The National tribune., 1909-02-11
WHITE HOUSE RECEPTIONS.
How People Work to Get Invitations.
Some Sold al. SO Much Per,

some soio puch Fer.
President Roosevelt has given prece-
dent at the White House another black
eye. For years and years-eyer since
card invitations have been extended for
State receptions at the White House
it has been customary to print the lists
of guests in the city newspapers. Some
thing over 1000 names every two weeks
went into the three largest newspapers
of the city of Washington the next
morning after a reception, at adyertis-
ing rates. Column after column, usual
ly six or seven of them, of names, lust
names. 1t paid the newspapers Yes,
indeedy, because every man and every
woman whose name was in the list of
guests bought at least half a dozen
copies of those papers to send to friends
at home, showing that they "are in
society" 1t had it's value in Washing
ton also. Quite often you would hear
some one say. II had an invitation to
the White House reception, but was too
tired to 60" You could turn directly
te those lists of printed names, and
quite often find that the particular
name was not there and no name like it.
Another game was played sometimes.
Women had fashion os going to the
society reporters and requesting that
their names might appear, and society
editors are proverbially kind, and Mad
ame'S name-it was most often women
who made the request--would appear
as among the guests The White
House got onto this little society"
racket, and the newspaper lists and the
official list at the White House would
often be compared. If 1t was found
that name had been inserted, then
the paper was called upon to say how
and why. That put an end to that.
Also a racket that used to be worked
by impecunious society swells was to
sell the invitations to White House
functions. Sometimes these invitations
would bring as high as $40 from peo-
Pile who were in Washington for a few
days and thought it great luck to get
into the White House at all. There
are plenty of people who were invited
to the White House who would rather
have the $40 than the reception. News
paper women were simply beset for the
coveted pieces of pasteboard without
which nobody could pass the portals of
the White House, but only two or three
instances are known where a news
paper woman would so far forget her
honor as to either sell or give away
her card. The little card of admission
is seldom or never looked at at the
door of the White House, and, of
course, il Mrs. Bloomer's card was pre-
sented by one of the numerous families
of Smith the doorkeepar would not be
likely to know If Mrs. Bloomer or Mrs.
Smith presented it. Thus far the White
House was most dreadfully imposed
upon, because there were lots of women
who in their kindness of heart to other
women who could not get within hail
ing distance of an invitation otherwise,
would take the card and go to the
receptions While this was bad enough
1t was not as dishonorabie as to sell
the little card outright. 1t was the
class of people who bought the card
who wanted to complete the evidence
of presence at the White House by hav-
ing their names in the newspapers.
Another game was often played
on the White House ushers. Sometimes
certain parties would manage to get in
vitations to one reception, which they
could not attend or Gid not wish to
attend For instance, 1t was always
easier to get an invitation to the re-
ceDtion to "the Congress- and to the
Judiciary" than to the diplomatic"
which is the very SWEETEST of all the
White House functions, or to the Army
and Navy reception, which is almost as
much sought for. Unknowns could get
somebody to have them invited to the
two intermediate receptions. and they
would quietly .sasesfheJ cards and pre-
sent them for the Army and Navy re-
ception, which is the last of all. Also.
IL the card was not used for the re-
cep ion of the Winter before it would
be pulled out and presented for the
current reception. There was any
OF this sort of thing done.
1t has been related, and presumably
is true, that the White House detec-
tives spotted some very swell-looking
people at one of the receptions, and
finding that their names were not on
l. tot nclr4 -
and they left.
Now all this is changed. A year or
two ago the plan was adopted of send
ing out different colored cards for each
function. An usher can't possibly stop
to read the names on the pasteboards
that are presented by 1000 people, but
he can tell the instant he sees the card
whether thai is the card for that par
ticular evening, and If the card pre-
sented is gray, when it should have
been blue. he simply shoves it back at
the one who presents it. If kick
is coming,,the usher turns the would
be guest over to the White House po-
lice. Sometimes the guest" tries to
bluff it thru by saying that by mis-
take" the wrong card was picked mp
on leaving home. Then the policeman
tells the guest that no such name as
appears on that card appears in the
list for that evening, and that ends it.
The guest might as well clear out
Invitations to the White House are
all printed on large heavy squa''e
cream-white cards, which bear al the
top the coat-of-arms Of the United
States in gold
The cards bear the 'efand The 2res-
ident and Mrs. RooS :, -
In the card is bi..Ie space, an1 IN
that is written the name "Mr. and ~
John Cadwallader Jackson Jones, i
Miss or just Mrs" as the case may
be, but your name is written out in full.
This is inclosed in a thick white ca
velope. on which is written just 'Ns
and Mrs. Jones'" This in turn is IN
closed in larger thick white envelope
and addressed in full to "Mr. and Mrs
John Cadwallader Jones'" with the
street and number Inclosed in small
envelope marked mot transferable"
is the small card bearing the name
which is to be presented at the door,
In the upper left-hand corner of me
big envelope are the words white
House, in raised gold letters. Every
one OF those invitations to people in
the city is delivered by special messen-
ger. No postage stamp ever goes on
that priced envelope. you get it di-
rectiy from the hands of a specially
trusted servant of the President. The
invitations are thus carefully guarded,
because they are likely ito get into the
wrong hands. There q are instances
where people have been known to get
into society on the strength of being