The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-01-25
LADIES OF THE CABINET
MRS. sHAw's TEMERITY IN INvIT- ING AMBAssADORS TO GAEL
 NET DINNER
Proves Cause of Perpiexity--AH Other Quesffons Pale by Compari- son--Probiem of Offering Re-
 treatments at "wednesday
 At Homes Also Acute.

Washington Special to ". Y. World.
 There are people here and people elsewhere. many of them. who labor un- der the delusion that the weightier af- fairs of government just now are set- clement of the railroad rebate ques- tion. the beginning of the Panama Ca nal, the. preservation of the entity or ard oil Company. the prosecution of the Beef Trust and the conviction Of the land and timber thieves
 Questions of far greater importance ing the tender social fabric of the capital
 Consider these topics: Why cannot Cabinet members invite Ambassadors to Cabinet dinners? Why cannot Cabi- net ladies serve refreshments at their Wednesday at homes? Is a Presiden- tlal o. K. on a dinner list sufficient to revoke q social law?
 It all began when Mrs. Roosevelt established what is called by the irrev- erent the Ladies Cabinet This was a most sensible scheme, a sort of clear ing-house where all the social difftcul- ties might be ironed out all questions of dates for dinners and receptions and that sort of thing decided upon and the many details of the exacting social ob- legations of the wives of the Cabinet Ministers settled. The Cabinet ladies meet meet on onee s week st the White House House W tea and talk over their plans.
 One of the official functions of the Washington season is the Cabinet din- ner. The President gives dinner to their wives, and then each Cabinet member, in order of precedence. gives a dinner to the President. Until this year these functions were of the most them. including the Presidents, and the same people went to each one. That is, every Cabineksv member invited every other Cabinet member and his wife. . Still the custom has prevailed year after year. because nobody, apparently, had the courage and good sense to pro- test. This year the President and Mrs. Roosevelt took the matter in hand. There was a long discussion by the La- dies Cabinet. Finally. 1t was decided that each Cabinet member should give the usual dinner to the President and Mrs. Roosevelt this year, but that no other Cabinet member should be in- vited. ~ .s 2 -
 instead of gazing solemnIy across the board nine times at the nine members of the Cabinet and their wives, the President was to have an opportunity of meeting at dinner eighteen or twen- " other people, much. it Is supposed, to his relief.
 There were some stipuIations as to the arrangement. It was decided that each Cabinet host and hostess was to b0DAitb IASl Ol utSlS TOT Lne lnSVeC- tion of the President. and that no Am bassadors were to be invited to the dinners. Why the Ambassadors were not to be invited Is not very clear, un- less it might be considered as an afront by some personal representa- tive of sovereign if he was not isvit- ed to dine with the President when some other equally personal represen- tative was invited.
 The first Cabinet dinner was that of Secretary Hay on Tuesday night, Jan uary 10. MT Hay had Senator and Mrs. Fairbanks. Senator and Mrs. Lodge, MT. Justice Holmes. Senator and Mrs: Knox and Mir. and Mrs. Whitelaw Reid among his guests On Tuesday night of this week Secretary and Mrs. shaw gave their dinner. The first four guests on the list were the British Am hassador and Mrs. Durand and the french Ambassador and Mrs. Jusser- and.
 Next day the Ladies' Cabinet met. Mrs. Shaw came in. Mrs. Shaw is as gracious matron as dispenses hospi- Iowa. and likes to do things in her own way. Very sternly she was asked why she had two Ambassadors at her dinner when Ambassadors had been
 Mrs Shaw listened comfortably to the questions and then produced her dinner list, with the Presidents "O.K." " on 1t. She inquired casually if the ap- PioNoA ol tue GTeSluSnI was not aL IeaSL as powerful as any ruling of the La- dles Cabinet. There didn't seem to be any answer to that question.
 More intense than this even is dis cussion of the ruling of the Ladies' Cabinet that no refreshments shall he served at the Wednesday at homes Of the Cabinet ladies. There is a story going around that at one of these SWed- nesday receptions a lady who called on the Wife of a Cabinet member asked Tor drink of water. It is said that the hostess. who had opposed the adop- ton Of the rule. construed 1t so liter ally that she explained politely to her guest that she could not serve refresh ment. and she thought glass of water would come under that head.
 Of course. my dear madam" said the Cabinet hostess. If you feel faint l shall be glad to offer you a glass of water or cup of tea or a glass of wine but otherwise I cannot
 u And again it was learned that Mrs shaw had transgressed. She served punch and crackers at one of her at
 There is grave debate over this fur ther exhibition of independence. The Ladies Cabinet is asking questions Meantime Mrs. Shaw isn't taking the russ so seriously that it intefferes In any way with her enjoyment. whereby she differs materially from some Of the other members of the Ladies' Cabinet.