The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1910-12-15
MALLIsTER'S '4OO'IS
NO MORE, THEY SAY
Smart Set Only a Memory
Now, Declares Frederick
Townsend Martin.
New York-"There is no 400 in New

New York-"There is no 400 in New
York society.
Their is no mart set
There is no social dictator. or
queen
Frederick Townsend Martin says it,
and Mr.. Martin ought to know. For
isn't he hailed as the successor to
Ward McAllister, who first devised the
phrase, 400 as a synonym Of New
rYork's socially elect? And hasn't he
led cotillons and invited Bishop Potter
and Elinor Glyn and Billie Burke all
to the same party, and shown in divers
ways that to him the social gods are
indeed little tin ones, to play with as
he chooses?
A reporter called on Mr.. Martin with
a dispatch from Chicago stating that
a society leader there a found 1900
people to invite to her daughters COM
ing-out party.
"Society in New York" Nh. Martin
said, sis not to be numbered, not to be
limited. Count-er-count the sands in
tie sea! Enunerate the stars along
tie Milky Way! But do not-do not
try to reduce society to figures.
Why Not Say "18,00o"2
There is no AGO. nor $780, nor
4 ,SO0-What should you say to 1S,0O0?"
buL 1911 L lllcIS SdSli q SlilllS DIS lIl6
best people, who move in one special
set?" was asked.
Mr.. Martin laid a beautifully mani
| cured, super-imprcssive forefinger on
the reporters wrist.
LET me tell you something he con-
fided. There is nc set, not ever a
smart set in society. There are only
| sets. And of these there is IA real
infinity.
Society in New York is the truest
| democracy in the world. 1t has no die
tator, NJ queen, not even a constitu-
tional ruler. There only the hundreds,
the thousands of small cliques, each
on an equality with the other. There
is not even a central figure around
which these gather. There has not
been such a figure since the death of
Mrs. Aston. The only time when there
is anything approximating a gathering
of the clans is when some distinguished
foreigner visits us-the cousin Of a
German emperor OF a friend of the
| British king. In common, patriotic de-
sire to show our hospitality, we flock
momentarily to one standard. But this
is exceptional, not customary.
New York Society Without Heartacha
and, believe me, it is better so. Be-
cause it saves SO much pain. Believe
me, New York society is unique in
tflis-it is without its heastaehe.
TN old days that I can remember,
not to be asked to certain houses was
social death inc disgrace. Today there
are no houses that may read the m
barge act. No one laments any more
for invitations he doesn't receive"
do you think, then, that 1t is neces-
sary only to be what the Germans cali
born to ave a background of family
to enter society,""
Certainly not" he exclaimed. GOOD
family is an advantage, not a necessity,
Money is an advantage, not a necessity
I know what they say of New York.
But you can take this from me-it's a
sensational statement, but you car
make me say tt-money alone never
even takes a man or woman into a So
cial set in this city, much less makes
social power.
Personality Is Demanded.
All around me l see people will
money trying and trying to be asked
out, to be desired. All around me
see people without money burdenet
with more invitations than they pos
sibly can accept.
1.-THE thing hat society here de
mands is personality, a combination o
brains and charm. The social world il
like a big basket. Every n mus
have something to put in 1t. TIL
something that is the prize package /
a vigorous, vital personality"