The Indianapolis journal., 1904-05-15
Etiquette at the White House;
How State Dinners Are Arranged
Among the Is Tokish
That Cost $40. .OOO President
Roos Holds he Recor o Entertainment

tions, each headed by it's minister or by
his accredited representative precedes at
the reception given to the diplomats; At
the judiciary reception the chief justice OF
the Supreme Court leads the vanguard OF
guests, the associate judges following, but
this year not little trouble was caused
by the Interpolation of several of the am
bassadors, who were allowed. not without
prompt protest. however. to follow the
chief justice.
At the other two formal receptions,
namely, that of the members of the United
States Congress and that of the army and
navy, the right of precedence is accorded
to the president of the Senate and the
speaker of the House. and the chief of staff
of the army and the admiral of the navy,
the officers following in the order of their
rank. AT all of these receptions the Presi-
dent stands at the head OF the line; next
to him stands his wife, and following her
come the wife of the secretary OF state,
the wife of the secretary of the treasury,
the wife OF the secretary of war. the wife
of the attorney general, the wife or the
postmaster general. the wife of the sec
retary of the navy the wife OF the secre-
tary OF the interior, the wife OF the sec
retary of agriculture and the wife OF the
secretary of commerce and labor. in the
order named. In the event of a Cabinet
official being bachelor and without sis
ter or relative in residence to stand as
head of his house, the place is vacant
IN THE PRESENT CABINET.
In the present Cabinet, Secretary Moody
being without a feminine representative.
the line is diminished by one. while Sec
retary Wilson. being a widower. his young
daughter takes her position in the White
House line, and enters by right of heritage
into all it's rights and privileges. And not
without a battle which led UP to a pres
idential decision was this accomplished.
Some years ago when, before her marriage
Miss Helen Hay, the daughter of the sec
retary or state, was at court there was
fierce battle waged because Miss Wilson
as a Cabinet hostess claimed the rights
heretofore appertaining to a matron or
more elderly woman, and still refused to
resign her place as leader in the young
girls contingent. President Mckinley as
signed Miss Wilson to her place in the line,
and Miss Wilson promptly decided the
veXed question by assuming all the
sponsibilities and honors accruing 10 her
as official head of her fathers house.
Again in the case of the little Countess
Cassini the battle of precedence between
her and the wife of the Mexican ambassa-
feminine diplomacy, but victory finally
perched on the banner OF the countess, in
whose cause the Car of all the Russias
took. hand, creating her countess and
naming her as his ward-a proceeding which
resulted in the countess walking into all
the diplomatic dinners on the arm Of the
PRESIDENT and to all diplomatic receptions
on the arm OF her father, Count Cassini.
AS to the menus for the state dinners the
personality of the President rules Pres-
dent Mckinley was particular in the mat
tanning the Nations guests President
Cleveland as an epicure had an eye for
the menu only when IL failed to please
him. and this reputation President Roose-
welt shares. The expense incidental to all
the great dinners and receptions are met
by money from the Presidents private ex-
chequer floral decorations and servants
hire excepted.
WEDGEWOOD DINNER SERVICE.
On occasions of state the White House
kitchens are pre-empted by caterer and
his corps of assistants. and the Nations
rev 10000 Wedgewood dinner service
known as the Roosevelt china. with the
cut glass and official linen and plate the
White House closets afford is used. Colonel
Symons, as military aid TO the President
Is master OF the ceremonies and under him
are an efficient corps of ten men whose
entire time is devoted to looking after
the Presidents guests or in preparing 10
receive them.
AS head of the staff Colonel Symons. who
next year will be succeeded by Capt
Charles Bromwell. stands next the Presl-
dent and makes the presentations, and ii
is on such occasions the great public
receptions that the military aids do the
most important service. AS a matter of
supposed to be available for any kind of
social duty. and as they are all bachelors
they have distinct squires of
danes and on divers and particular occa-
sions as a matter of military discipline
they break bread gra cefully as dinner part
ners or serve faithfully as escorts for
White House ladies. AS matter of fact
the White House social aids, not emitting
Mrs. Roosevelt's social secretary. Miss
Hsgner. are functionaries of no small i'm
portance when il is taken into account
how conspicuously the business of enter
tanning figures in the duties appertaining
to the high and mighty Office of President
of these United States.
Washington. May y.