The sun., 1916-12-14
SOUTHERN DINERS
DRINK TO FRANCE
Big Demonstration by Mason
and Dixon Folk in
Waldorf.
McADOO GIVES ADVICE
Secretary Tells Guests U. 8.
May Render Service
to Europe.
McADOO GIVES ADVICE

The mere fact that one OF the speakers
At the annual dinner last night Of the
New York Southern Society In the wal
dorf was n Frenchman caused such q
demonstration for France that for some
time one might have thought that the
hundreds of diners were celebrating a
birthplace somewhere In France instead
Of south OF the Mason and Dixon line.
NJ. Jacques do Neunize. the American
representative of the Bank Of France.
was the speaker who caused the diners
not merely to clap their hands. as they
had when the greatness OF the South
was mentioned. but to stand ZIP and
cheer. ave napkins and send forth
shrill yells Of 'vive Ia France"
A moment later 3. Reading Bertron,
president OF the Southern Society, the
POSTMASTER. asked for a rising toast to
the President OF France and again the
cheering was begun. Then on top Of
these demonstrations, which showed
which way the hearts OF the majority Of
the diner lay, William @. McAdoo,
Secretary OF the Treasury. had words to
say about preserving neutrality In order
tllat III y may hClp w AN tSsNoia u
ton Of peace In Europe when the time
shall come"
81 hate to think" said Secretary Nc
Adoo at the end OF n lengthy address on
the Federal reserve ond farmers o
acts. that we should be concerned only
with the development OF the United
States. We owe 1t as n duty TO civili-
cation that w should preserve as far
as possible a policy OF neutrality In
order that when the time comes-I say.
when the time comes-we may end
service to Europe in assisting the ma
tions 10 make peace. like to feel that
the American people are considering this
question so thao they may use their
great power In aiding Europe TO re-
habilitate itself" tLong %applausel.
Touches, ON High Prices
II came here resolved to say nothing
about politics." Secretary McAdoo. who
was the last speaker OF the night. said
In the opening remarks. but politics
has been mentioned so frequently by
the other speakers here tonight that
I've been tempted soreiy to follow their
example. But during the recent cam
paign I found out that whenever ! made
speeches they were followed by dis
astrous results to the Democratic party"
tLaughter.1 0
Mr.. McAdoo then went exhaust,vcly
into the details Of the workings Of the
various Federal financial bills. As for
the present agitation about the high cost
OF living ne said that although a certain
amount of artificial stimulation OF living
costs may be responsible for the high
prices the underlying cause went deeper.
II wac. he said. that the AGRICULTURAL In
dustries had been neglected and that the
----- A- N-.sNA -aA . -
twas necessary X n shortage OF food sup
ply was to be ended
When the cheers for NJ. de Neunlze
had ended and he had thanked the
Southerners for their yells and napkin
waving. the French banker devoted the
greater part Of his address to a history
OF Asace-Lorraine. AS he reached his
peroration the diners saw that what he
had been leading up TO was the I'M
qualified statement that France never
will stop fighting until the lost provinces
again are u part OF the French republic.
Cobb Causes Laughter.
Irwin s. Cobb hit the high notes Of
laughter with his negro stories. his
tributes TO the men and women OF the
South and with n peroration that had
10 10 with an American military pre-
%paredness which would preclude war
horrors here such as no had seen In
Belgium and elsewhere In Europe. Mr.,
Cobb's chief contribution to the politics
Of the night was a reference to Candi-
dates Hughes and Fairbanks. Mr.. Cobb
opjning that "the recent campaign
showed that the country preferred a
President in the chair TO two In the
bush"
The other speaker o: the evening wa,
the Right Rev. Thomas F. Gailor. Bishop
of Tennessee. whose tribute TO the South
included the statement that the civil war
was "a drawn battle in the sense that
III the North preserved the Union the
South established forever the rights OF
the States"