The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-01-31
DIPLOMATS STILL AHEAD
OF THE JUDICIARY
Tempest in Teapot That Is Ensrossng Wash
in9ton Official Society,"

AhG WI SAAA
Washington, D. c., Jan. 27.-The lat
est tempest in a teapot just now en-
crossing all official society, is the usual
question of precedence which is eter-
nally popping up, and like Banauo S
ghost, refusing to be laid. The present
rumpus already told of in the Morning
News, came about through the action
of Mai. McCawley, one of this winters
aides at White House social functions,
in giving precedence to score of
young diplomats at the annual reccp-
ton to the judiciary by President and
Mrs. Roosevelt. The diplomats had
their own especial reception in the
White House, as always the first of the
series and the most brilliant affair of
the year-and on that occasion were
justly monarchs of all they surveyed.
When it came to the later and quieter
turn of the judiciary, the latter ex-
pected, according to time-honored GUS
tom, to pass first before the President
and his lady, whoever else might be In
attendance However, the long hne of
white-haired, dignified men, with their
handsome, elderly wives, headed by
Chief Justice and Mrs. Fuller, followed
by Justice Harlan, already on the move
to the Blue Parlor where the receiving
party stood, were halted by Maj. Nc
Cawley and forced to stand and wait
fully twenty minutes while a bevy of
chattering young diplomats in gorgeous
array skipped in ahead and greeted
the President and Mrs. Roosevelt in ad-
vance of the supposed guests of honor!
There was a vigorous protest at the
time from the aged Justice Harlan and
others; but it is to be presumed the
President knew nothing about it-and
if he did, nothing could be done then to
rectify the mistake. Among all of the
sticklers for place and precedence in
Washington, the Supreme Court is said
to be the least fuSSy, it's rightful
claims being clearly defined and always
before respected. Therefore this I'M
precedented snub, at their own special
reception of the year, was the more
CALLING. Next morning, among the first
callers on the, President were Chief JUS
tice Fuller and Associate Justice Har-
Ian. While they declined to discuss
with outsiders the object of their visit,
it is known that they brought to the
Presidents attention their treatment of
the night before, denouncing the action
as unwarranted. The President was
somewhat stiff about it, defending Maj.
McCawley and thereby widening the
breach; so that both the Chief Justice
and Associate Justice declined to attend
the White House dinner of the following
Thursday.
Among the many things that are said
on both sides, it is asserted that the
few Ambassadors and their associates
of the minor grade who were put into
such an unpleasant position, came to
the Judicial reception without any in
vitations whatever and were very
much embarrassed at the outcome.
They were in full uniforms and court
costumes, and in Difference to the re-
cent request of Count Cassini, dean of
the corps, that such should be worn at
all White House functions; and it has
always been customary for diplomats
to attend any White House receptions
without receptions. Count Cassini who
is one of the most accomplished diplo-
mats ever sent from any European cap
ital, and the personal representative of
the Gar, together with the few way
up foreigners who really had invita-
tions, solved the problem of precedence
by going with his staff half an hour
after the opening of the reception.
From their point of view they were-go-
ing to meet the Justices and not to
precede them.
The reception included several thou
sand guests. The Marine Band, sta
toned in the hail. sounded the signal
for the Presidents party to come down
from the rooms above to the Blue Par
lor promptly at 8 O'Clock. When
formed in line the~receiving party con-
sisted of the President and Mrs.
Roosevelt Mrs. Shaw, Mrs. Knox Mrs.
Payne, Mrs. Hitchcock, Miss Wilson,
and Mrs. Cortelyou, in the order
named; while all the members of the
cabinet, with several hundred specially
invited guests stood behind the line"
Mrs Roosevelt wore one of her hand
soonest gowns--a heavy white satin,
the skirt deliberately embroidered In
delicate shades of pink and bodice fin
ished in pink velvet and rare old lace.
Mrs, Shaw, who took her place for the
first time this season in the receiving
lire, wore beautiful gown of yellow
brocade satin, the skirt made in pan
eled effect, and the decolette bodice
trimmed in white lace.
Mrs. Knox wore white liberty satin
with deep band of French lace let into
the skirt and a round bodice almost
covered with the same delicate lace
and a necklace of exceptionally fine
diamonds.
Mrs. Payne wore black lace over
green silk, with pearl and diamond
ornaments.
Mrs. Hitchcock, white brocade satin
with slight touches of lavender. Miss
Wilson, white silk with skirt and bod
ice embroidered in wild roses; and
Mrs. Cortelyou a very pretty gown of
blue crede de chine with bands of self
colored embroidery All the ladies of
the receiving party carried bouquets of
Golden Gate roses.
Mrs. Fuller wore an elegant toilette
OF white satin with diamond orna-
ments. Mrs. Justice White white satin
yelled in black chantilly lace, with low
corsage finished in yellow chrysanthe-
NUNS. Mrs. McKenna, delicate pink
and white satin trimmed in sable. Miss
Ruth Harlan pale blue chiffon.
Otehr noticeable toilettes were as fol-
lows the Baroness Bussche, heavy
yellow satin with garlands of pink
roses and pearl ornaments. Miss Du-
rand, daughter of the British ambas-
sador, white tulle spangled with sill
yer, over white silk. Mrs. William S.
Cowles, the Presidents sister. white
satin embroidered in gold. Miss
Alice Roosevelt, light blue satin. Miss
Anna Hitchcock pink panne velvet.
Miss Louise Jones, black lace over pink