The Washington herald., 1915-01-28
"Doughnut Cabinet" Reigns
MEETS EACH DAY At LUNCHEON
District Heads Are Members

Roosevelt had his Tennis Cabinet,
Taft had his Golf Cabinet" but it re-
mTains for the District government to
have a Doughnut Cabinet"
The beginning of this story dates back
to tine day when three newspaper writers,
who at In the Willard grill, hungered for
the rich brown. lucious doughnuts that
a party Of lunchers at a nearby table
table daily consumed.
None of the writers-Oliver Newman
Louis Brown-low. or Judson WelliVer-
ever mentioned the doughnuts or inti-
mated that they IOnGed for dOuGhnuts,
or alluded to doughnuts in any way, but
each one knew that the other two would
give almost anything for a dip at bowl
of the old-fashioned cakes.
Waiter Serves Them DOuEhnuts.
But one day the newspapers announced
that Oliver p. Newman had been ap-
pointed a Commissioner of the District Of
Columbia by President Wilson. That day
was a happy day for the two writer's and
they new Commissioner. They met at the
grill table for luncheon just as though
nothing had happened. but they hadn't
been seated minute before they discoy-
cred that something had happened.
In came the waiter. smiling and ohse-
quious and in his hands was bowl OF
dougbnuts He put it on the table before
Newman. BrOwnlow. and Welliver. They
demurred. Indicating they really didn't
want doughnuts. and specializing as TO
how much that bowl would cost. Then
the head waiter exploded bomb.
But, gentlemen" said the waiter. Il
wish you would try these nice doughnuts.
There is no charge for them, you know.
Newman, BrOwnlOw, and WelDver sat
speechless.
Sorry They Hadn't Asked.
Commissioner Newman was the first to
recover. He reached for a douShnut
took bite, and then asked: Louis, is 1t
possible that we've been eating here these
many months and aching for free dough-
nuts that we could have had for the ask
ing?"
Brownlow reached for doughnut and
replied: Yes. Ollie you had to be ap-
pointed Commissioner to discover that.
Then Welliver reached for dOughnut
with the remark: The first time l ever
knew doughnuts were a perquisite Of the
d. c. CommissiOnership." Little lunch
was eaten that day, but the waiter had
to refill that doughnut bowl three times.
From the day of the doughnuts" the
grill luncheon prospered. That day was
in June, 1913. Since then the grill lunch
con has become a sort of institution.
When Justice Frederick L. Siddons was
appointed a Commissioner he Joined Com
missioner he Joined Commissioner New
man and Messrs. Brownlow and Welliver
at the grill table. and the presence Of the
two Commissioners gave the gathering a
sort of official atmosphere.
The primary purpose of the luncheon
seemed to be to eat, but to any one sit
ting at a nearby table it would have
sounded as though the object was to talk.
There would be discussions on about
every subject ever discussed since Wash
ington was built Religion, no VITO grow
municipal ownership, Zeppellns,
the awakening of China, the split infini-
tive and all kinds of interesting themes
were taken up, discussed from every an
gle and disposed of.
Soon kindred spirits began to Join the
lunchers Samuel Merwin, the writer.
told of how he gathers local color In
China. Morgan Shuster dropped in to
talk about things over In Europe. Henry
George, jr., LOUIS Brandeis and Joseph
began to add their views to the
lunch conference at intervals. DR.. Leon
arad X. Hirchberg. of Johns Hopkins. be-
gan to be a guest and aired some new
in his world.
A rule was adopted that each lunch
must be a Dutch treat, and each luncher
agreed not to tip the waiter more than 10
cents.
Not mt All "Fuxsy."
Julian and George. the two walters who
got a monopoly on the round table, did
not object to the 10-cent limit. They
could always count on ten men at the
round table and sometimes fifteen or
more were there, so that the walters
share ran from 81 to S1.50 daily. Further,
Julian and George learned that the diners
weren't at all 'fussy'' about little points
in service
Herbert Quick, the novelist: Mark Sulli-
Russell, the writer and Socialist lecturer;
Joseph W. Folk, counselor Of the Inter-
state Commerce Commission; Joseph f.
Davies. Commissioner OF Corporations;
Frederick c. Howe. the writer. and Louis
Post. Assistant Secretary of Labor, heard
of the round table and added their names
to those who dined regularly or intermit-
tently.
Manager Hight. of the Willard. INSTALL
ed what he called Hopper Kar Serv-
ice" that added to the attractions Of the
grin. This service consists largely Of a
copper steam table on wheels. A waiter
rolls the Hopper Kar" next to the round
table and serves steaming hot good
things right from the utensiI In which
they are prepared 10 the plate OF the
consumer.
IL Gathering of Radicals.
II has been said and probably truth
fully that the round table sees the most
famous radicals Of the nation gather for