The Washington times., 1934-11-16

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Hearing one
nat eful Helen ESsAry
woman planning a tWo-faced
costume = Big Business - with
smiles and sunshine on the
front of her garment and dag
gers and gnashing teeth on the
back, set us to weeping with
envy and despair.
Then we had an inspiration.
We thought at the time it was
an inspiration.
The Gridiron Club, with it's
dinner on December 3, is the
indirect reason for Mrs. Roose-
velt's charming hospitality.
The Gridiron Club is famous
for it's clever costuming, plus It's
clever acting plus its clever
acts. Naturally, the wives OF
Gridiron members, after years
of association with gentlemen
of magnificent attainmen1S'
should be able to produce cos
tunes of beauty and lnslnuat
ing humor.
Therefore, it would seem to
be the duty of the Gridlron
Club to suggest costumes, the
right costumes. Not only oy
way of being noble, but for the
purpose of sustaining the honor
Of the club.
With such a logical thought
in mind, we phoned James Lloyd
Wright, the president Of the
club. for advice. Jim was sweet
about the idea, but little vague
about advice. He murmured
something that sounded ike,
"That ought to be easy enough"
e What ought to be easy
enough? Jim wasn't sure. He
did know definitely that being
funny wasn't easy enough. 1t
was the most serious job on
earth. Better phone the Grid
iron Wardrobe Mistress-MarK
ThistleWaite.
Mark was sweet, too, and
very flattering. He said smart
women certainly didn't need ad.
vice about costumes. He'd just
love to help. But as matter OF
fact, most Of the clubs costum'
ing was handled by Jim Pres
ton. There was man-Jlm
Preston!
We phoned Jim Preston. And
we phoned Jim Preston. We
never did get him. He was off
somewhere working at his new
Job as librarian of the Senate.
Looking up speeches for the
next session, no doubt. And de-
1iberately avoiding us.
And there we were-just
where we began. With the
morning gone, Maybe as a last
hope, on the night of the Grid
iron dinner, we can persuade
the major domo at the Willard
to smuggle over to 100 Pennsyl-
vania Ave. shrunken elephant
skin, property of the gentle
man who represents the q. o.
p. Or even the limp mustache
of Clifford Pinchot.
A city accustomed to brilliant
spectacles seldom has seen as
gorgeous a ceremony as the con-
vocation at Catholic University.
And seldom has great public
gathering been so we'll man.
aged.
Receiving on one stage a be-
loved dean of cardinals, two
other cardinals, the Papal dele
gate, 68 bishops-all impressive
in brilliant robes-members of
the Cabinet and their wives and
representatives of most of the
countries in the world, in addi-
ton to seating hundreds OF i'm
portant guests in the audier ce,
would seem an undertaking to
frighten a general in diplomacy
and good management.
However. the Rt. Rev. James
Hugh Ryan, Bishop of Modrs
and Chancellor of Catholic Uni
versity, carried off the evening
with grace and efficiency. De-
livered likewise an excellent ad-
dress or two-one in Latin.
Conferred a degree on Cardinal
O'Connell, and introduced every
guest by name to His Eminence
at the reception following the
ceremony.
Cardinal O'Connell is not
only a fine churchman. he is a
lovable person. He looks as
wise and as tolerant as he is
good. priests do not become
cardinals because of good luck)
His address. he delivered in a
deep. warm voice. I liked the
things he said. And the Spon-
taneous way he stopped the
procession of dignitarieS to con-
gratulate Representative Edith
NourSe Rogers, of MaSsachu-
setts, on her reelection. Later
he said Smilingly he was proud
To he one Of her constituents