Show Capital Stunned By Sudden Shock WASHINGTON Aug 3 UP W From Its highest officials to its Ih I citizen Awoke today to slow realization that fiat President President President dent Warren G Harding lay IllY dead ead In far away San Francisco The suddenness of ot the th blow struck last night with numbing force orce Not until the th morning papers bore the news over the city was as It fully credited And among the common folke folk e everywhere ery jere realization of ot the tho truth troth carried with It a sense sens of personal person person- personal alios al loss Th The big kindly man who ho for fOl two years tad Aad 11 ll ed ed at the House had come to be b looked lupon upon with sery ery ery friendly eyes eye as a ho he moved about t the city Thee The Thc was that In his his face that won friendship for or him from thousands saw him only aj JI chance brought hint him Into the street or public places To 10 the tho very few fw In high official lit life who bo were In Washington when the wires Ires the ill III tidings over the country the th shock cam came with trebled fore force force They knew know him best and after many hours of at anxiety and eager scanning of ot the thi bulletins from his bedside they h hid d been lulled into confidence that he was as soon to be among them again the th calm kindly leader with they have havo tolled shoulder to shoulder ONLY sEW EW AT WASHINGTON It was na as to I a a strangely scattered official family that word of leaders leader's death was wa flashed Of Ot 1 0 all the cabinet only Postmaster Gen Gen- General Gen General eral dew ow ew was actually within the I limits of at of the th national nation capital Sec Sea Sec Secretary Hughes Hu hc the only other tab ic Cab b or r Inet int officer within more than th n n Q a aday's aday days day's journey was at Ills his summer residence In Maryland Mar land larid a k sira Of bt miles away way At the re request of ot President Hard Hard- Harding Hard Hard- ing the tho man on whoso whose ps destiny has hos JunK flung the he mantlo mantia pt pC high authority Calvin also lids has h s been a member member of the cab cab- cab cabinet inet loot family Ho has sat regularly In the th weekly bl councils In the th White Whit House cabinet roost room e eer Or since the th inauguration Thus un- un unknowinglY unknowingly un knowinglY ho he h prepared himself e t to pick up tile the th threads of ot national and International affair where they dropped so suddenly from the th lIta life life- lifeless less Ufa less Jess hands hand of Ills hid hi predecessors W f L wo f Official word of loir H death clIme r from torney General I Dau S n to Secretory Secretary Hughe The telegram stated merely that th t tI I President Harding had bad died of I This mes- mes message mes- mes s mes-s sage ange rc tho secretary promptly roe roe- re r to all U members m ot of the h cabinet to Secretaries Mellon and sand Davis D vl In Europe r e to t 0 Secretary R oc reta ry W Weela on hla New w Hampshire farm to Secretary Donby Denby In Michigan and aba to Chief Justl Justice e Tr ft 1 n Canada Secretary Y Work Vork Is among simon r the th physicians who were at President bedside bed bed- bedside side aide and Secretaries Hoover and Wallace also were with the tb prest- prest presidential presidential party Secretary Hughes also 9 took took steps steps totlee to that form formal 1 notifIcation reached Vice Vlee Vie Prest President President dent Coolidge Mr Hughes ed the th first news ot ot happened howo how how- o i i Ed On 00 Page lire Two Tiro A O CAPITAL STUNNED BY SUDDEN SHOCK Continued from Crom Page One I Ie e ever eser er from the press wires relayed to him at his summer tome homo Hoe He H I HoeI came Immediately to his liis office nt at atthe the state department to do whit must be bo done that the affairs ot of the nation should move moe e tor III d In orderly fashion He was in his office long loni on after midnight and dispatches went out outto outto outto to American ambassadors and min min- minIsters min ministers and consul officers officer every every- everywhere everywhere everywhere where that their colors should be I lo ered In mourning for tor th lead dead commander In chief Very few tew senators or members of oC the house were In Washington Sortie Some of ot these tailed failed to hear of at President Hardings Harding's death until after aCter daylight To others how how- howe however e ever eser er the Iii tidings seemed to have been spread by the wind Ind as they besieged ne newspaper spa per offices with aith In- In Inquiries Inquiries In Inquiries tra E papers had carried a brief notice widely o 0 over er the thO city and far Car reaching whirlpools of ot ru- ru rumor ru rumor mor spread as the night store ore on the downtown streets ever ho the tho word came after acter theatre crowds had gone home and only a few tew scattered knots of ot folks about the newspaper nel offices talk talk- talking talking ling I ing In hushed ol s voices es denoted tint thita tinta a tragedy that meant much In I Washington had occurred There was nas wide speculation as to whether a n special session of o con con- con s toI I gres would be bo one of ot the resu results Its of the change at tho the White lIous Apparently there Is no le legal al ro re requirement necessitating such Q a course and unless President Cool Cool- CoolIdge Coolidge Cool Idge Idge calls calls- congress before beCore tho the Do- Do December De December cember session there can bo be no nfl congressional lonal action In tribute to President Harding before that timE timE- beyond the 10 lowering of tho the that float above the tho capitol and aud the office buildings WHITE HOUSE IN Ji REP lK Word Vord of ot the presidents president's death dolth I 1 found the White House office torn I lup up in the summer repair work made possible by tho the long journey journe Imade ot of the chief executive The rho floors ot of the presidents president's office are re being renewed and at present a skeleton framework of ot boards boardl alone gives office also foot aa 11 The Tho adjoining offices also are dismantled for tor re decor redecorating redecorating arid and President will probably take up his official duties In hl his own of office tic a in the senate ot- ot of fice tice office bull building ding until the work worl can an be completed I In the executive e mansion manalon It-elt It the summer overhaul has hns boon ben less 0 the heating plant has been dismantled but a force Corce was rushed on the task tuk of oC restoring It early today that the building may bo be ready as soon toon ns as possible tor for occupancy Through the night the complete staff of oC White House attaches sum sum- summoned summoned sum summoned 1 when aben ben the first flash h amI ame from San Francisco were Ith s lilt the endle endless s official messages that must be sent and received Immediate word also went vent out to I toI oston to send a Il secret g 1 guard rd to take toke up the tha vigil about the new ne president |