Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-06-30

ventionality has to be at the present day
when it is impossible for both entering and
departing lines of guests to pass through
the same narrow doorway.
The new wings will probably be sur
mounted by domes affording light and air
to the rooms below. The new conserva-
tories. palm gardens and lily pavilions will
not be so high to make the beautiful
south front of the old White House invts-
ibe from the mall below. The back win
dows will still command an unobstructed
view of the Potomac to the south. In the
center of the inclosed courtyard, overlook
ed by generous balconies. it is proposed
to erect an allegorical fountain. The fin
ished plan will also provide balustraded
marble terrace, with statuary and foun-
tains, surrounding the entire grounds.
With an interior finish as elaborate as
that of the Congressional Library the en-
tire addition can be made for about So
100000. with S20000O to begin with. AT
much less cost the wings can be erected.
one at a time, and finished temporarily
with wooden partitions, afterward remov-
ed to throw smaller apartments into
saloons of grand dimensions. 1t was the
notion of Mrs. Harrison to place gallery
of historic paintings in the proposed east
or public wing.
State Dining Room Needed.
In one of the new wings it will be neces-
sary to reserve generous space for a ca
pacious state dining room. The present
one will accommodate but forty guests.
hundred years ago, ,when the Adamses oc-
cupied the mansion, when the cabinet con-
sisted of five members, when there were
but siXty-four men in Congress and when
the diplomatic corps was but a small hand
full of men, the state dining room was more
than ample. Today a President cannot es-
cape danger of offending many high Off
Gals unless he invite at least seventy
guests at once to several of his state din
ners. At such times the prescribed apart
ment must be vacated for the red corri-
dor" fronting on the red, blue and green
parlors. This makeshift state dining room
Is draughty affair with ten doors and no
windows. 1t is so narrow that the walters
must scfape the walls or knock the heads
of guests while passing around the table.
1t seems to have been forgotten that the
great east room of the White House was
originally designed as a banquet hall. In
"Od Hickorys time it was called the
'banquetng room" That actually used for
state renasts was known as the company
dining room" But for more than quar-
ter century after the Adamses moved into
the White House the east room remained
unfinished and unused save as a space
for drying Clothes or storing lumber.
The removal of the entire office parapher-
MALTA from the present executive residence
will give future Presidents private use of
eleven instead of five bed rooms. as now.
Those added will be the Presidents pres
ent office. cabinet room secretary's office
telegraph room and clerks room.
Visit of the Prince of Wales.
At the time of the historic visit of the
Prince of Wales to the White House, In
1850 President Buchanan had to vacate
his own bed chamber and sleep in the pub
lie ante room on the office floor Even then
five members of the princes suite had to be
turned away from the Executive Mansion
and taken over to the British minister's
house The prince occupied what is now
Mrs. McKinley's boudoir. The Duke of
New Castle, his state adviser, slept In the
Presidents room and Gen. Bruce, another
of his coursiers, was paced in the room op-
posite the library. Today the White House
cannot accommodate its own servants Mrs
Mckinley's housekeeper and maid have
rooms upstairs, but the coachman must
sleep over the stable and the footman in
the cellar, which IS damp and unhealthy.
The others must seek lodging outside.
1t Is doubtful whether any of our presi-
Dental families ever lived quite COM
fortably under the executive roof. Wash
ington though his official residence was in
New York. complained always of his lack
of privacy. He issued a public remon-
STRANGE against the inquisitiveness of sight
SeerS.
Entirely Inadequate.
When the Adamses moved into the pres
ent White House the apartments the
first floor were unfinished. The first New
Year reception, that of 1901 had to be held
upstairs In what is the Presidents
Office Even that room was rudely furnish
ed. Congress did not appropriate money for
furnishing the mansion unit! seven months
after the presidential family moved in
Only five rooms were then habitable. What
little had been done to make things COM
Portable upset entirely by the British
when they sacked Washington in 1914
President and Mrs. Monroe thereupon had
to occupy rented apartments for four years
The east room was not furnished until
thirteen years afterward. But even before
the mansion had been completely furnished
discounted politicians began raise n
against the undemocratc luxury in which
the presidential families were living
Andrew Jackson became thoroughly dis
gusted with the insufficiency of the build
ing for entertainment purposes. One day
he got mad through and through and or
dered that no more state receptions nor