the
! arstocracy of the plain people of the
| country"
Thousands "Lfsten In"
While the audience at the Capitol
was restricted to a comparatively
few selected guests, thousands of per-
sons listened on the radio and heard
the entire program of the services,
| broadcast by the Chesapeake and Po-
tomac Telephone Company through
its local station and relayed from
there to other stations.
Among those who were in the gal
leries were Mrs. Harding, widow of
the late President. surrounded by
! few intimate friends of the family.
and high officials of this government
and the diplomatic representatives of
other governments of the world.
Hughes Gives EuIogy.
btl1NtllIlB tle tulOSN, secretary
Hughes declared the former Presi-
dent was equipped for his task by
inheritance and training which were
completely and typically American.
He was neither helped nor hampered
by exceptional environment He suf-
fered neither from poverty nor riches.
| His endowment was d keen mind and
strong body,
Made Own Success.
alert TO opportunity. self-reliant
facile and warm-h hearted. he made his
own way, owing his success to his
tireless persistence and his un-
quenchable ardor in living"
: Mr.. Hughes said il was fitting that
. official tribute should be paid to the
; memory of a President. but that the
significance OF the gathering today
was far deeper than that.
1T is a tribute inspired by love
( of country. as. laying aside the diff
! fersnces and controversies which
seem but trivial in the face of mans
adventures and Gods providence. we
stand united in the indissoluble
! bonds of a common patriotism. know
ing well that ungrateful republics
cannot endure" he added. The tenn
! pies OF democracy will be but as
| vain vestises of vanished faith If
! their altar fires are not kept burning
! by the memory of those who have
met the supreme test and have laid
down their lives in heroic fidelity
| and self-sacrifce."
Close Personal Touch,
! y close personal touch marked that
| portion OF Mr.. Hughes address which
expressed the estimate of the dead
Presidents character which could be
formed only through association in
| his cabinet
Above ALL the speaker said. we
give the tribute of deep affection
which moves us to speak in tender
remembrance Of 4 generous and
kindly spirit who counted human fell
lowship more precious than all the
pomp and circumstances of power
| ;, Not only those who had the priv
! titude who. bowed in grief at his
passing, responded to the grace of
his gentleness and called him
brother and friend as well as Presi-
dent"
Tells Of Last Days.
In speaking of the days in San
francisco after President Harding
mad been stricken and of the swift
| ness of the tragedy. Mr.. Hughes said:
Not long before, in intimate con-
verse. when Informed Of the gravity
or his condition and of the probabiI-
1ty that If rescued from the imme-
diate peril he would still be condemn
! ed to life Of invalidism and the ex-
ercise OF a constant care which would
preclude the resumption of the rou-
tine of his labors. he had exclaimed
Well. IL that is so, this story might
as we'll come to an end
That was true" Mr.. Hughes con-
tinued. The only life he desired
that of energy and usefulness, he
could no longer hope to enjoy. Pain
| lessly. without warning, and in a mo-
| ment of apparent refreshment, there
| was slight movement and he was
| gone. The cares of his stewardship
were lifted and he was at rest in
J Gods peace"
| Cites Early Trimming.
/ Secretary Hughes told of the entry
| of Mr.. Harding into journalism with
| the purchase of the Marion Star, COM
constituted valuable training for
public Office because it demanded
careful observation.
| Young Harding identified his sue
cess with that OF his town." Mr..
Hughes said. He embodied the
| American spirit, carrying into the en-
| deators of the town the persistence
and courage Of his pioneer forbears
| who had made towns possible. .
! He was ever Great Heart in news
paperdom. He not only had his prin-
cipIes. but he codif1ed and enforced
them"
Taking up the political life of
| Harding, Mr.. Hughes said that he
| soon achieved distinguished position
! in the Senate, where his keen intel
| ligence and common sense won for
| him general confidence and esteem,
while his unfailing friendliness made
him universally beloved
Adjustment to Place.
| The Secretary recounted the steps
President Harding followed to meet
| the necessities Of readjustment of the
nation to ways Of peace, and added:
"It was with an intense desire to
cbntribute to the promotion of peace
| and find avenues of helpfulness that
he contemplated the chaotic condi-
| tions left by the great war and our
not the spirit of narrow or selfish
ment which would forfeit or impair
which was the heritage of the re-
| public. But he desired to safeguard
| this fortunate detachment from the
ambitions and rivalries which had
| vexed the old world, not only to con-
| serve our own security, but that
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