The Washington times., 1924-10-30

originally scheduled Tor toni
instead have it on the following I
And here is the tale that hang
Charles Edward Russell dis.
ttnguished author and lecturer and,
u the long ago Socialist candidate
Tor governor of New York had
consented after much pressure from
friends in the club, to make an
address without pay at the meeting
tOnig when his subject. was to
be Thomas Chatterton, the boy
poet OF England Of the eighteenth
century. Mr.. Russell has long had
as a hobby the study Of the boy
poet, in whose life and work he
finds a never-failing charm.
Now, 1t is rare. indeed, that Mr..
Russell makes public addresses
without getting a pretty good price
and in appearing before the 600
ladies-i all were present-he
would really have been making a
special dispensation. However,, he
was to be in Washington anyway
and the friends among the club
members were pretty good friends
and well, he would do it. u.
When some Of the members OF
the club heard of this number on
their seasons program, rumhlings
began to be heard, which rapidly
sWelled into q roar Of staccato dis
approval and resulted in the mall
ing to Mr. Russell in New York
8 letter telling him that his lecture
could not be accepted, but that
their rejection was in no way q
criticism Of It's 3merit-just did not
meet the present needs Of the
cll1b1 ETC., etc. or words to that
Excitement Voiced in Inner
Circle; ''NO Bolsheyist Bunk!'
What was voiced in the inner
! circle Of discomfort went ], sornei
thing like this:
"Hear that Russell that Socialist!
Never! This Is no time. for a
Bolshevist like that! Let none
but Americans be- put on the
speakers platform! 81
And Chatterton! The very idea!
10 listen to an address about that
English radical! That Labor man!
It's preposterous! This is no time
or place for any Bolshevistic bunkg'
An so Mr.. Russell and his talk
about the boy poet have been black
listed and mentally at least put
In the files of .Bolshevism" of the
club that uses the prefix Twentieth
Century
But an outstanding feature in
the comedy, il that Mr.. Russell is
considered l1ard-shelled reactionary
IN present progressive circles. He
doesn't even believe in third par.
ties" and his socialism has lost its
kick long since. Lost It so COM
pletely that even the professed bull
warks of the Constitution would
smile at his being called a socialist.
Mr.. Russell expects to come to
Washington today, but unless booked
very recently. he will have a free
date this evening, the Cosmos Club
auditorium will be darkened and
some of the members are wondering
IL this supposedly up-to-date club
are keeping track only numerically
Of the passing centuries.
Mr.. Russell's talk was In no way
to have been a political talk. It
was to have been entirely literary.
But It seems that there was the
fear in some that socialistic poison
might be emitted in. some way ~
his presence, which poison, 1t seems,
would have been musty and tone
less. to say the least.
Now the. club-approximately six
hundred women, supposedly repre-
senting the most advanced and in
telligent group comment on current
affairs and life and literature In
general In the Capital-will have
as its speaker on November g.. a
man who will tell them about
Alaska with all Of its chills and
SHOWS and rugged coasts and
Esuuimaux and so forth. ~
Doesn't sound as IL there viii he
anything in that to get anybody
''llet up. And the winter coming
on too! $50,
discipline Clause" Inserted As Re
suit Of Princess CONSEQUENCES Talk
An event Of like interest hap.
pened a year or so ago at a. meet
Ing of the club. At this tiIne-7
January, 192S--Princess Cantacu.
zene, granddaughter Of General
Grant Of civil war fame. and wife
Of an exiled Russian coleman was
the speaker and In her talk about
the present troubles Of the Rus-
sian nobility, it appeared TO sorne
members OF the club that the drift
OF her speech was decidedly, against
the recognition by our Government
Of the present government ,lOf Rus,
sia and also contained q criticism SOi
the action Of our Governmentsjh ap,
propriating funds for the relief q
faYnine-stricken Russian multitudes
AT any rate, at the conclusion 81
her speech, when questions as usual
were invited, some questions were
asked by a member of the. cilii
which seemed to some other mem
bers of the club might be embar.
RAISING to Princess Cantacuzene
The questions asked, however, were
merely along the lines of the prin
cess talk and seemed sane enough
and were asked with the utmost
courtesy and with controversial de-
aire-only for enlightenment. t.
As a result OF these "augmeYita-
tive questions"-or so they were
considered by the board of the club
1.-THE member was asked to desist
from similar questioning in the fu'
titre. = p
Also al result a discipline
clause" was proposed by the execu:
tive board last spring and was adopt,
ed by the club, which clause gives
the club the power to expel from
membership anyone disturbing the
HARMONY of the club. +" Such q