The national legislative body has created no less than 13 commissions during its last session. Although I lay no claim to authorship of the idea of securing facts before action, it is comforting to observe that this terrible and destructive practice has infected the Congress. I have noted from time to time that some of our opponents in Congress also show concern to the extent of heavy combatant oratorical anxiety at this sort of action. Two of your skits tonight reveal that the club is still concerned. It became quite exercised at a dinner earlier in my administration over the appointment of committees and commissions to investigate facts as a useful preliminary to the determination of policies in the Government. The Gridiron Club has a reputation deservedly of being original. But it is good to live a few hours in the land of illusions whether they be illusions of fairies, illusions of wit, or illusions of wisdom, and we are all grateful to the club for such an occasion. Much could be said in refutation by some of the folks who have been referred to, but they will all take solace in the knowledge that the magic spell of wit and the illusions of hyperbole will fade before the responsibilities of your daily chore.
I rise with this humility in the knowledge that the accumulated and highly distilled wisdom of the Gridiron Club has already indelibly written conclusions in your minds upon all public questions and public men. I would not say that the Gridiron Club is the gyroscope of the ship of state nor that it pours oil upon troubled waters but it does serve to keep humility in the crew.
Their streams of humor refresh the political soul and their streams of ridicule quench the fires of ambition. They illuminate dark places with satire and dismal places with wit. These occasions are a contribution to public life.
GRID IRON WARS FULL
I know that I have your full authority to express the gratitude of every guest to the Gridiron Club for its hospitality and its always unique entertainment-an occasion without counterpart in the world.
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