The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1915-12-10
DAzED THE GUESTS
The Grand vizier's Speech at the
Gridir0n Club Dinner.
FAIRLY BLAZED WITH ABUSE.
II Looked Very Much Like the Markings
Of "a Bully Row." but the Surprising
Climax Averted All Danger of Dipio-
matte Complications.

OF "a Bully Row." but the Surprising
Climax Averted All Danger of Dipio-
matte Complications.
In January. 1904, Mira All Asgar
Khan. former grand vizier Of Persia,
was making trip around the world
and was booked to sail to Europe from
New York. His attendance at the
Gridiron club dinner I'm Washington
was announced I'm the newspapers.
What happened at that banquet Is
thus dramatically described by Arthur
Wallace Dunn I'm his book, "Gridiron
Nights"
The grand vizier came I'm late. after
the dinner had been In progress for a
time, and was accompanied by Scott
G. Bone of the Washington Post. his
host Of the evening. Before taking his
seat, directly I'm front Of the president
of the United States, he bowed low to
that official and then made a sweep
ing salaam to the assembled company
Senator Beveridge was introduced
and shook hands. William IL. Taft.
then governor general Of the Philip
pines, who had crossed the ocean on
the same ship with the grand vizler.
walked across the dining room and
shook hands, expressing his pleasure
at seeing him again. Senators Aldrich.
German and Hanna and Speaker Can
non, sitting near by, were introduced.
After the dinner had progressed for
a time President Louis A. Coolidge in
troduced the oriental guest as one who
had journeyed far and who came that
night with views he had gathered In
his travels.
Mira All Asgar Khan, with more
profound bows, said that his message
to the Gridiron club and It's guests had
perfect In our language, and then he
began to read from large sheets Of pa
per.
"The people OF the United States" he
began, "are watching every day to see
whether there Is to be a war In the old
world. In the east we also watch for
that war It is to observe preparations
for that war that travel.
81 was In Japan before l came to
this country. In Persia we take great
interest I'm Japan, because the next
war will be the great struggle between
the civilizations Of the east and west.
We believe that the eastern civilization
will overcome the western civilization.
"This Will mark the downfall Of Rus
sia, that treacherous power that has
plotted against peace Of mankind from
the days Of Peter the Great and has
been the hypocrite, the false friend of
every weaker power It has aimed to
destroy"
He was interrupted by a member of
the club, who suggested that az the
Russian ambassador was our guest no
such discussion should be permitted
Mira All looked puzzled and contin.
ued
"The barbarous rule Of Germany will
be brought to an end, and higher mo.
rality will supplant the vicious rule of
the vandals who have kept the intelli.
gence of Europe under a reign Of ter
ror"-
Again he was interrupted and atten.
tion called TO the presence Of the Ger.
man ambassador The situation was
explained to the grand vizier, and he
turned over two or three pages Of his
manuscript and continued:
"And then Great Britain, the tradi.
tional enemy Of the free American peo
ple-perfdious Albion, as she Is called
by one of your poets-she has been the
trader of the world-buyer and seller
of pretending to love liberty, but
hypocritlcally sheltering slavery when
II could be to her interest
President Coolidge stopped him by
sharp raps Of the gaveL The faces Of
the diplomats were drawn into frowns
OF disapproval Guests and members
were aghast, while President Roose-
welt looked ms II he thought II was the
makings of bully row.
"We are very much Obliged" said
Mr. Coolidge, ito his excellency the
grand vizier. but as some members OF
the British embassy are with u.s.
"You will not let me speak," said the
vizier angrily: then I bid you good
night You invite me here-you ask
rue to speak--I prepare my speech
you are as bad as the rest. You have
no free press-you have no free speechi
CO."
And as be was making sweeping ges
lures he tore away his fez. wig and
beard, and there stood Francis z
Leupp OF the New York Evening Post
He had put over the greatest hoax
ever perpetrated by the Gridiron club
The real Mira All Asgar Khan had
sailed for Europe that very day.