DOMINION'S TRIBUTE TO A GREAT MAN

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 32, 7 August 1923, Page 7

DOMINION'S TRIBUTE TO A GREAT MAN

RESOLUTION BY HOUSE OF ■ REPRESENTATIVES.

The text of the resolution passed by the House of Repiesentatives yesterday in respect to the death of the President of the United States was as follows: —

"That a respectful address be presented to His Excellency the Governor-General requesting His. Excellency to convey to His Majesty's Secretary of State for the Colonies, for presentation to the Government of the United States of America, the following resolution: —

"That the members of the House of Representatives in Parliament assembled desire to place on record their sorrow at the death of the President of the United States, Warren Gamaliel Harding; and to tender their sympathy with the people of the United ■States in the great national loss they have sustained. "Further, the House respectfully offers. to Mrs. Harding and the relatives of the lale President its heartfelt condolence in their bereavement.'" The Prime Minister (the Eight Hon. W. P. Massey), after moving the motion, said that President Harding was responsible for the Washington Conference, and we in the Pacific hoped and believed that the agreement arrived; at had improved the prospects of peace between nation,-?. The citizens of the British Empire were more closely connected by blood with the people of the United btates than with any other people in the world, and it was therefore right and fitting that we should express our sorrow in the death of their late President. The name of President Harding would go down to posterity as that of one of America's greatest men, and his death was specially regretted at an ago' at which still greater work was to be expected of him.

--^-ho Leader of the Opposition (Mr TM Wilford) said lie wished to endorse on behalf of his par ty the remarks of the Prime Minister. He recalled the unanimity of the vote by which the late President was electee), and said that his speeches in regard lo the entente between America "and Britain would never be forgotten. There could bo nothing more eloquent of the understanding between the two nations than the fact that before forwarding her reply to the German Note, Britain had submitted it to the. United States. ;He likened the two nations to two big ships, always manoeuvring close together. God help the helmsman who ever brought them into collision! President Harding was 3 big man. When he first called the Washington Conference together, he admitted that he first got the suggestion from Mr. Lloyd George, end he publicly thanked Mr. Lloyd George for bringing about the Conference. It was a matte?- For great VeglT t hat J l6 had been cut dow«- What would be the result on American politics t would be impossible to say. Whatever that result was, he was satisfied that the American people-fiepnblicans or Demo-

Mr. H. b .Holland, Leader of the Par-' haraentary Labour Party, stated that ft'hY^li 1 HlCif entS ihnt stood °« to* Wh S i , ° late Plle3ide"t Hard. rig. When ho became President there we c m prison a number oi the leading protagonist of tl, o id e:l ls of the Revolt, uonury Fathers, that Wi «, U, a i men were endowed nitii nialienalilt rights to pursue happiness and liberty. It «-as Pie sident Harding who signed the order f or the release ot JUr. Debbs and a. number of the other Labour leaders, who had jieen the victims of repressive legislation and its resultant wax-time intolerance.

It was also President Harding who convened the Washington Conference with a view of reducing armaments and eventually ending war. The Labour Party offered its heartfelt sympatny with the relatives of President* Harding in their berea yemen t.

Mr. L. M. Isitt (Christchurcn. North) expressed his gratification at the action of the Prime Minister in adjourning Parliament as a mark of respect to the memory of the late President, and as an evidence of sympathy with the American people. Mr. Isitt said that he had felt lor a long time that it was the sacred duty of every British statesman to loso no opportunity of assuring the people of the United States 'of the reality of tho British people's affection and sympathy with them, and their desire for a closer and closer union in international affairs. The standard of ability manifested by President after President in the long line ot American Presidents was wonderful but he questioned whether any more worthy man had occupied the Presidency than the late Mr. Harding. It was a matter for gratification that in President Harding they had a man who had done Ids utmost to develop sympathy between Britain and America, and it was hoped that his successor would manifest the same spirit.

A 3 p.m. the motion was earned, and the House adjourned until 4 p.m us a