Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1935-08-16


the one who wasn't when the word
of-mouth ripple went around-"Will
Rogers is here!"
Alice Roosevelt Longworth, who
usually waits for people to come to
her. fastened to seek him out. She
and her husband the late Speaker
Longworth. we're friends of his for
many years.
A meal at the White House was
usually part of Rogers Washington
visits and he reciprocated the Roose-
veltian friendship by donating his
talent to the Presidents birthday ball
benefiting infantile paralysis victims
at Warm Springs.
Master Of Wit.
Rogers was an unmerciful kidder
and a master of the American bon
mot. or wisecrack. In the Winter Of
1924 he toured Europe and kept
constant stream of wit barbed arrows
shooting toward the White House in
his weekly Saturday Evening Post
articles on his activities as unofficial
Ambassador
He was a Jeffersonian Democrat of
grounds to disagree with the ultra
Republican Coolidge on politics. But
that President once said of him:
I'm glad all Democrats aren't like
Rogers. Wed be in bad Ak
President Roosevelt roared last
January over Rogers steady stream Of
comment on the New Deal, deroga-
tory but humorous. Garner and Rog-
ers arranged the same sort of dinner
for the Chief Executive a year before,
in January. 1884, and Mr.. Roosevelt
chuckled when the st-aviator-
cowboy actor-writer remarked there
are just enough Republicans here for
disturbance purposes"
He made another aside to the effect
that the magician brought in to enter
tain the group was good enough to
read a senatorial mind" and reported
that Lewis Douglas, then Budget Di-
rector, was unable to add a column
of figures because there wasn't but
Is and he never had used so few
making up the budget"
Rogers Master of Ceremonies.
This party came the night before
the first Roosevelt birthday ball for
the paralysis fund at the Shoreham
Hotel. Will Rogers was master of
ceremonies. The setting was re-
splendent. Diplomats were in red
and blue and gold. The uniforms of
Army and Navy officers scintillated.
Formal civilian evening dress was seen
on every hand. But Mr.. Rogers wore
his blue serge and stole the show.
Will Rogers himself was several
times seriously mentioned for the
presidency. Arthur Brisbane suggest
ed it January, 1882, four years after
1t had been suggested by an Okla
homa Representative. G. B. Hanford,
during the 1888 campaign, urged at
least a cabinet post for the polo
playing president of the National
Gloom Chasers' Club.
Supports Roosevelt.
The former ''Ziegfeld Follies' star
threw his support to Gov. Roosevelt
in 1882 after his disappointment over
Gamers inability to capture the
Democratic nomination. He was hope
full then for breathing spell from
the Hoover commissions, which he
poked fun at in February, 1882, by
creating o special commission all of
his own.
II expect to call it the Committee
on nti-Hoarding Funsters and
Ways" he said. THE President asked
me If couldn't make up a joke to
help along his authorizing cam
paign. I'm going to appoint me some
subcommittee and have a regular
commission"
Attorney General Cummings said
Rogers death removes from the
American scene an observer whose
characteristic comments provided in
struction as well as amusement to
those in public life. His philosophic
conception Of men and institutions
found expression in the truly Ameri-
| can spirit"
"All loved him." commented Rep
resentative Taylor, Democratic leader.
There are no two others like
them. The Nation has lost one of
! its unique citizens, the world one of
its first aviators," said Representative
Patman of Texas.