Omaha daily bee., 1909-01-24
YOUNG ASTOR IN POLITICS
Backed by His Fathers Millions Elk.
American Gratifes Ambition.
SOCIAL LEADER is NOT ENOUGH
Lady Mary Says waIdorf's wife
wants TO BE Political Hostess,
Too-sOn-in-Law Of Marshall
Field May Get Title.

hostess as well. 1t is the conservative
party which has the privilege Of claiming
her, as her husbands aspirations are all in
that direction. Great things are expected
Of Waldorf Astor. and IL rumor is 70 be be-
lieved 1t is his wife who has fired Mr..
Astor's ambition. At any rate, politics is
the burning question in the Astor menage,
and 1t is said that Astor pere is greatly
concerned in his sons future as an English
statesman. As every one knows. when the
Astors take up anything It is death or glory
with them and Waldorf, though an Ameri-
can by birth, means one day to be top of
the English political heap. SO far he has
not given people much chance of testing
his abilities on a platform, but that he is
a very competent young man in a news
paper office with a facile, and If necessary,
virile pen. is n fact well known.
Money Power in England.
Money can do most things in England.
and by all accounts the Astors mean to
shovel 1t out directly Waldorf Astor begins
his fight. Mrs. Aston is looking forward
with keen delight to the prospects of can
vassing for her husband. 1t will be her
first experience in this kind of thing and
no doubt she will emerge with glory. The
fact is admitted here that there are no
women better qualified to do political can
wasting than Americans who, every one
says, are absolutely ito the manner born"
though l also gather that they know moth
ing Of the excitement until they come to
England. The duchess Of Marlborough.
Lady Ridley and Mrs. George CORVALLIS
West are but a few of the Americans who
have won their spurs"
Not content with the prospect of seeing
his son write the magic letters, NJ. p, after
his name. William Waldorf Astor is de-
termined that his daughters husband, Cap
tain Spender Clay, shall have a similar
privilege. 1t is the borough of Tonbridge,
close by Hever castle. that Captain Spender
Clay has determined to make his own.
The magnate of Hever is a power in the
neighborhood, a god on his own account to
whom all and sundry pay allegiance The
triumph Of his son-in-law there Is an ac-
complished fact. Captain Clay is a rabid
conservative-indeed, all his ideas are after
the heart of his millionaire father-ln-law
Somebody once said that Mrs. Ronalds
was the backbone Of the American set in
London and added, 'If anything were to
happen to her Mrs. Ronalds) she did not
know any hostess who could slip into her
place" There is more in this than meets
the. eye. Mrs. Ronalds is in many ways a
COSlHOpOLldh anu SHe Is not only good
hearted, but very catholic In her social
tastes. Thus she gives the entree to scores
of her own country people who would have
a great difficulty in accomplishing it on
account of lack of wealth or sponsors,
though most desirable in every other way.
a little time ago Mrs. Ronalds was re-
buked by a royal princess for having al
lowed her circle to have become somewhat
nrpu,iapunpa Mrs. PnnaI1a rror,ptIy 50
piled that her one desire In life was to do
could. She added that her friends might
not always have the guinea stamp, but
that they were invariably desirable.
Mrs. Ronalds and her daughter, Mrs.
Richie, have renewed their delightful par
ties in London which were especially gay
during the holidays. They brought with
them from the States quantities OF candies,
cakes, toys and jewels for distribution as
New Year gifts to their friends. The nov
city Of these presents aroused the greatest
interest and they Were literally fought for,
and in not a few cases stolen. Though
much better in health than when she left
for the States, Mrs. Ronalds' condition
leaves much to be desired and 1t is feared
she will have to go south directly, as 1t is
not considered safe for her to risk tho
March winds in London. Mrs. Richie will
no doubt mpa her mother.
Captain Beatty for Peerage.
About a year ago society was very
busy discussing a possible peerage for
Captain Beatty. the husband of the
late Marshall Fields daughter. Again
this gossip is on the tapls and it would
seem as II this time the prophecy were
about to be fulfilled. The promotion Of
Captain Beatty to a post in the royal house
hold emphasizes the kings regard for the
Beattys. 1t is very well known that Miss
Field, that was, would dearly love a handle
to her name. She is a most ambitious
woman and has been the one to push her
very successful though retiring husband
TO the fore. He has certainly a splendid
record, having faced lead many a time
in his four-and-twenty years of service.
He has the Distinguished Service order and
has also been decorated by the sultan with
the fourth class order Of the Medjudie.
Besides, he has his wife's millions to ex-
pend upon entertaining or to place at the
disposal Of any royal personage--we won't
mention names-who may be temporarily
embarrassed. There is no gainsaying the
fact that the Beattys are generosity itself.
The fair dame from Chicago never does
anything in a small way. 1t Is neck or
nothing with her. Edward VII has nothing
short of a generation for those who spend
money ad lib. and he has been known to
say that there is no house in Great Britain
in which he has enjoyed himself more than
at Invercauld. In other respects, the
Beattys are also renowned In society for
their generosity. All this points unmis-
takably TO the fact that one of these days
the wife of the kings new A. d. C. will
be a real live countess. or, at least, a
viscountess. That she will be peculiarly
and admirably adapted TO fill the bill will
be admitted even by her dearest enemies,
kessIer's Chateau Marvel OF Beauty.
One of the numerous British friends Of
Mr.. Kessler who has just been visiting
the American millionaire at his newly ac-
quired Paris mansion. says that eye hath
never before seen anything so wonds Gus
as its beauty. All Europe has been ran
sacked for treasures for it, The Gobelin
tapestries in the picture gallery, 1t is said
came from Versailles. Marbles which were
being shipped from Greece to adorn the
Park Lane palace OF Sir Ernest Cassel were
some months ago intercepted on their way
and bought over the head OF the great
Jew financier by the Yankee millionaire.
Those which are OF uniquely beautiful col
oring now grace the halls OF La Muette,