The Washington herald., 1908-06-11

Chicago. June i0.-Sald the Senator
from North Carolina TO the Senator from
Pennsylvania: IN meet you in the Pom
peiian room"
Said the Senator from Pennsylvania TO
the Senator from North Carolina, NO.
you won't My wife has come"
The conversation took place in the lob
by OF the Auditorium Annex. and the Sen
ator from Pennsylvania described a stu
alton now quite prevalent. apparently.
among the assembled politicians.
The downtown hotels no longer belong
20 the men alone, but to the wives. sis
ters. mothers, daughters. nieces. and
cousins Of the molders Of our national
history. You see them in the lobby. the
green room. the red room. the English
room. the dining-room. and everywhere.
In short, save the Pompeiian room.
Their absence from this quarter, how
ever. is almost becoming conspicuous. and
leads 10 the deduction that II the situa-
ton rested in the hands OF the wcmen
the nation would so prohibition. A straw
vote taken on this question al present
would not be final. however, for the num-
ber OF women now here is small. indeed.
In comparison with the delegations yet to
come.
Mrs. New the Leader.
Mrs. Harry New has been here longer
than any other OF the wives Of the politl-
clans. As the wife Of the chairman OF Re-
publican National Committee. and as the
senior resident in the hotel, she has come
to occupy the position OF social dictator.
so to speak. II so formal title may be
used in connection with situation which
the women themselves insist is entirely
! free from the restrictions OF society in its
I limited sense.
/ She considers her obligation consists IN
keeping informed Of the new arrivals and
/ In calling upon them within twelve hours
/ OF their arrival Then. since no group or
women can come together without estab-
I fishing a social code, particularly In pO-
/ liticaI circles, the custom has sprung up
of returning this visit within an hour.
| or at the most within half day. The
| conventions thus appeased, the women
/ for the most part after this remain in
/ their own family circles and make little
attempt 20 widen their acquaintanceship
or indulge in the small talk usually so
| interesting 20 women.
Instance of informally.
A spontaneous friendship has sprung up
! between Mrs New and Mrs. Elmer Dover.
which hourishes quite irrespective Of the
close affiliations between their husbands
| This is the one glowing exception so far
In the formal attitude prevailing among
| the women. Since the first exchange OF
| formal calls between them they have
| been together almost constantly, and Mrs,
Dover now has come 10 accompany Mrs
| New on her first call OF state.
Mrs. Frank B. Kellogg is the last ar
rival in this political circle. She came
| down yesterday morning from St Paul,
and last night received the formal calls
| of Mrs New and Mrs. Dover. The four
| OF them-Mr. and Mrs New and Secre-
tary and Mrs Dover-went for a long
automobile ride the length of the South
! Side yesterday afternoon.
Mrs. Now was fetching In a tailored
linen gown with a sailor hat tightly over
drawn by a great tan automobile veil,
and Mrs Dover was immaculate and trim
in a well-tailored dress Of stripes of black
| and white Mrs Dover Is a TALL slender
and extremely youthful-looking woman.
| II you do once penetrate the private
| apartments at the Annex you get the real
atmosphere Of the situation. There is an
Of the inevitable kodak pictures of the
baby and of serious purpose nOtwith-
standing the tall vases OF peonies and
roses standing around. The maps on the
long tables, the card catalogues, and the
letters with imposing official headings
crowd out considerations OF flowers and
boxes OF candy which lie around neglected
Mrs w. F. Stone. wife of the sergeant
alarms, Is a timid little woman who
was so much distressed at the idea OF
coming here alone that her son-in-law
Mr.. p W. Trueheart, who Is her hus-
bands secretary, went all OF the way
from Chicago TO Baltimore to fetch her.
Almost all Of the politicians who have
their wives with them are occupying
suites facing on the lake For the most
part the women are delighted with the
view. but distracted by the noise.
Award Exclusive Contract.
The War Department Of France, after
| competitive tests has contracted 10 buy