The Washington herald., 1910-06-19

Of the situation. volunteered to take Mrs.
Sannon out TO dinner. His offer was ac-
cepted and an embarrassing situation re-
lieved.
Garden Parties Popular.
The garden parties which Mrs. Taft In
troduced soon after she was established
in the White House have been most ac-
ceptable innovation. and last year were
so agreeable and so enjoyable that those
announced for this spring were eagerly
anticipated. This seasons al fresco par
ties were even more enjoyable than the
initial ones. for the new officials had be-
come old friends IA the more than year
Of association together and her guests
had come 10 understand that Mrs. Taft
wanted them TO get all the pleasure pos
sible out OF these occasions. So games
were played with a zest, people tarried
throughout the whole afternoon, and. as
one of the foreigners expressed it, the
Presidents garden parties were "jolly
gay AFFAIRS
Beside the purely official entertaining,
the President and Mrs. Taft have con-
stantiy entertained their own and their
children's friends, and there has rarely
been time when they have not had sew
eral guests staying in the house, so.
when IL is taken into consideration that
Mrs. Taft was q semi-invalid for the
early part Of the winter a convalescent
for months, what she has accomplished
came very near being marvellous. for In
everything that has been done. from the
greatest TO the simplest social affair OF
which the White House has been the
scene, she has been the moving spirit.
the central figure, and. when she was
still too weak TO stay longer than a few
minutes in the receiving line, her infiu.
ence was yet felt.
Leaders of Social Set.
A President cannot select the members
OF his Cabinet because OF the social
adaptability of their wives. hence 1t fire.
uuently happens that the women OF the
Cabinet are inadequate to the duties of
their positions, which is nothing against
the most accomplished woman. since these
duties are not sinecures, put quite as Inn
portant in their way as those OF their
husbands. and require not only broad
social knowledge and training, but great
physical strength and power of endur-
anCe. for 1t is an unwTitten law that
the Cabinet shall lead official society, and
merely 10 accept the invitations offered
them is a great strain upon the strong
est sort OF a constitution, TO say nothing
OF the calls they are obliged to make
which amount TO q thousand or mors dur
ing the season. In choosing his advisers
President Taft happily lit upon men hav-
ing accomplished wives. and 10 them In
a measure the social success of the past
season. which will stand brilliantly cut
In the social history Of the Capital, is
due.
The White House to-day occupies a
more important place in society than ever
before. Formerly. in fact. it was not a
part OF society but a thing apart, a CEN
ter to which society focked II they hap
pened 20 have official connections that
warranted their being invited This man
and that woman were not asked TO SIT
at the White House mahogany for him
self or herself, but because OF their off,
cial connections. The duty OF entertain
ing important private individuals was
relegated 10 the Cabinet, but the Roose-
velts and Tafts have changed all that, es
they have changed many other things,
and nowadays one meets In the Presi-
dents salon much the same people as
one meets in other salons. which change
gives the White House a new position
and new significance IN. society and di-
minishes the Importance somewhat Of the
Cabinet circle. But its position IS i'm
portant enough and can be raised In the
power by the personality Of the men and
women who form IT,
wives OF Cabinet Members.
Mrs. Knox. the wife OF the Secretary OF
State, and Mrs. Nagel, the wife OF the
Secretary OF Commerce and Labor, have
been In mourning the past winter, and