The Washington times., 1923-02-21
JEAN ELIOT'S GOSSIP OF SOCIETY
Southern Society
Picks Next
President

John w. Davis hat is in the ring.
Not of his own volition, but be-
cause the Southern Society flung it
there. The occasion was the ban
quet of this organization, held last
night at the Willard, at which MIR.
Davis was the principal speaker
and at which he was hailed as the
next President OF the United
States"
This was the first banquet the
Southern Society has held since be-
fore the war and everything COM
bined to make 1t a landmark In
the history of the organization.
William jennings Bryan, three
times the standard bearer of the
Democratic party and a long time
member of the Southern Society,
had arrived in town unexpectedly
yesterday and, pressed to attend
the banquet, dropped in with true
Southern informality. Another un-
heralded guest was Judge Jacob M.
Dickinson, sometime Secretary Of
War, a Confederate veteran and
first president of the Southern
Society.
Judge Dickinson delivered only
what might be called a benediction,
but the Great Commoner," called
upon for the usual few words"
made an extemporaneous address
which reused his auditors to q fine
pitch of enthusiasm. He opened his
address with eulogy Of Thomas
Jefferson as the greatest molder Of
public opinion the world has ever
known, praised the South's handling
OF the race question and paid
tribute to the entire South for hav-
Ing contributed to every constructive
activity in this country in twenty.
five years.
Mr.. Bryan spoke at consider.
able length, announcing that he
claimed the privilege of the last
speaker to talk until they CO. or
until the janitor hands me the
key and says lock up as you go
out" But it is not of record that
anybody left. Stating that he pro-
poses to write his memoirs as soon
as he can settle down to it, MIR.
Bryan said that he would call the
volume "A Child Of Fortune" and
would dwell upon the part his
friends had played in the making
of his career.
The address Of Mr.. Davis, once
american ambassador to Great
Britain and now president of the
american Bar Association, was a
thrilling one, beautifully rounded
and lit by flashes of humor. His
plea was for the nation to steer
by old and proved landmarks, and
ne summed up the principals of our
Government in One phrase which
deserves to be preserved with the
utterances of our greatest states
MEM Majority rule and minority
rights, not incompatible but co.
existant"
Prof. William e. Dodd, of the
University of Chicago. gave a
brilliant and thoughtful summing
up of the dangers which the state
ara civilization are facing, and Col
~ n Temple Graves spoke In a
lighter vein on the literature of the
South.
Mr.. and Mrs. J. Walter Perry. of
southport, Conn.,, have announced
the engagement of their sister. Miss
Cora Chase, to Samuel Thurston
Williamson, of Washington. The
wedding will take place this sprine
in Haverhill, Mass.
Miss Chase. who has been prina
Donna with the Metropolitan Opera
company for two years, studied
abroad and made her operate debut
in Parma, Italy.
Mr.. Williamson is a son of the
Rev. and Mrs. James S. Williamson.
OF Eastern Point, Gloucester, Mass,
He is graduate Of the Morristown
school and Harvard, class of 1916,
He served overseas as an officer in
the Ninth infantry, Second division,
and is now on the Washington staff
OF the New York Times.