Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-02-19
CRID|RON CLUB
CLOSING Dinner

vor stirred participants at the closing
dinner of the season given by the Grid
iron Club Of Washington Saturday
night with President Wilson, mem
bers Of the cabinet and others promi-
nent in government and business life
as guests.
In the midst of the dinner a bugle
call. sounded sharp above the clatter
of the banquet hail. Then through the
hall swung a platoon of bluejackets
from the navy yard, guns at the carry,
headed by young ensign.
Smartly they marched to the center
Of the hall. hating before the Pres
ident of the United States.
Present arms was the command,
and the ensign saluted with his sword.
Just then silk American flag was I'M
furled and the Gridiron quartet sang
1.-THE Star Spangled Banner"
Three hundred diners arose in their
places joining in the chorus and wind
ing up with volley OF cheers.
Plenty Of Satire, Too
Songs that rang with the spirit of
Americanism and demonstrations of
loyalty to the President were inter-
spersed with travesties on the peace
note leak investigation, woman suf-
frage pickets at the White House
House gates, prohibition for the Dis
trict Of Columbia, California's part in
the national election with Senator elect
Hiram Johnson impersonating himself
and other satirical illusions to various
phases of national life.
The leak inquiry was caricatured in
several sketches, one a musical me-
lange and another a melodramatic eff
fusion entitled 1.-The Wolf" in which
Administration Leak" appeared as the
heroine and Barney ct. WI Lawson"
as the villain.
Introducing the musical sketch. one
of the spondents sang Down on
the Leaky Way" which was followed
by another song by club member in
the character of Representative Wood,
of Indiaia, whose resolution led to the
Congressional investigation into charg-
es of leak on the peace note message.
Presented as William Wood, the
Plumber, the Man Who Stops the
Leaks" he sang:
l come from Iidianny,
A statesman great and true,
And when | smell a scandal
| don't care what l do;-
Or, if ] hear a rumor
l follow it for weeks,
: For I'm William Wood the plumber,
I'm the guy who stops the leaks.
Hazel Jones'" as one of the silent suf-
frage sentinels at the White House, was
introduced and made the target of several
jibes in a minstrel skit
Tom Lawson and Others
'.Tom Lawson, Barney Baruch, Charley
sabin and Otto Kahn appeared as a
quartet, singing;
"They met Tom Lawson in the Street,
Barney and Charles and OF.
He said: You boys appear to know
More than the public ought
Now won't you come to Washington
And tell about the Leak
They whispered NO no, thank you,
Tom
And didn't give squeak.
"Rut Tom came. willing, eager, too,
And said they should be brought
So Henry sent a sergeant-at-arms for
Barney and Charles and Of
Now boys, said Bob, come tell US all
About this inside ring
They whispered: No, no, thank you,
Bob
And didn't tell thing
Dr. Grayson, whose nomination as med
ical director of the navy with rank OF
rear admiral, was another target for
musical shafts to the tune Of Captain
Jinks:"
Hes an admiral great, in the new navy
His name is DR.. Cary O.,
And though he'll seldom go to sea-
He's an admiral in the navy;
And if the navy has chill
Take a pill, take pill.
No battleship will have the grip :,
While he's admiral in the navy