Evening star., 1923-12-22
TALKS and TALES
With and about
CAPITALS GUESTS

ably settles over hotels in any great
uftg at the Christmas period already
has made itself felt in Washington,
s-ad judging by the exodus of guests
curing the last two days IT. Is merely
matter of hours when the usual
buzz of the lobby will have dwindled
away to an occasional Merry Christ
mas"
Few not affiliated with hotel man
agement quite appreciate what
Christmas means to most hotels. The
guest always wishes he were some
where else, no matter what is done
to cheer him, because memories of
home folks seem clearer to him that
day than on any other. Thanksgiving
is bad enough, but Christmas-well,
the least said, the better.
It's an ill wind, though. that fails
10 benefit, for the emptying of lounge
ing space to occupants of those ia
nous little amen-corners for which
hotels of the Capital are noted.
Up at the Shoreham, for instance,
lt required no less a parsonage than
the Duke of Sutherland, here on avia-
tion matters. to rufle the calm of
the little group that congregate daily
10 discuss vital issues, but no sooner
had the distinguished Britisher gone
aloft to change his togs than quiet
prevailed once more and the whis-
pering continued.
:: i: :. ::
Henry Ford's Endorsement of Pres
ident Coolidge and the Forthcoming
Jacksonian dinner at Columbus, Ohio,
when, according to reports, the demo-
cratic standard bearer of 1920 will
announce his candidacy for leader
ship of his party, were naturally the
most discussed topics
Things were waxing rather warm
over VINO was responsible for the
Detroit manufacturers action. when
Harry Wilson Walker, veteran news
paper writer, who had just dropped
down from New York, upset ali eX-
pressed surmises by releasing the
following:
Il may be wrong" said Harry, as
a oeliboy took his bag, but l think
Ihls is one time a newspaper man
beat the politicians to 1t. Here's my
story, boys, so make Of 1t what you
will:
Joseph ]. ONeil, at various times
a member of the New York World
stan, intimate friend of Henry Ford
and the only man in the United
states who dares address the multi
millionaire as Hank now chief as
sistant to VIII Hays. czar OF the
motion picture world. has been in De-
troit for nearly three weeks"
There have been thousands of peo-
pie In Detroit for nearly three weeks,
Harry" laughed the bunch In unison.
NOW just You wait a minute!" cried
walker, as he mopped his brow, II
those thousands could call Henry
Ford Hank Well, then. the friend
ship between ONeil and Mr.. Ford
started on the ill-fated peace-ship,
where Joe was an able-bodied cor
respondent representing the New
York World. Ford took great fancy
to the newsgatherer, and on return
: Ing to America offered him a goodly
sum to handle certain work for the
Dearborn Independent.
"O'Neil accepted, but as he was one
of the kind who'd rather be a lamp
post on Broadway than a whole cleo
trio light plant in Michigan. after a
year in the west he drifted back to
the World, but never lost the auto
mobile mans friendship.
The plot thtckens. SO please don't in
terrupt Leaving the World again. ole
happened TO meet VIII Hays. The New
mer Postmaster General that O'Neil was
the very man he was looking for, and
following arrangement Of details Joe
went to work for him.
Listen attentiveiy now! Whether or
not Mr.. Hays knew of. Joe's intimacy
with Mr.. Ford must be left to conJec-
ture. At any rate, In about a month
after O'Neil Joined him, it was learned
that he was out in Detroit making a
friendly visit to his old boss and,
strange as it may seem, IL was only
few short weeks when the Dearborn
Independent carried classy editorials
telling of the great good Will Hays
was doing in the motion picture world,
the big moguls of which never appealed
very strongly to Mr.. Ford, and stranger
still, in another short space, Mr.. Ford
came out in support Of President Hard
ing's world court policy.
NOW. OF course, you fellows must un-
oerstand that this last trip of Joe's
might have been only to say Hello to
told you are absolute facts, and YOU can
make OF them what you will
Harry had hardly finished when I'D
stepped W. F. (BiD Hart, Jockso-
man democrat of many years stand
ing and ardent supporter of James NJ.
Cox, who announced his intention OF
attending the spread,
-, remember me to Jimmie Campbell
II you see him." sang out Rob Sjatar
who had been an attentive listener
Inc mention of the Buckeye "paci-
neI started Mr.. Hart to reminiscine
and ne cut loose with this:
Wnen II comes to sensing the pulse
OF ms audience, or bringing warning
factions together. the man doesn't live
10 equal James e. Campbell of Chic,
who L hear is to preside at the big
ainnsr tnina In Columbus said the Dis
Ever hear tell how he brought
Grover Cleveland, William c. witt
ney and Arthur Pue German TO-
gether, when serious split threat
ened the party over. the tariff? No.
Nearing the end of President Har-
rison's term the country then. as
now. was quite worked up over the
tarin Mr.. Cleveland was strongly op-
posed to the Mckinley bill. while
Whitney and German We're for soft
pedaling the issue. Things came to
such pass that a special meeting
OF prominent democrats was called in
the spring Of 1892 at Rochester. n. Y.
with Jimmie Campbell authorized to
snin the sentiment of the majority.
wholly undecided as to what
method he would pursue, Jimmie
called the gathering TO order. and
straishtway proceeded to inject two
queries.
''All those whose wages have been
Increased by the Mckinley bill will
please RISE cried the Ohioan with
hall stood. FIX.
All those. whose cost of living
has increased since the Mckinley bill
went into effect kindly stand and
tisc ShtiiC odihilSc Va tHc duOlcllGe
arose as one man.
"Tllat was all Mr.. Cleveland need
ed to convince him. 1t also proved
to Whitney. and German he was
right-the three were soon back on
amioable terms, a stirring campaign
was waged against the tariff and, as
elected -..a, -. T.
= 90 x *.**
Spying rScott. Woodward of Fort
Worth, Tex, crossing the lobby, ad-