The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1910-06-27
FORMER MINISTER LISTS NATIONAL
 SMART SETTERS
Makes Stir by Insisting That Only 20 Philadelphians Are Entitled
 to Places
Bridgeport Mans Directory Of Social Stars Appear to be
 Accepted Authority

C. w. DeLyon Nichols. 98 Court land street, this city. author of the Greek Madonna and other works. is now revising his '"The Ultra-fashion- able Peerage of America. and has caused a ripple in New York by an- nouncing that he will include therein only 20 Philadelphians. The book was written some years ago. and includes a list of 400 persons who are credited with belonging to the national smart set"
 The national smart set, as defined by MT. Nichols, consists of those persons who have the entree to the New York Newport smart set. The original list of Philadelphians included but 16 per- sons. But the author Of the list ad- nits, however. that there are others in Philadelphia who might become members of the national smart set if they had the money and the disposi- ton.
 He says also that Mr. Roosevelt could become a member if he desired to, but that he does not.
 The list of Philadelphians upon whom MT. Nichols sets his stamp of ap- proval are:
 MT. and Mrs. George D. Widener. MT. and Mrs. Joseph B. Widener. MT. and Mrs. Leonard M. Thomas Cnee Oel- rlcns), NIT. ana MrS. James FTdHCis Sullivan. Miss Frances Livingstone Sullivan. MT. and Mrs. Anthony J. Drexel, MT. and Mrs. William Fl Car ter. MT. and Mrs. Craig Riddle. MT. and Mrs. Paul Denckle Mills, Willing Spencer, Moncure Robinson, John Rhea Barton Willing.
 Says MT. Nicffol1s:
 If there are people in Philadelphia who disagree with my latest list of the tra-fashionable peerage in that city, let them remember that to be a mem Der of the national smart set has noth- ing to do with social prominence in the home city. The test is whether or not the doors of the New York and Newport drawing rooms spring open to these aspirants.
 "Now. in Philadelphia there are many people who could get into the national smart set if they. chose to exert themselves or to spend the huge sums of money it costs. Mrs. Alex ander Van Rensselaer, or Mrs. Fred erick Thurston Mason might easily en- ter the national set if they wanted to-. In fact, there is no city in the country which could furnish more members to the. national group than Philadelphia, for there is splendid blood there. and that always is an aiding factor.
 When I make out my lists of the ultra-fashiOnables of the country as l am now doing for my new book, I as- certain who from Philadelphia or the other cities are received in the draw ing rooms of the best New York and Newport group, and that settles the question. Furthermore. can tell in five minutes conversation with a per- son whether he belongs to the national set. for I have made a special study of the man as a social animal.
 There are thus certain families in New York who form the touchstones of the national smart set. If they re- ceive outsiders into their drawing rooms at their entertainments. such persons can truly be said to belong to the national smart set. In Philadel- phia the only family who can claim the distinction of being such a touch stone of national leadership is that of MT. and Mrs. Anthony J. Drexel. No persons in America are higher socially than they.
 "The national smart set is made up of people who make a fine art of social life. It is their profession. It takes an immense amount of money to main tain the necessary homes. equipages and retinues of servants, and hence it is really an aristocracy of millions. But money is not the only controlling factor. John D. Rockefeller and An drew Carnegie do not belong to the national smart set. For they simply do not travel with the leaders. To determine who are in the set, observa- leading New York society folk is all that is necessary. Thus ancestry alone cannot determine a persons place in the national set. Otherwise Philadel- phians would have many more repre- sentatives. Mrs. Leonard M Thomas is another Philadelphian who will in time establish herself as a national social leader. She is as yet too young to be able to claim the distinction, a1- though she is now a member of the national