Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-12-11
Queer Duties of Mrs. Taft's Secretary

lures. they are promptly and courteousI
acknowledged. 1t would. OF course, b
impossible for Miss Letterman to Der
sonally answer all these letters, so /,
most instances set form is copied Of
the typewriter, in which the sender Is in
formed that Mrs. Taft has receive,
Helen's or Williams picture and thank
the parents for being remembered Thel
Miss Letterman signs the letter. TIL,
fond parents Of William-Helen CAREFUL,
keep this document.
There is probably no more desirable
office for q woman In government servic,
than that of social secretary" to tn,
wife Of the President. Its duties are ex
acting and trying to the highest degree
but the position is peculiarly distinguish
ing and one to incite the ambition Of
most clever girls.
The very title of secretary to the frs
lady Of the land carries with 1t a. knoWl
edge of state secrets, intimate interna
tional conferences and conflicts, interest
ing situations and is one to dazzle ano
captivate
The duties OF the social secretary are
OF such q nature that she might be called
tho under secretary OF state" The po-
sition was an innovation of the Roose-
welt regime. and Miss Isabel Hagner was
the incumbent. With Mrs. Tafts en-
trance into the White House Miss Alice
Bleeh received the coveted appointment
Upon her marriage Miss Letterman was
designated as the successor. Literally
as we'll as fisuratively, Miss Letterman
does indeed carry portfolio. and one
quite As important to the boudoir cabinet
as that OF the Secretary OF State to the
official cabinet. The social secretary to
the wife Of the President must be as
fully equipped and as well qualified for
her duties as the Secretary Of State for
his.
In the school Of tact the social secre-
tary must be a veritable past mistress.
Either by birth or education she must
be perfectly familiar with diplomacy with
a capital d. She must have the ready
intuition to distinguish the official sheep
from the goat. and. above all. be abso-
lutely familiar. with the rules of pre-
cedence. She must know how to distin-
guish between the really great and the
near great. the ''ams' and the ''has
beens'; to know how to write or say the
word mo" with finality and SO as not to
give offense. A knowledge of two or
more languages is almost compulsory.
Each day at o'clock Miss Letterman
reports at the White House and seldom
leaves before in the evening. Her desk
is In the family sitting room, and there
she and Mrs. Taft meet each morning
and 60 over the appointments and du-
ties Of the day. The appointment book
OF the first lady Of the land is quite as
necessary and kept with as punctiliious
care as that OF her distinguished hus-
band.
Il the President and Mrs. Taft desire
to attend the theater ct niSilt, Or al
afternoon symphony, the social secretary
is notified. and Il 70 she who arrangee
with the theaters for the boxes necessary
Tor tie presidential family and invited
guests. In this work she may call upon
ono Of the Presidents military aids for
assistance. II necessary. 1t so happens,
At times, that tive boxes Ore needed and
that ono has been taken earlier in the
week by an outsider. The name Of the