The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1907-12-08
SOCIAL CODE ANDLAW
By THE ARBITER.

By THE
NoTE-The Arhiter viii be glad to answer any
questions OF a social nature that mag be sub
mltted Such questions should be addressed 20
The Aroiter. care The Washington Herald.
Rich vulgarians. who aim TO spend
their fortunes as rapidly as they were
made. and are the authors of those weird
and bizarre entertainments where dia-
mond rings. Paris hats. gold cigarette
cases, and costly brie-a-brac are dispensed
as favors, and showers of American
Beauty roses at SIS dozen furnish sur
prises to astonished guests are not likely
TO be In evidence in Washington this sea-
son. These gentry can well be missed.
They add no distinction to society any
where. though they do afford never end
ing amusement 70 those who really ''be-
long" Vanity Fair at the Capital is
chiefly made up from the official circles.
the members of which depend partly, at
least II not wholly, upon their salaries,
aad since Uncle Sam, whatever else may
De said of him. is good paymaster they
never md themselves entirely broke, -
and so the social bali is kept rolling.
Beside the official set, however. there
are many wealthy people in society whose
fortunes are built upon such firm foun-
dations that furry in the market does
not affect their calm. and whose manner
OF life remains unaltered, notwithstand-
ing the failure OF this firm or that. Il
was one of these latter who declared the
other day that he was planning to enter
tain more than ever during the coming
winter 10 show people that the day OF
general destruction was not yet at hand.
despite the wailings of the pessimists and
the towards
The recent depression has. happily. not
interrupted building in the northwest. and
many handsome houses will soon be
ready for occupancy, while, according to
the real estate dealers and the managers
Of the large hotels. there is no falling on
in the army of plasure seekers, who come
10 the seat of government for the gay
season. The main question to these,
especially il they are making a first visit
and to the newly elected or appointed
officials is. How shall We go about get
ting into society?" Considered from a
distance. through the highly colored re-
ports Of fashionable doings here. il seems
an easy matter 10 come, and see. and
conquer. but a successful social career
requires as much hard work. as much
knowledge. as much finesse and diplo-
macy as any career under the sun. The
way must first be planned and then
tread with firm, urfaltering step. Mis-
takes are fatal an exhibition Of ignor-
cnce in social matters an unfOrgivable
sin. There are many unsuccessful and
disappointed social aspirants.
Yet it requires little. comparatively lit
tie. 10 obtain a foothold in social life at
the Capital. which taken all IN al, is
broad and catholic. There are no hard
and fast rules for gaining position
here. but one must possess some culture.
great amount of savoir faire and enough
money 10 return in a suitable way the
social attentions one receives But
how, asked a correspondent not long
ago. does one take the first step toward
securing an entree II she comes TO town
without introductions and no friends
among the people here2T Such a position
IS an enviable one for the candidate for
social honOrs. for she is not handicapped
by undesirable friends or forced through
Well-meant iHtroductions 10 accept peo-
pie who mas be remote from the social
swim, but from the outset she can Sc
lect her own friends. and establish her
self in whatever circle she may elect In
Washington as at the foreign capitals.
newcomers. be they official or private
persons, are privileged 70 make the first
call, are obliged. indeed, 70 make the first
call, and many are the rules that govern
this important function, the chief OF
which are here set forth:
All civil officials. the members of the
Diplomatic Corps. the officers ofs the
army and navy. and those private citizens
VINO are entitled 10 do so. should call at
the beginning OF the season on the Presi-
dent and his wife This first visit is
merely perfnctory. one drives 10 the
north entrance and leaves cards with the
usher.
All officials and their families should
call upon those of superior rank and
those Of the same service and rank who
are their seniors in Office Il is almost
impossible to give the proper rank OF
officials. for official and social etiquette
is so at variance on this point The ac-
Ccpted rank officially IS. The President
the Vice President, foreign ambassadors
the Secretary OF State, foreign ENJOYS
the Chief Justice. the President pro TEN.
OF the Senate, the Speaker of the House
Cabinet secretaries other than Secretary
o. State, associate justices Of the SUI
preme Court, the Admiral Of the Navy.
Senators. and 50 on. II will be seen from
this order that the Senate. with the ex-
ception of its presiding officer. ranks be-
low the Cabinet and the Supreme Court.
but socially this code is quite turned
around. The Senate stands upon its
ancient pTerOgative Of making no first
calls upon any one but the President:
members Of the Supreme Court and the
Cabinet, though ranking officially above
the Senate, must therefore make the first
call upon the members of that body.
This is much mooted question. the dis
cussion OF which is useless; suffice il
that the Senate has been able to main
tain its position for more than a century,
and will probably continue TO do so.
The Diplomatic Corps is governed by
laws OF its own. The ambassadors make
no first calls except at the White House.
but they are charmed 20 receive all Off
Gals whose rank entities them 10 call al
the embassies and all private persons who
have been properly introduced to them.
Indiscriminate calling upon members Of
the Diplomatic Corps is not encouraged
and not advisable. It must be remem-
bered that they are not American officials
whose duty il is to keep the latch string
out, but the representatives Of foreign
powers, who. outside of the official cir
Gle. are privileged TO select their own
friends; this privilege. however, they
must frequently deny themselves. since
the social duties pertaining 10 their off,