Evening star., 1952-02-05
S1.N-a-Box Supper
ORG. O. Is Marked
By Carnival Spirit
By George Kennedy

" SSVtSS NSuuSuy
If fun could win national elec-
tions, the Republicans ought to-
sweep the country with their Lin
coin Day chicken-in-t -the-box sup
pers.
The first of this years suppers
was held last night in the new
Georgetown University gymnas-
ium, and it was q whoop-te-doo
of party that made the rafters|
ring.
It was the first Lincoln rally Of
the '52 campaign, q party that
will be duplicated on February
IL. Lincoln's Birthday, with the
same Southern fried chicken atl
the same dollar price wherever
the Republican Party is organized.
The carnival spirit was rife, as |
the singing crowd let go Of the |
hundreds Of blue. green, yellow,
orange and red balloons that had
been handed them, and the bal
looms assembled to the ceiling Of
the beautiful new building.
It had the atmosphere Of ma
tional convention. with groups on !
the floor taking up the cadence
of 1--WE want Taft" The New
Jersey delegation" sat proudly
behind banner that read: 1--WE
went Republican in ;46, ditto IN
'4S, ditto in -, ditto in 80 and |
we'll do it. too, in 49,"
It was the third annual Lincoln
dollar chieken-in-the-box Repub-
lican supper-an ingenious idea
OF creating an invidious contrast |
with the Democrats Embarrassing
$100-a-plate dinners. Of trans
,ferring the onus of opulence from
the party that includes most Of
the industrialists to. the party that
has been in power for 20 years. !
Biggest and Best.
And it was by far the biggest
and the best Of them. The music
started at 6 pm, the crowd sirgedt
in and at 7:15, Fire Marshal Roy
A. Warfield closed the doors.
He said that, unlike the Armory,
no computation has been made Of
the safety limit Of attendance for
the Georgetown gym. There was
seating inside for 5000, he said.
The seats were filled and the
aisles were filed, so he decided
that any more would be danger
Gus. He said the late-comers who /
failed to gain entrance must have
amounted to several thousand |
more.
Those running the affair esti-
mated the crowd inside at 5000 to
5000. The. 7.000-plus chicken
boxes that had been provided were
swept from the boards. The soft |
drink counters-also provided for
the price Of admission. $1.2O-F
went dry. But there were few
complaints. Every one who got |
In enjoyed the show.
The trafilc backed up on the
Canal road to the Key Bridge and
delayed thousands on their way
home to Virginia. So. >os
Taft placards were much in|
evidence. The balloons, which
gave a county-fair atmosphere to
the party. carried Taft slogans.
The Taft emblem is the four-leaf
clover. and the. Taft campaign
song. which was played by the
organiSt early in the program is
Were looking over q four-leaf
clover. that we overlooked before.
Eisenhower Scoop.
The Eisenhower supporters put
one over. There were two pic
lures on the prosceniurn above the
stage. In the center, above the
cross. was large picture of Lin
coin kneeling in prayer. At the
left hung a picture Of Gen. Eisen-
hover. There was no picture ON
the right.
Adolpf1e Menjou.. the Hollywood
star, was master of ceremonies
for a panel discussion of Repub-
lican policy, with four Senators
and four Representatives sched-
uled to answer questions from the
floor. This was a warmer-up be-
fore the principal speaking and
after spirited singing of THE
Battle Hymn of the Republic"
Senator Mccarthy Of Wisconsin
was to have been on the panel.
He did not arrive but was intro
duced in absentia by Mr.. Menjou.
The response to the introduction
was applause, with . strong un-
dercurrent of boos.
Adelaide Johnson. the 105-year-
old sculptor, who met Lincoln
when she first came to Washing
ton. and Robert Todd Lincoln
Beckwith. Lincoln's great-grand
son, were on the stage.
No Candidate Present.
The Lincoln lassies," comely
girls representing every State in
the Union with country costumes
and pastel sunbonnets, added
color, The Arlington County ma
jorettes kicked their heels and
twirled their hatons. Rita Ann
Alton. a soprano, sang, your
Land and My Land" Buddy BaerI
Of QUO Vadis" and David Poleri
Of the Metropolitan Opera Com
pany each sang a number before
the big guns of the party deliv-
cred their fighting speeches.
Florida REPORTS Million