The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-10-16

Washington, october 15.-(speciH -
The question is not infrequently asked
who is the leader of Washington So
ciety, and the answer is about the same
as the question as to snakes III ire
land.
There are a dozen or more different
sets in Washington society, each with
its leader or leaders, but there Is no
one dominant figure, such as the late
Mrs Aston was In New York
Conditions are responsible for this:
Washington is essentially city or
changes. Men and women come and go
as in no other place in the world.
1t would be supposed that the lady
of the White House would be the So
cial arbiter, but this is not so.
The White House set necessarily
changes as the occupants of the WHITE
House change 1t reflects the personal
tastes of the ruler of the nation and OF
the first lady of the land, Necessarily,
also political expediency cannot be
wholly left out in arranging many or
the White House gatherings, yet the
private entertainments more often than
not are made up of those who are gem
timely congenial to the White House
occur ants.
oficial society takes Its cue largely
from the White House set, but 1t also
has many activities of It's own, Its lead
ere are drawn from tho families OF
| those senators. representatives and oth-
err government officials 80 have So
cia1 prestige, wealth and the ability to
contribute to the gayety of the social
| season.
The most brilliant set is the dipio-
matte, but here too the personnel
changes 80 frequently that 1t Is next TO
impossible for any one person TO
| achieve and hold a position OF dofnl'
nance
And so 1t is In the army and navy,
the congressional and the other sets.
The old Neutrality-suspicious. are exolu-
sive, but they form but small section
of the social life of the city.
With the coming of tho diplomats
come rumors of some changes in the
corps, not only In the chiefs, but among
the secretaries and attaches. One that
| will be widely regretted Is the transfer
of the British military attache, Lieu
tenant Colonel James. nnd the hon, MIS-
James. During the three seasons they
have spent here their charming and
freouent Inequalities have afforded
many glimpse of a sweet and whole
some home life whose influence has not
been lost on the world in when they
moved. Their flock of little people
made one of the most interesting DO
nestle troups In the diplomatic circle,
The manly little British lad. walking
home from school out Connecticut ave-
nue. with his fair, slender, girlish
mother. comedy enough to have stepped
| from canvas, and between Whom tnere
Iexisted such unmistakable comaraderie.
will be missed by midday promehaoofs
in that thoroughfare this winter.
Another devoted mother In the dip
lomatic circle is the Countess de Cham-
brun, wife of the military attache OF
the French embassy, who is frequently
during the school season to be met ac-
conpanying her little daughter nome
the two chatting volubly ABOUT the
trines that make up the HE OF ehiaii
Franco American girl.
The supreme court circle has had an
influx of young people with the arrival
: of the family of the new Justice the
erstwhile governor of New YORK Mrs'
Hughes left the executive mansion at Al
bany where she has presided SO gra-
cieusly for several years, last Monoay
and came to Washington, where she
opened a new home as member OF one
Of the most conservative and exclusive
little circles in the land. There are few
voting peeple In it, and Justice and MRS,
Hughes with their group bring INTO II
new life and new Interest
Miss Mary Kruger of Seattle was the
youngest delegate to the prison con-
gress recently in session here.
She was especially sent by the COVER
ror of Washington to represent tnat state
AS organizer of the washington State So
ciety for the Protection of Children and
Animals. she was also delegate to
the American International Humane con-
ference.
Miss Kruger has lectured and written
extensively In behalf of neglected ana de-
linquent children, and is we'll known IN
Juvenile court work and all It's atteno-
ant branches in the state OF Wasnlng-
ton She was one of the speakers at
the humane conference.
Mrs. Smoot, wife of Senator Reed Smoot
of Utah has returned to Washington with
her younger children and opened their
home In Connecticut avenue. She Will be
Joined some time next month by sen
ator Smoot Their eldest daughter, MRS.
Ariel F. Carbon, who was formerly MISS
Chloe Smoot, a debutante In Washing
ton society two years ago, will probably
spend Christmas with her parents she
was married in Provo, Utah, in the home
of Senator and Mrs. Smoot, on August
"a, and now makes her home In Logan.
Utah. Senator and Mrs. Smoot announced
their daughters engagement just before
they returned to their home in Titan.
The debutantes are making their prep
arations for their debuts and for the
whirl of excitement which will follow,
but 1t is yet too early to announce with
any accuracy the names of those to be
accounted among the buds The present
indications are that there will be a pos