The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1907-01-27

The Gridiron Club halls its guests
tonight as comrades for another
Journey down the lanes Of laughter.
our old friends know us-our new
friends viii know us before the
night is done. To all our friends.
whether old or new. we give our
heartiest greetings. Here every man
is on a plane with every other man.
ours is an absolute democracy.
The Gridiron flashes All bars
are down-away we go on trip
where there is TO be joIlity for all
and malice Tor none.
Welcome to our board "-Presi-
dent Blythc's greeting.
For ten minutes last night real
emperor-spelled with a capital E
reigned in Washington He was dazzling,
magnificent. and grand
Very gorgeous and radiant did this
creature appear in his regal robes. He
said funny things in Il kingly voice. if you
know what kingly voice is. and acted
as if he had been to the purple born,
courtiers, all arrayed i'm the finest and
richest costumes that could be found in
the costumer's shop. They made the
showieSt sort of show. a very kaIeido-
scope of color. ike circus parade, and
disported themselves like real counts aui
''jukcs"
OF course. heE wasn't real emperor.
after an He was simply member Of
the GndrGn Club doing a regal stunt for
the enjoyment and entertainment Of the
participants in the annual winter dinner
of that world-fam0us organization This
is the way it happened During a few
moments of sudden darkness the guests
were told % imagine themselves trans
ported G, the year 1917 The guests all
obeyed. except Winston Churchill. who
said De- never did have any imagination.
anyway. When the banquet hall was again
Illuminated the cmperor-stiII with "a capi-
tai E-stoCd revealed upon golden
throne, ths embodiment OF what might
be- expected if Capitalization got iB is
deadly work ard made the American Pco-
pie bid farewell to Republican Institu-
tions. Everything however. came out
an right in the end, just like a good. old
fashioned fairy tale. when the emperor
was tuWbled Uuceremoniously from his
throne aad a jester. waving his wand
and bells, re-ited some lines. He delivered
them with great declamatory effect. be-
cause President Blythe told him he must
do so, You sce' said Blythe. issuing his
final instructions. we amt imperialists
at all-only make-believe-aud. ike the
chorus iu 'Pinafore' that loved the
queen. We love our nation with a great.
big y" 80 the jester. taking these COM
mands 10 heart seemed like a real Fourth
Of July orator when he gave Utterance 10
these patriotic sentiments.
Lake othCr dreams we've rcveled through the night:
Like them. AS reason wakes. we take cur fight
i seemed a threatening shape that first drew near;
Next but q TEST that none need ever fear
And now. as mightier courts have gone Of yore,
We vanish quite, c1nteutment rules once moro,
Right glad % see within onc little hour
The rise and fan oi such fantastic power
Back to old 1907 sc return
Back 60 the lessons We have yet % Ioarn.
With lc,e for these, and faith in their intent
Our Courts, or Congress. and cur President.
As he uttered the final words the Ma
rine Band started. the familiar and in
spring strains of The Star-Spanglod
Banner and everybody stood Up and
cheered and seemed glad that, after all,
the emperor was just a Gridiron joke
\ Distinguished Audience Present.
The panorama Of imperial pageantry
was unfolded before President Roosevelt
and a gathering unequaled for the dis
tinguished character of its personnel
The President enjoyed It hugely lie
laughed heartily az the bombastlc speech
g Of the Gridiron man in the regal robes.
and. what was much more interesting.
the fanciful dream Of what might be
gave him "a text for a stirring speech,
which made every drop of American
blood hustle through the most phlegmatic
veins
All this. however, is away ahead or
the story of the nights doings. Some
thing ought to be said. of course OF the
gathering which assembled i'm the white
and gold reception-room of the New
Willard. In addition to the President.
there was Vice President Fairbanks.
Speaker Cannon. Associate Justices Har-
Ian and Brewer. Of the United States Su-
TAFT. Secretary Wilson. Ambassador CreeI.
of MeSico; Chief Justice Fitzpatrick. Of
Canada; Gov. Swanson, of Virginia: GOV.
Warfcld Of Maryland. Vice President
Culp. Of the Southern Railway: Senators
Aldrich, Beveridge Clay, Foraker. anI
Crane; Gen. Horace Porter. Rear Ad-
miral C0wles. l.. 5. y, and a host of
other people prominent I'm public life. The
club had, however. endcavored to get
away from official circles. and so there
was a coterie of distinguished men who
are not often seen at a Washington din
ner. This company included Dr. Henry
Van Dyke Of Princeton. whose books
are enjoyed by every lover of outdoors:
Winston Churchill. amateur politician.
and author of The Crisis George Har-
vey. editor of Harper's Weekly: George
Horace Lorimer, who spells his name OUT
CONTINUED on THIRD PAGE
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