The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1937-05-21
GRID|RON CLUB
SIP ARES NO
FAV0R|TES
Continued from Page a.

an unprecedented tribute by CIV
ing O private dinner in his honor,
at which he was the only guest.
National heroes and comman-
ders Of land and sea forces who
have distinguished themselves in
the nations wars have almost uni
fornly escaped broiling. Admiral
Schley, who commanded the
American battle force when Ger
vera's fleet was sunk off Santiago
during the Spanish war, was re-
ceived with acclaim when the war
ended, as was General Pershing
following the World War, and both
were invited to many dinners
thereafter. It Is Interesting in
retrospect to find Schley the
center Of the clubs attentions fol
lowing the Spanish war, while Ad-
miral Sampson, whose jealo'.sy Of
Schley had made him an ullpopu-
lar figure at home, appears from
the clubs records either to have
been ignored or to have declined
invitations to attend the dinners
Of the postwar years, when Schley
was often present.
A reflection Of Taft's unfailing
buoyancy and good humor even
in defeat is diScoverable in his
presence at the dinner of February
l, 1918, q month prior to the in.
auguration Of woodrow Wilson,
elected in the triangular fight Of
the preceding November as Theo-
dore Roosevelt cut the Bull Moose
from the Republican party, to cost
Taft q second term. Neither VIII
son nor Roosevelt was present.
Breach UnheaIed
Mr.. Wilson had not announced
his Cabinet and was busy winding
up his affairs in New Jersey. The
deep rift between Roosevelt and
Taft, which so embittered Roose-
welt that he never quite recovered
from it-had not begun to heal,
nor did it ever heal completely.
Whether the others felt they could
not or should not sit down with
Taft that night at dinner, or
whether they simply would not, is
not revealed by the record. It is
only shown that they didn't.
Occasionally in the huge scrap
books and leather-bound volumes
of Gridiron records appears q
letter preserved, either for its con-
tent or because Of the distinction
Of the writer, or both. One Of
these, dated April 10, 1918, is ad-
dressed to John s. Shriver, then
secretary Of the club, by ''Marse
Henry" WatterSon, Of the Louis
vile Courier Journal, one of the
dozen or so American editors whose
names are still remembered. He
wrote:
81 regret that I cannot be with
you next Saturday night. I very
much regret It. But I would
have the gentlemen Of the Grid
iron Club believe that I am still
young and charming; that ! am
sim puissant and beautiful; and
that I can still lick my weight i'm
wildcats at any kind Of q game
when I waken In the morning.
Butit Is due to truth to add that,
as the shades of night come on, !
began to doubt whether / am, as
an old sporting friend Of mine
used In his cups to declare him.
self, barring Julius Caesar and
George Washington, the greatest
man mentally and physically
that ever lived.'"
ADMITS DECLINE
He pleads preoccupation and
not age as his reason for not
coming to Washington for the
dinner, yet remarks:
81 certainly realize that no
longer possess the redundant
vitality which in days rome by
enabled me to do something
more than my share Of work
and play"
There have been times when
Gridiron dinners have served to
introduce to Washington and
the clubs = guests from other
cities not only American celeb
rites, but distinguished men
from other lands, including
newly.appointed ENJOYS to the
United States. One Of the latter
group entertained by the club
was Sinzo Aoki, Japan'S first
Ambassador to the United States.
Another was the late James
Bryce, England's new Ambas-
ssdor. whose profoundly philo-
sophie work on the American
system Of government is still
used as a textbook in many
schools and colleges, and who
became such a partisan of Amer
lea that British critics COM
planned that in any issue between
the two countrie- che could al
ways be depended upon to take
the side Of the United States"
John Philip SouSa, q native
of Washington, who was to win
fame first as director of the
Marine Band, and finally as
Americas march king and di-
rector of his own world-famouS
was the second
limited member to be elected to
the Gridiron Club. Years later
be wrote a "Gridi~or March"
Ladies Entertained
Ladies were entertained by the
Gridiron Club at four of its earlier
lin 1885. 1887, 1896 and
1899. Since then the rule has been:
Ladies are always present. BE.
pOrters are never present"
But the ladies are present only
In spirit. The club members rig.
Idly exclude any suggestion Of In