Evening star., 1926-04-23
No SSAbsenteeism' at
Jefferson League Dinner
To the Editor of The Star:

To the Editor of The Star:
In justice to The Evening Star and
it's readers, would offer q correction
of certain Misrepresentation in an
article carried in The Star under date
of April l6 in regard to the sesqui-
centennial dinner given by the
Thomas Jefferson League on April ID.
The statement that there was an
"orgy of absenteeism" on the part OF
the speakers Is manifestly based on a
miscOnception. There were 16 ''toasts" /"
proposed. Obviously, 1t would have
been undesirable to have had personal
| responses to all Of these, II anything
| like reasonable time limits were to be
observed.
These toasts included the roll call Of
| the thirteen original States, the Fed
eral Union and the four great acQuisi-
tions of territory in which Thomas
{ Jefferson was interested in one way
or another. 1t was provided that the
distant State representatives should
send kilograms, and in most instances
| these kilograms were sent directly by
| the governors Of the States, one of the
best being from the Governor OF dis
| tant New Hampshire.
Mr.. John w. Davis was the only
absentee who had been expected to at
| tend, except Gov. Byrd of Virginia,
| whose address was presented by Rep.
| resentative Peery Of Virginia; so that
the tone as we'll as the substance of
| the article is not only an unwar-
ranted reflection upon Mr.. Davis, but
upon all who were interested in ar
ranging for the Jefferson birthday
dinner.
1t was stated that the toastmaster,
| Mr.. Henry E. Davis, "droned' pro
| ceedings, and that he threw in "a
couple Of impromptu spellbinders" to
| make up for the absentees. AS a mat
| ter of fact, Mr.. Stanley and the rep
resentative of Massachusetts were
scheduled to appear in person or by
| proxy, in accordance with the plans
| of the Thomas. Jefferson League, al
| though they were not, by printers
omission, included on the dinner card.
The impression was given that the
| name" of the representative from
Massachusetts, was Of so little conse-
quence that 1t was lost in the shuf-
| f1e." 1t may, therefore, be pertinent
to state that this message was FOR
| warded from Boston by the president
of the Sentinels of the Republic, an
admirable non-partisan organization,
with aims similar to those Of the
Thomas jefferson League. Mr.. Bent
| ley w. Warren, the author Of the mes
sage read by Mr.. Page, contributed
some of the best articles which have
ever appeared in the Atlantic Monthly
| in regard to constitutional govern
ment AS president Of the Sentinels,
| he is the successor Of the late Louis
A. Coolidge, Assistant Secretary of the
Treasury under President Mckinley.
The writer sat beside Mr.. Henry E.
Davis, the toastmaster, and saw no
| evidence that he was distracted and
discounted" On the other hand, the
| unexpected absence OF Mr.. John w
Davis was deplored by no one more
than by the members Of the dinner
committee. The impression was given
| that he "side-stepped" his engagement.
and It was stated that he sent a per
| functory telegram. Hence, in justice
! to Mr.. Davis and to all concerned, 1t
is fitting to give Mr.. Davis message,
as follows:
ITO my great regret. the trial OF a
| case in which | am engaged In Pitts
| burgh Is still in progress, and 1t is ap'
| solutely impossible for me to appear
at the dinner in Washington tonight:
In view of the list Of distinguished
| speakers, / am sure that my absence
will be of no consequence. The loss
| is mine. The teachings OF Thomas
Jefferson remain the axioms upon
| which all free government must rest
and nothing is more important than
to have them constantly called to the
minds of the American people. SO
long as we follow their guidance the
Republic is secure. l commend the
effort the Thomas Jefferson League is
making to see that they are pro-
claimed throughout the land. Please
deliver NV apologies and greetings to
those present at your dinner.
"(Signed) JOHN w. DAVIS.
MATTHEW PAGE ANDREWS,
Executive Director, Thomas Jefferson
| League.