The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-07-14
WAYS or WASHINGTON SOCIETY.
OniciaI Circles Governed. ny Rules OF
Every Sort.

GNCfy FoE's
One Of the ~peculiarities OF life in Wash
ington ia the existence Of Official rules
which arrange everybody's place.
In spite OF an air OF great simplicity.
says the Rosary Mdodsine. the most COM
plicated arrangements go smoothly be-
cause every possible contingency has been
provided for.
This is in no place more evident than at
the White House. There il no appearance
of ceremonial, and yet everybody's place
is so fixed that nobody can possibly be EN-
barTassed.
At the State receptions the order OF prec-
edence is regulated by the Law Of Presi-
dental succession passed under Mr.. Cleve-
lands Administration. The President. Of
course. is first. After him comes the Vice
President. After this the Chief Justice
ranks all officials Of the United States.
The vice-President being heir apparent"
he precedes at social official functions the
ambassadors and Ministers. On New Years
Day the Diplomatic Corps il always received
first by the President.
There is an opinion afoat that the chief
Justice should rank even an Ambassador,
but thisd does not seem to he gaining ground.
though at times there are hot controversies
over il. The Chief Justice and the Judiciary
rank abine officials. but they are not ex-
pected TO stand in the line al State recep-
tons at the White House This is the pre-
rogative OF the Cabinet.
The newspapers sometimes give the i'm
preston that all these questions of prec-
edence are the affair of the ladies'. as all
matters OF etiquette are in American cities
generally. phis Is erroneous. A Chief
Justice himself. a General Of the army,
m Admiral of tho NAVY WnIlH maLa IL N
matter for serious consideration we're his
place taken by another.
The Governor OF a State. by the way,
comes after a General in the army or an
Admiral in The navy.
The diplomatists represent their nations.
and by courtesy they precede in all coun-
tries. The precedence OF an Ambassador
or Minister ia not a personal matter: he
considers the dignity of his sovereign
or his country. So careful are the Dip
legations that they may without Of
fence inquire Of a hostee s when they accept
an invitation where they are TO be placed.
IL there il TO be q guest OF honor from the
country Of the Ambassador or Minister,
he must not have the place of honor-the
right hand Of the hostess unless he is of
the royal family.
When Prince Henry visited Washington
he took precedence of Baron Speck Won
Sternburg; but no matter low important
any NlbltOT ITOIU NtIT1uuV NOT OI TOydl
blood might be the Ambassador could not
meet him nj dinner and take an inferior
place. The British Ambassador would
rank the Duke Of Norfolk in Washington,
though in his own country he Ia a COM
moner, but not a royal Duke.
The wives of the ambassadors and Minis
tiers take the rank OF their husbands. And
naturally II a womsn-a widow, for in
~stance-should give a dinner. the Ambassa-
doris wife should be taken in TO dinner by
the most important man in rank. The host
takes in the wife Of the Ambassador and
the hostess the Ambassador,
At dinners given by d~iplomatists there
is no record that the President and
the Secretary Of Stete have been invited
at the same time. The reason is that the
relations with the Diplomatic Corps, and a
sentiment OF delicacy forbids the invita-
ton Of the Secretary 20 q dinner where he
would be ranked by the Vioe-President. !
with whom the diplomatists have scant
personal relations.
The President does not accept invita-
tons 70 dinners or receptions in the houses
OF the foreign diplomats. IL he should
do 40 he would in theory. though many
of the diplomatic houses are in reality
owned by Americans set foot on alien
territory.
The rule which permits no guest TO move
until the guest OF honor rises 10 rigidly
enforced in Washington. II there ia any
rule more rigid 1t is that which oblges
everybody 10 rise when the President !
enters and to semain standing while he
stands.
The rules for dinners at the White House
are 90 simple and exact that there is never
a break in the comfort OF the guests. A
chart in the hands OF an aide shows where |
a CUES is TO ait, and he In carefully informed
by another aide whom he Ia to take into
dinner. The President occupies at the
State dinners the middle seat at one side
OF the table. his wife being opposite to
him; she. OF course. giving the signal to
rise when the dinner 10 over.
Official and diplomatic etiquette make
a common virtue in Washing J
ton. Al 3 o'clock. when a dinner is an |
n%ounceh for that hour, no guest will be
At 1880 every guest will have
departed. The President talk es into dinner
the ranking guest. and Of course leads the
way. The wife OF the President goes last
In the procession with the man guest Of
the proper official rank.
In Washington one finds. as a rule. very
good manners IL 10 probably true hat
the boys have better manner than the
girls as they seem 10 ave almost every
where. The value OF team work In athletics
Ia helping the boy to know his place; but
the average young girl has learned to be-
lave that har nlana In IN ton. Whara aha |