Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-02-27
SCRAMBLE FOR TRAINS
TO PARTY CONVENTIONS
Fouid-Be Presidents and President
Makers on Board for St. Louis
and Chicago.
IN BY GRIDIRON
CLUB

Washington Newspaper Men lay
Aside Their Cares and Have Even
ing's Merrimcnt at Expense OF
National Leaders.
WASHINGTON. February 2G.--Thc
r!diron Club Tonight. Mt it's second
inner OF the winter, projected itself
|ito tho convention activities OF ncxt
unc. and helped II distinguished party
ohrh trains for Chicago and ST. Louis
meet thc fatcs awaiting them there.
make believe railway station, the
ctor members Of the club satirizcd the
oihles OF some of their guests and
ONE wcll-knowu men who were not
resent
President Wilson was among those
Tho looked on. and he may have re-
circd an intiinatiOn Of the opposition
VIII meet later in the year. Vice
resident Marshall. the Secretaries Of
tate. Nav aud Interior, the Brazilian
ambassador. tho Chinese and BOLIVIAN
ministers. several m"iuhrrs of the Sen
tc and House. officers OF the army ard
avg, and number Of the most notable
ustrial life were present.
ENNLY ELECTED PRESIDENT
or CLID INAIGI'RATFD
The nnwly elected president Of the
Tub, Louis w. Straycr, of the pI;te-
urEh Dispatch. was 'uauguratcd with
humorous .ki, in which all members
Participated, vtr!ouSly :.ttircd to repro
ont the Old Guard. the regular arm;
rhcrvc. IN" continental army. tho gov
rnmcnt merchant marine. the Progress
Eve party and war revenue tax col
Htors.
The most ambitious OF several
kctchcs presented hy tho club Was the
POLITICAL ono. Scrambles TO make
rains. strange travelling companions.
nd ticket complexities that courounded
he railway Eatc,n"n offered cxtraor-
mary opportunities for fun making.
PASSING through the Chicago gate were
cgular and progressive Republicans.
haracters representing former Senn-
Prs burton and BeveridSe. former
icePresidcnt Fairbanks. Senators
herman, Borah. Cummins. Weeks and
enrose. Representative Cannon. former
President Roosevelt. William Barnes
nd George W. Perkins. OF New York.
through The ST. Louis gate passed
Iccretary McAdoo. Postmaster General
turlcsoi. Charles +. Murphy. of New
ork. and William Jennings Bryan.
J The first passenger TO reach the Chi
SaEo train was recognized by one OF
he two Eatemen as Senator burton
Ccrvous and fused. he inquired If he
(;ere too late. and appeared greatly re-
eyed when told that he was leading
ac parade
You won't bc TOO late I'll you get 20
8hicaGo." he was informed az tho gate
IAN punched his ticket.
ECRETAnY PRODUCES
WEIRD-LOOKING TICKET
Next came passenger for -. Louis
,ho was hailed Secretary McAioo
Ie produced q wcird-lookinR ticket
nally recog ni2cd as mileage. which the
ntcman examined iaboriously. Nut
le ing that II seemed "as complicated
. S the shipping bill" the Eateman asked
mistake hadn't been made. Its in
3-icacies were explained by methods OF
ddition and subtraction, and the pas
engcr passed through grinning. The
kateman, recovering, remarked TO his
al THAT wasn't no railroad ticket:
hat was to-day's Treasury statement"
Among the next batch OF passengers
PAS a tall. heavy-set man. carrying q
~oken plank under his arm. who tried
D. crowd through the St. Louis gate
Fay.
"Hey. Mr. Speaker" expostulated the
ateman. this ticket Amt no good.
b reads for Baltimore. And it's four
cars old"
II knew it," shouted tho passenger.
yho resembled Champ Clark. bill
Icarst told me TO try to work It on,
Ut the darn ticket never was any
rood"
| The Speaker finally got through on
Missouri mileage" but the plank be-
anne wedsed in tho gateway. AS he
yied TO disensase IT, ne explained that
d came out OF the Baltimore Cyclone"
t M WIS the last surviving bit OF tho
ne-term plank. They asked him
vhat good 1t was. and no replied that
he was merely following r. RS ad-
Ice-Learn to swim, but always carry
'. life preserver.'"
Vice-President Marshall. extremely
nervous. was closely followed by SEN
tor Lewis. Of Illinois
"I ought to be nervous" he explained
He follows me all tho time lie fol-
lowed mo up 20 the rostrum in the
3iennte to-day and almost sat in the
hair"
Former Vice-Presdent Fairbanks,
isplay!ng a handful OF tickets for n
I,roup OF delegates locked up In the
baggage car" OF the Chicago special,
anne next. He wanted to leave n few
more tickets for any stray delegates
Who might relish a little transporta-
lon" lie was closely followed by two
Inen, described by ono OF the guards
In n stage whisper as "the two wicked
TT VNII IYAVYC CAT,