The Ordway new era., 1921-05-06
Stanley Tells OF
Criidiron Dinner

y. Ah. oithitS, ooil VI hl anu
l. H. Stanley of this city, is one of
the editors of the Birmingham. Ala.
Age-Herald, and recently went to
Washington and took in the annual
Gridiron Club Capital Dinner. The
Gridiron Club has one of the most
notable events in the country, an an
nual affair which brings together
the greatest political and industrial
leaders of the country. 1t is club
of newspaper correspondents and
their notable guests numbered $50 at
the recent annual event:
Mr.. Stanley has written an inter-
esting article headed Some Side
lights on Gridiron Capital Dinner
which appeared in his paper, the Age
Herald, few days ago, and the New
Era herewith reproduces it, as it is
of general interest for many reasons:
Probably no other event in the
United States assemblies as many
prominent men in a single room as
does a dinner of the Gridiron club,
that notable body of Washington
newspaper correspondents,
The article follows:
At Saturday nights dinner there
were less than $50 guests and yet the
number included not only the Presi-
dent, and Vice-President, every men,
ber of the cabinet, the supreme court,
the foreign ambassadors and numer-
Gus other public officials, but rail-
road presidents, industrial leaders,
great editors and literary men, law
yers, army and navy officers and rep
resentatives of practically all the
leading endeavors of American life.
One OF these dinners is wonder
full educator to the man who attends,
but unfortunately that educational
data is confined to himself, for all
fundamental rule of the Gridiron
club is that "ladies are always pres
ent, reporters are never present.
this in spite of the fact that ladies
are not present and the dinner itself
is given by reporters.
1t is this rule which makes these
dinners unique. For here are assem-
bled leading minds of the nation who
know that what they say is private,
and If Saturday nights dinner is a
fair sample, they say exactly what
they think.
While nothing can be written about
what was said, think it is fair to
say that the public conception of the
Secretary of State as n human icicle
is all wrong. He is as warm hearted
as witty and as appreciative of q
Joke as any man have ever seen
Senator Penrose is pictured as the
cold, calculating, unsentimental po-
Iitical manipulation when the fact is
that he has charm of manner, q
delightful sense of humOr and q
warmth of sympathetic feeling that
go far to explain the loyalty and de-
yotion of his admirers and followers
Our popular conception of Secretary
Hoover is of grimness of purpose and
vet i'm the flesh he seems to wear
perpetual smile. General Pershing
too. is almost boyish in his keen en-
ioyment of the companionship OF hi
fellow men. ~.
wonder his friends almost worship
him. No wonder the people OF Ma
riOn. O., came almost en- masse to hl'
inauguration. No wonder he hns
aIready done SO much in harmonic
ing the unmanageable elements o.
his party. u,
makes the most favorable impression
in an informal private reception
room, talking and laughing with kin
dred spirits and passing leisurel.
from one to another; or whetne'
when it is when he is seated at ia
ble or surrounded by scores OF ths
leading men of the nation, smoking
cigar, now chuckling, now Laughing
heartily as the Gridiron stunts" arr
performed: or whether II is when ne
representing and upholding the fui
dignity of his office, is speaking Will
ali the sincerity ana all the impress
iveness and all the patriotism tina
his great office and responsibility de
mand. We democrats may rest -
sured Of one thing-the republican,
made no mistake in their man. Ant
| they show It more and more ever!