The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1922-02-22

places. !: is worth reproducing in
full:
The Harding administration has
served notice on stage people tnat
it doesn't like 10 be the butt OF their
jokes.
This is the Interpretation placed
on incidents OF the past week when
Will Rogers, cowboyactor, screen
star and hcadliner OF Ziesleld's
Frolic, came under the displcasurc
OF the White House after he had
perpe1ratcd several I'll his best
jokes at the expense Of Harding
and his Disagreement Confer
ence," as the comedian Terms it.
Rogers caused tickets 10 his per-
Torrance 10 hc sent 20 he I'rtsl-
dent. but they were returned With
thanks
When n congressman i.icnd oil
Rogers asked ior tickets 10 the
White House reception tor ;he &C
tor he was told that 1:lcy we're
sorry but i! can't h'. arranged.
The final chapter in the affair
locally Was written Saturday night,
. hen Rogers, in replying 70 one
OF numerous cncorrs. from Il pack
c,t house. made some observations
that might appropriately be labeled
presidents l have known. In
response 10 a curtain call Rogers
said:
| have cracked Il number OF jokes
on public men here. both RcDl,5li-
cans and Democrats. l hope | have
not given offense. In fact. don't
believe any big man will take Of
fense--with considerable emphasis
on the big man.
Il recall when President Eoose-
vclt was in the White Ho,ls" ard |
was n cub performer took
several filings at Teddy. Later. when
] was invited To the White House.
[ remarked on meeting Roosevelt:
Well. | hope you are not going
TO put me in Jail.
Roosevelt laughed heartily and
said: Will am going 10 cal
YOU Will-don't be afraid YOU will
hurt my feelings Whenever you
can use my name to advantage go
the limit
This was the beginning Of warm
friendship between the irrepres-
siblc Teddy and the actor.
Incidentally, Theodore Roosevelt,
Jr.. and Mr.. and Mrs. Nicholas
Longworth entertained Rogers at
luncheon at the LongwOrth horne
here this week.
II remember, too" said Rogers,
that when Wilson was in the
White House during the late war,
[ cracked some rather rough jokes
at his expense at this theatre. when
he and his family occupied q box,
and Wilson laughed long and
heartily. After all. it is the test
oi a big man whether he can stand
!he gaff."
The .comedian's curtain talk
went over the heads" OF most al
his audience at the time, rs his
run IN" with the White House
was not generally known. bur rs
the. details OF the affair became
public this week it has created a
buzz OF comment in Congressional!
clnakrooms and among the lhe-
atrical people in town.
I:oeer. remained over in Wash
inston sunday to see the production
of a film in which he is the star
and which he had never had the
opportunity OF seeing since It's
production He is now playing In
Baltimore.
Some OF the stage jokes that
brought Rogers under the White
House ban run like this: Rogers
in the role of Secretary Hughes. Is
presiding over Il burlesque OF the
..Disasrecmcnt Conference" The
;elcphone at the conference table
rings. and while the delegates
pause an imaginary conversation
takes place between the President
and his Secretary OF. State. You
LOST hv two holes" queried Rogers
svm2athcticllly. Well don
worry, we will not call 1t a easue
Of Nations.
Commenting on iarai:iS
speech before the Senate Friday
Rogers. who was 4 Senator's guest
in the reserved gallery, said N MS
curtain talk Saturday night:
"presidrnt Harding made qaite q
sneech. IN fact ii sounded like one
of tho best speeches Hughes e'er
wrote"
Another reference OF the coined
ian's 10 the administration. wh'c!
il said TO have ranked. related 10
the fire at the Treasury Rulldina
last week. THE fire started on
thc roof and burned down ana
down until it got to the place
where the money ought TO NJ. ;:i"
there it stopped" he said. fh'
Harding Administration had beat
tho fire TO il. a fire in the 'ereaS-
urv is nothing to get excited about
dnrinc a Republican Adminis;ra
ton.
WOnID VTOT ATE