ItwasinthisatmosphereofaffectioncreatedbytheconvergenceofintellectualandsocialsympathiesthattheretookplaceonMayththebeautifulceremonyattheWhiteHouse.Itwasadeeplymovingceremonyinallitssimplicity,occurringbeforeademocraticgatheringincludingthePresidentandMrs.Harding,cabinetofficers,JudgesoftheSupremeCourt,highofficersofArmyandNavy,foreigndiplomats,representativesofwomen'sclubsandsocieties,andprominentcitizensofWashingtonandothercities.ItcomprisedashortpresentationbytheFrenchambassador,M.Jusserand,aspeechbyMrs.MeloneyfortheAmericanwomen,theaddressofPresidentHarding,afewwordsofgratitudesaidbyme,adefileoftheguests,andagrouppictureforasouvenir,allthisintheadmirablesettingoftheWhiteHouse,peacefulanddignified,whiteindeedbetweenitsgreenlawnswithwideprospectsonthatbeautifulafternoonofMay.Aremembrancenevertobeforgottenwasleftbythisreceptioninwhichthechiefrepresentativeofagreatnationofferedmehomageofinfinitevalue,thetestimonialoftherecognitionofhiscountry'spitizens.
TheaddressofthePresidenthadbeeninspiredbythesamesentimentsasthatofVice-PresidentCoolidge,asfarasconcernedhisappreciationofFranceandPoland.ThisaddressgavealsoanexpressionoftheAmericanfeelingwhichwasemphasizedbyanexceptionalsolemnityinthedeliveringofthegift.
TheAmericannationisgenerous,andalwaysreadytoappreciateanactioninspiredbyconsiderationsofgeneralinterest.IfthediscoveryofradiumhassomuchsympathyinAmerica,itisnotonlybecauseofitsscientificvalue,andoftheimportanceofmedicalutilization;itisalsobecausethediscoveryhasbeengiventohumanitywithoutreservationormaterialbenefitstothediscoverers.OurAmericanfriendswantedtohonorthisspiritanimatingtheFrenchscience.
Theradiumitselfwasnotbroughttotheceremony.ThePresidentpresentedmewiththesymbolofthegift,asmallgoldenkeyopeningthecasketdevisedforthetransportationoftheradium.
OursojournatWashingtonfollowingtheprincipalceremonyincludedaveryagreeablereceptionattheFrenchEmbassyandthePolishLegation,areceptionattheNationalMuseum,andsomelaboratoryvisits.
TheitineraryofourjourneyfromWashingtonincludedvisitstothecitiesofPhiladelphia,Pittsburgh,Chicago,Buffalo,Boston,andNewHaven,avisittotheGrandCanyon,andtoNiagaraFalls.OnthattripIwastheguestofseveraluniversitieswhichdidmethehonorofbestowinghonorarydegreesonme.IhavetothankforthesetheuniversitiesofPennsylvania,ofPittsburgh,ofChicago,theNorthwesternUniversity,ColumbiaUniversity,YaleUniversity,theWomen'sMedicalCollegeofPennsylvania,theUniversityofPennsylvania,SmithCollege,andWellesleyCollege,whileIthankHarvardUniversityforherreception.
ThedeliveryofhonorarydegreesinAmericanuniversitiesisaccompaniedbysolemnities.Inprinciple,thepresenceofthecandidateisrequired,andthedeliverytakesplaceattheannualcommencement,but,insomecases,specialceremonieswereorganizedinmyfavor.TheuniversityceremoniesinAmericaaremorefrequentthaninFrance,andplayamoreimportantpartintheuniversitylife.Especiallyisthistrueattheannualcommencement,whichbeginswithanacademicprocessionoverthegroundsoftheuniversity,theprocessionincludingtheofficials,theprofessors,andgraduatesinacademiccapsandgowns.Afterwardsallassembleinahallwhereareannouncedthediplomascorrespondingtothegradesofbachelor,master,anddoctor.Thereisalwaysamusicalpartintheprogram,andaddressesaredeliveredbytheofficialsoftheuniversityorinvitedorators.Theseaddressesarenaturallydevotedtodignifyingtheidealsandthehumanitarianpurposesofeducation;butincertaincasesitseemspermittedtointroduceapointofAmericanhumor.Theseceremoniesareonthewholeveryimpressive,andcertainlycontributetokeepabondbetweentheuniversityandthealumni.ThisisafavorablecircumstanceforthosegreatAmericanuniversitieswhicharesustainedentirelyonprivatefoundations.ItisonlyinmorerecenttimesthatmostStateshavecreateduniversitiessupportedbytheState.
AtYaleUniversityIhadthepleasureofrepresentingtheUniversityofParisattheinaugurationofPresidentAngell,fourteenthpresidentoftheUniversity.IwasalsopleasedtoattendatPhiladelphiaameetingoftheAmericanPhilosophicalSocietyandameetingoftheCollegeofPhysicians,andatChicagoameetingoftheAmericanChemicalSocietyatwhichIdeliveredalectureontheDiscoveryofRadium.ThemedalsofJohnScott,BenjaminFranklin,andWillardGibbshavebeenpresentedtomebythesesocieties.