Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1936-12-23


objective sense No American who sat
down at that dinner-and, of course,
there were representatives of nearly
every foreign government, too-but
must have felt thrill of pride aris-
ing out of the fact that. while the press
had been shackled in many countries,
It remains free in America.
Sportsmanship in Politics.
The theme of the occasion, however,
was not the freedom to satirize. 1t was
something deeper and more significant.
1t was the feeling that in America
craftsmanship in politics is as deeply
rooted as in the contests Of the athletic
field. Gov. Landon was there and so
was Chairman Hamilton Not far away
were seated President Roosevelt and
Chairman Jim Farley.
Within few seats from John D.
Rockefeller. jr.. sat William Green.
president of the American Federation
Of Labor. and at the same long guest
table was John L. Lewis. president Of
the United Mine Workers.
Throughout the occasion ran the
note Of get-together. of comradeship
Of a common interest in the rightful
solution of current problems.
The sketches acted by members Of
the Gridiron Club were pointed. No
one could say they were slanted in one
direction more than another. Both
sides, all factions, came in for good
natured satire. The fact that the &C
ton Of the playlets took place before
the President of the United States
made them, to be sure, more realistic
than when read in the authorized re-
ports given out in advance to the
press.
On the whole, the idea of kidding
the big fellows in Government has
been going on for many years as a
pastime of the press. But the speakers
have upon occasion turned the tables
on the press with some well-directed
shafts at the weaknesses, if not the
inaccuracies, of the press itself.
Food for Thought Remains.
Something constructive can be de-
rived from these Gridiron dinners.
Long after the last guest has departed,
the memory of a thrust here or there
remains. Officialdom is apt to re-
member that maybe there was, after
all. real point In an innocently in
tended song or parody on a passing
event or policy.
To me, the Gridiron dinner this
week seemed particularly illustrative
Of the mood Of the period through
which we are passing. Underneath
Is serious appreciation of the
enormity of the problems that face
governments everywhere. 1t was not
that these problems were treated
lightly. Far from it. They were
treated with that sensible perspective
which makes the victims of a bit of
satire aware that the strongest force
in America Is the force of a discern
ing public opinion.
Poise Emphasized.
What the occasion did emphasize was
the consummate poise of our people
There may be breakers ahead, there
may be unsolvable problems on the
agenda, but the reward for their solu-
ton lies in the esteem of such groups
Is are gathered in this strictly Ameri-
can type Of dinner.
Beneath the cloaks of partianship
indeed of ambition, are hearts that
know and have faith in American pur-
poses and American ways of achieving
the true aims Of democracy. With so
much OF the world making a mockery
Of free institutions, leaders in Ameri-
can public life and American thought,
In American commerce and American
labor, sat down to see themselves mir
rored with truth that was unmis-
taxable. They saw democracy check
ing itself. They saw democracy an.
praising itself. In fact, they saw
democracy guiding itself after the
fashion of the lines Of the Scotch poet
Burns who wrote:
"Oh. wad some power the giftie
gle us.
ITO see oursel's as others see US.
TT wad frae monte q blunder
free us,
"And foolish notion"
(Copyr1ght, 1861
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