Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-12-28

Supreme Court families receive on Mon
day afternoons Throughout the season 1t
Is their claim that the court makes no
first calls. - ~
Senatorial Amiiies receive Thursdays.
The newest comeFs pay the first call on
those longest3heraJ They make no other
first calls, except on the family of the
Vice President, theSSupreme Court and the
foreign embassies, Senators wives are eX-
pected to return cdIls, and this rule is. ex-
cept in rare circumstances, not to be ig-
nored.
Members Of Congress and their families
pay the first call all others in official
!! positions with whom they expect to hold
social intercourse. Members longest in Con-
gress receive the first call from the later
corners. Tuesday " congressional day, ex-
cepting for those who live on Capitol Hill
and who conform to the day of that locali-
ty, which is Monday.
Some Calling Days.
Residents pay the first call on all public
functionaries, and, in fact to all new
Corners.
are Mondays, the families of Congressman
Tuesdays, the cabinet ladies Wednesdays
and the senatorial families Thursdays.
BY virtue of an old custom, Tuesday is *
street and Thursday for upper H and 1
streets. Friday for upper F and G streets
and Saturday for Connecticut avenue and
vicinity for residents. Calling hours are
usually from 3 until g.
Foreign ambassadors claim that they, only
call on the President because that Is the
habit of European countries. This is the
theory, but in fact they waive this privi-
lege and call first on the cabinet, the
Supreme Court and the families of the
Senators and the members of foreign
affairs committees. There are four ambas-
sadors-Sir Julian Pauncefote, the British
ambassador, who is the dean of the diplo-
matte corps, and the French, Italian and
German ambassadors. Foreign ministers
"a frsf
selves, newcomers on those longest here.
Foreign ministers call first on the cabinet,
the supreme Court the Senate and mem
Ders or the House foreign affairs committee.
Inc ladies' of the diplomatic corps have no
special day a body on which to receive
callers, each household making it's own rules
IN this respect. In rank after ambassadors
come ministers, then charge d'affaires, and
tnen secretaries and attaches of embassies
and legations.
The Why's and WherefOres.
The cabinet ladies, with Mrs. Blaine at
their head, during the first month or two
of the Garfield administration adopted a
rule that they would not return calls. They
were not able to put the rule in force, ow-
ing to subsequent events. The cabinet
ladies during the first Cleveland admins
tratlon adopted the same rule and it has
since held, Reimbursed by the present cab
met Oily those foolishly prejudiced and
OF callers at these official homes question
TINS position, and expect any further &C
acknowledgement of their visit than the re-
ceipt OF cards. once or twice each season.
since the number of visitors always in
creases, the evidence is strong that there
Is common sense in the position taken by
the cabinet. Not returning calls does not
OF course apply to intimate friends, nor at
the houses of those whose hospitality has
been offered or accepted. The polite ex-
changes of ordinary civilities are always
in force and never receive more scrupulous
attention than on the part of those who
nave dozens to the one invitation ordinarily
extended in society. Nor is it fair that
any discrimination made in favor of some
by those who have visiting list averaging
thousand or fifteen hundred names should
be subject of criticism. No cabinet lady
in the long Vhen 1t was thought neces-
sary to return calls. ever succeeded in do
ing it, and. in faSt,' only very few ever
made a pretense of trying. The situation
as IT now exists answers all requirements.
As to First Calls.
In the cabinet giving way to the Senate
in the matter Of first calls is more Of a
concession of Sd iall to large body than
the presumption That because The Senate
confirms cabinet officer that gives the
former the greater Importance. The Su-
preme Court might give way on exactly the
same principle, but it does not. The Sem
ate confirms. a member Of the Supreme
bench, but in doing so II creates life
est tribunal in ihe land. The court exacts
Difference and 1t gets it. The discussion
has been going on for SIN a theoreti-
cal way as to who should pay the first
call, but the court has never been the enc
to waive any particle OF its claims. The
court families receive the first call.
At the New Year reception at the White
rather one of stately procession and order
The real question comes up only in the
seating of guests at table. Here the cabi-
net takes precedence over the Senate. A
foreign ambassador because he represents
the person of his sovereign is entitled to
first place. unless the Vice President, the
chief justice or the Speaker be present.
The Supreme Court would take precedence
over the Senate unless the latter repre-
sented the guests of honor. A cabinet
lady would precede a Senator's wife, al
though the former pays the first call each
season on the latter. When the question
of the precedence of ambassadors was first
spoken of the cabinet ladies decided at a
meeting held for that purpose that they
would call first at the embassy. They did
SO, with the result that this autumn al
most without exception, it was the am
bassadors who made the first visit.
Calls of this kind are Immediately re-
turned, sometimes the same day, as when
| crowned heads call on each other.
1t Might Be Awkward.
A rightfuI understanding of these mat
terS Is absolutely imperative for any one
who entertains great deal in Washington.
A wise host or hostess will not invite for
the same dinner those whose claims to pre-
cedence are apt to conflict, whatever set
tied ideas they may have themselves on
the subject. Those who do not know the
nice subtleties of the situation should con-
suit some one who does before the in
vitationS are sent If leading guest
shall drop out at the last moment and a
friend can be relied upon to fill the missing
place the entire seating should be changed
so that the relative ranking of those pres
ent shall not be disturbed. In entertain
ing foreign ambassador or minister the
courtesy which is always paid the dis
tinguished stranger is augmented by the
Importance of his diplomatic office, and all
other considerations being equal. he should
| receive marked attention in the way Of
prec edence.
These are the methods in general use by
those who have made such a science Of
entertaining that never an adverse criti-
cism has been heard where their judgment
| was followed. knowledge of these
| points contributes to the general and in
| dvidual serenity of guest and host and
Of hap hrip