The New York herald., 1922-12-10
GRIDIRON FROLIC Is
THIRD PARTY SATIRE
Borah, La Follettte and John
son Play Witches and Make
a DEVILS Brew.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 9.-The recent
ton of third political party gave men,
bers of the Gridiron Club humor and
satire in abundance tonight at their an
nual banquet.
The December frolic Of the club, which
is composed largely of Washington
newspaper men. entertained President
Harding. members of the Cabinet and
of the diplomatic corps. other Govern
ment officials and business men and
publishers from all sections of the coun-
try.
The numerous picketings which have
become common in this city since women
suffragists paraded before the White
House made the basis for the greeting
to the assembling guests. Club men,
bers dressed in Italian Fascist costume
met them at the doors with appropriate
banners. One typical of the group bore
the question:
Mr.. President, are you with us or
against us? The hour has GOMEZ
The third party skit was the feature
of the dinner Around a large kettle
three members, dressed as witches and
representing Senator Borah. La Toilette
and Johnson, concocted a devils brew,
Borah reciting:
Round about the caudron 60,
In new party issue throw.
Knocks of every known condition.
Russian Soviet recognition, ----
Bocs the standpat goat hath got,
Boil thou first in the charmed pot.
All the witches insisted the new brew
should not only have KICK but should
be composed of kicks. This led Borah
to soliloquize on the question whether 1t
were better to stay within the party
and swat the Administration, thereby
affording the Democrats much glee. or be
a new party man in name as we'll as in
deed. Senator Beverdge then announced
his willingness to join, explaining
Twice have switched. each time in turn re-
jected,
l seek some haven now where / can be
elected.
The act closed with Henry Ford feed
ing the fire with greenbacks and with
Ia farmer and banker attempting to
stir up the brew together, whereupon
there was an explosion and the party
broke up with the organizers blaming
everybody and shaking their fists In
each others faces
Four men wrapped In sheets appeared
as the ghosts OF 'normalcy," reduced
taxation" 'lower cost of living" and
the international court" but when they
were unveiled the issues were shown to
be still alive.
Good music featured the dinner. with
several parodies, one of which. entitled
Sailing, sailing, over the three mile
line, described the troubles of rum
ships. A musical skit. The Gridiron
Follies of 1922" was the central point.
Finally member remarked that
President Harding had a number Of
problems on his mind.
Take the next Congress Tor instance,
wonder what the President will do
with it,
II have better conundrum than
that. What will 1t do to him?''
In the finale the President was asked
a number of questions in song ending:
And now just a query In Gridiron vein
What will the President do?
VIII he say he declines or will he run againf
What viii the President do7
This was the Introduction to the
Presidents address. A part OF the pro-
gram yearly, but as Mr.. Harding was
told he did not have 10 answer the Ques-
tions, and as 1t is a Gridiron rule that
neither his address nor those of other
speakers are reported. his answers re-
main secret Other speakers included
Justice Sutherland OF the United States
Supreme Court, former Vice-President
Marshall, Senator Borah and Uncle
Joe" Cannon. AS the dinner was the
last public en- r.ertainment in the national
capital at which "Uncle Joe" will appear
he was presented with bronze gridiron
as memento OF the occasion.