Evening star., 1922-06-08
SHOOTING STAR" CHARACTERS
PAY NOVEL TRIBUTE TO CREATOR
PhiIander c. Johnson, 81
Years in Service, Guest
of Honor.
President Sends Letter,
While Senator Sorghum"
and Others Are Heard.

Philander c. johnson. playwright.
humorist, dramatic critic and creator
of the Shooting Stars" of The Even
ing and Sunday Star. celebrated yes
terday thirty-one years of continuous
service in which he has never missed
a days copy for his column, by being
the guest of a party organized by
friends at the Columbia Country Club.
Many notables in official life Joined
large number of journalists. players
and others who gathered at the cele-
bration.
President Harding. an honorary
member of the constituency, was un-
able to attend. but sent a letter OF re-
great, in which he said: Having
long entertained the hope OF meeting
you in person. along with the other
interesting members of your consult
uency. 1 find myself much disappolnt.
ed today at being unable. on account
of other engagements. to come to your
party and meet Mr.. .Philander John
son. l am sure l need not say thal
although I have not had the pleasure
of meeting you and the widely known
members of your constituency nave
followed their activities so long as 10
feel that they are old friends. facl
which accentuates my disappoint-
ment at not being able to come 70
your party" The letter was addressed
TO Senator Sorghum and signed per-
sonally by the President.
Characters Introduced.
Characters created by Mr. johnson
in his column were introduced during
the afternoon, members Of the Grid
member. assisting in impersonatlng
several of the characters; Charies d
Hanford represented Senator Sor-
ghum" and acted as chairman or the
committee of arrangements selected
from the constituency of the Shoot
ing Star District" other character
impersonations were Farmer Corn
tossel." representing the Farm Bloc:
his SON. Josh; Miss Cayenne the
only rival OF Pennsylvania in furnish
ing Pepper for the Senate: Uncle
Eben." and Cactus Joe" of Crimson
Gulch.
Through the courtesy OF = stod-
dard TAYLOR of the Shubert-Garrick.
the Garrick Stock Company present
ed the one-act play. Romeo ana 1u
liet: With a Happy ~ Ending ding Wv wrie,en we,l
enacted. and depicted the dead"
Romeo and Juliet coming back to NE
and. with other members OF the cast
engaging in very modern conversa-
ton and dances.
The program included a speech os
Senator Sorghum. and recitations and
songs, the lyrics of which were all
composed by Mr.. Johnson. Follow,
ing the overture by Mr. Breeskin ana
orchestra. and the grand march JacK X
Bowie sang "Old Fashioned Flowers,
composed by Clay Smith A recita.
tion. entitled Some People Won't
Like You. But other Folks WILL" was
then given by Gerry McGerry' An
Echo Of Her Smile" was then sung oS
John Penncbaker. the music oeins
composed by J. f. Howard. FOLLOW
ing a violin solo by Mr. Breeskin; &C.
companied by the orchestra. Mrs JACK
Bowie sang Little Boy, Sleepy Head"
composed by Clay Smith. The pro-
gram was concluded by the singing
Of Somewhere in France" by Harry
Stevens, composed by ]. E Howard
"sepator Sorghum Speaks"
Senator Sorghum" as imperson-
ated by Mr.. Hanford. made the 40
dress of welcome, excerpts OF whlch
follow: Il
I'VE are met today to do honor to
,be man who conceived and created
rs and the rest of our constituency
one who has for the last thirty-one
years kept us before the puoiic'
through the columns of The Wash :
inrton Star, for your entertainment
and amusement. and that without
missing a single day in all that time,
a record perhaps uneaualed by any
other genius of the newspaper Worio.
our characters and our philosophy are
known to you all. Not only to you.
hut to the newspaper fraternity
throughout the world and by them
through the columns of their news
napers. we have. by liberal quotation
been introduced and have travelled
throughout the length and breadth OF
the United States. We have 3een
;,%o
guaees. and, consequently. have traV-
eIed abroad and throughout the civil
"When the great steamship Titanic
disaster brought pail or gloom 10
the whole world and beneatn tne
some of the bravest and pest man
hood of the time. among them MAJ.
Archibold Butt. then military alde
to the President of the United states.
Temple-Noyes Lodge OF Masons; or
which Maj. Butt was a member, held
memorial service at the National
Theater of this city in memory OF
their departed brother At that serv-
ice It fell to my fortunate lot to re-
cite and give to the public FOR the
for the occasion by Philander Chase
Johnson, entitled 'Vivat Memorial,
and that poem. which I think is the
very finest thing he has ever done,
stamped him as poet OF e4lraofoi- ,
nary genius. and no passage OF
Shakespear which I have ever sem
dered before public audience com
manded greater attention or held
under its magic spell the interest OF
an audience greater than was evil
denced for his poem upon that oc-
casion. 1t was a masterpiece and
took high place among the gems OF
American poetry
rost ~ IunneruonaforN.
The characters Of the constituency
were represented by John Penne-
baker, Jack Bowie. Mrs. Harry Ste
vens. Harry Stevens and Uncle
Eben" himself.
Members of the Garrick cast In
cluded Edwin Trusheim, Gerald
smith. William Harrigan, 1mogen
Taylor, Mrs. Charles B. Hanford,
Gerry McGerry, Dorothy McGrew,