The Washington times., 1937-03-05

line when he made as his theme
song at last nights Hundred-dol-
lar-a-plate Victory Dinner the
magic word NOW"
He who reads a bit, and Skips
to the comic sheet, may see at
the left hand top of this page Gin
type larger than I like, because it
cuts down the size of my byline)
the big letters-"N-O-W."
Then follow the grand finale of
the Presidential speech of yeSter.
day-the best of his entire career
and absorb these words:
IF we would keep faith with
those who had faith in us. if We
would make democracy succeed,
say we must act-NOW."
1t wasn't once that Mr.. Roose-
velt led up to the NOW" or
"Never" motif. It was in at least
eight beautiful paragraphs that
he ended his advice on how to
destroy the enemy - "defeatiSt
lawyer" the same impor-
tunate Anglo-Saxon syllable.
I hope this attention from the
White House will help my jouraiis-
tic cause along.
Even if it doesn't-I like the
speech. So did the 1,400 people
who sat in the Mayflower (add
them up-14 hundred times 100
a
dinner cost a meager $5 a person
to serve, flowers and music in
Cluded. A lift for the Democratic
Deficit of about $133, 900 on this
one Victory Day Dinner alone.
And there were hundreds of other
dinners throughout the country.
I hope at the other Victory Day
Dinners more wives were seen
than at this Master Dinner. You
could count on the fingers of two
hands the number Of women who
feasted at the Mayflower on ter
rapin soup and capon and salade
victoire Canned pears with cream
cheese balls topped by a COB Of
jelly) while the orchestra played
"Let Me Call You Sweetheart,
I'm IN Love With You" It was
definitely a Mans Dinner! -.
One hundred dollars is lot OF
money for even an enthusiastic
y Democrat to spend for night out.
But 5000 is about four times as
much.
So most Of the Little Women
stayed at home and scrambled an
egg while the heads of the house
dined in the cause of freedom
and democracy (small I'd" if you
please).
Some Of the Little Women, I'm
certain, took this good opportunity
Of cold creaming the face and
listening in on the radio while the
President spoke. It was father
who cut the deep nick in the fam
lily budget.
Many beautiful Democratic gen
tlemen sat in long shining row
at the head table. I could look
down and count the hairs on the
top of their heads. Several of
the women present sat among the
big party chiefs. One prima donna
was Miss Mary w. DeWson, vice
chairman of the Democratic Ma
tional Committee. (The same Molly
who kissed Mr.. Farley at the last
Democratic love feast0 There was
no kissin' this time. The air
was full Of fightin'. Presidential
fightin'.
Mrs. ]. Borden Hartman was
not far away from Mr.. Farley.
She sat beside Senator Joseph T.
Robinson. Secretary Ickes acted
like he wanted to talk to Mrs.
Hartman. He leaned out of line
and passed a remark now and
then. But Joe "got" the girls.
congress woman Virginia
Jenckes stepped out from her
table between acts ands had a
long conversation with the gen.
tleman from Arkansas.
Mr.. Joseph P. Tumulty did a
nicely restrained job as toastmaS-
ter. You could see that he wanted
to say lots more than he did. But
there wasn't time. The air" that
controls all big public utterances
was waiting.
Before the dinner actually
went ION the air" there were
few minutes when there was
nothing in particular to do-the
ice cream and Strawberries hav-
ing been eaten. Many people who
knew the gift of the Democratic
Committee Secretary, Lawrence
Wood Robert, for storytelling
wished that he would add to his
resume OF the States holding Vic
tory Dinners a few little Southern
yarns Of his own.
The band filled in gloriously
however, with "I Love You
Only" Home on the Range"
and "Wagon Wheel" that ia.
vorite Of Senator Alben Barkley of
Kentucky. Before you knew it
the President was up and ready
to electrify the millions of his
radio audience with a rip roar.
ing challenge to have courage
and do it now"
Senator Harry Flood Byrd, one
Of the Presidents most deter
mined foes among the Demo
Gratis didn't seem particularly
electrified while the President
Continued on Pare a CoI a.