The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1924-02-27
HARDING IS
LA(JDEDAT
SERVICE
Secretary Hughes Cites Late
Presidents Achievements
at Memorial Rites.

'He wore himself out in the
endeavor to be friendly. He
gave his life to his country. No
one can do more than that" /.
This final tribute. 70 warren
6. Harding, the man and the
President, was spoken today BY
Secretary of State Charles E.
Hughes, who delivered the only
address at the official memorial
services for the late President in
the hall of the House g6f Rep
resentatives.
Partisan Strife Stilled.
While the sounds OF partisan
strife that have reverberated
through Washington in past weeks
were stilled, a distinguished audi
ence foregathered in the House to
testify to the esteem in which the
late President was held and to note
their sorrow at his passing. Pres
ent there on the floor were Presi-
dent Coolidge. his successor; men,
bers of the Cabinet and the Su-
preme Court; the diplomatic colony
OF Washington. resplendent in court
uniforms; members of Congress,
and a saddened group of relatives
and intimate personal friends Of
Mr.. Harding. His widow sat in
this group. clad in the somber
black Of bereavement.
Few departed Presidents have
been more eulogized than was Mr..
Harding in the address Of his Sec.
rotary Of State. He reviewed at
length the accomplishments Of his
administration of the republic. but
1t was upon the humanness and
kindness of the late President that
he laid greatest stress.
Significance Of Tribute.
at is fitting" said Secretary
Hughes. that we should render
the official tribute of respect. but
the significance Of this occasion is
far deeper than that"
1T is the tribute inspired by love
OF country, as laying aside the diff.
ferences and controversies which
seem but trivial in the face of
mans adventures and Gods provi-
dence, we stand united by the in.
dissoluble bonds Of common
patriotism, knowing well that un.
grateful Republics cannot endure.
The temples OF Democracy will be
but vain vestiges of a 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-sacrifice.
above all, we give the the tri-
butte Of deep affection which moves
us to speak in tender remembrance
Of generous and kindly spirit who
counted human fellowship more
precious than all the pomp and
circumstance Of power.
Martyr In Fidelity.
HE belonged to the aristocracy of
the plain people Of this country.
He exhausted himself in serv.
ice, a martyr in fidelity to the
interests Of the people for whom
he labored with a passionate devo-
ton. He was a man Of the people,
INDUCING no consciousness of
superiority, incapable of arrogance,
separted from them neither by ex-
perience nor pride nor by eccen-
tricity. Nothing human was alien
to HIM, and he had the divine gift
of sympathy He wrought might
lily Tor the prosperity of the nation
and the peace of the world, but he
clothed the exercise of power with
beautiful garment of gentleness.
IF American life with all its
possibilities Of conflict and turmoil
10 to be worth living, 1t must be
lived In the spirit Of brotherly I'M
derstanding of which he will ever
be an examplar in high office"
High praise for the manner In
which Mr.. Harding conducted his
newspaper, the Marion Star, was
also voiced by Secretary Hughes.
He read Warren Harding's news
paper code" and then said: He
was the Great Heart Of News
paperdoms"