The Washington herald., 1910-06-19
THE FIRST SOCIAL SEASON
OF THE TAFT ADMINISTRATION

no two ways OF thinking about tho i'm
provement Of the new over the old way
IN the service at the main door OF the
White House.
Receptions More Exclusive.
Another innovation was the manner Of
conducting the card receptions. which
had grown since they were first started
In the Hayes administration far away
from the original plan. differing very lit
Ito from the public receptions OF former
days. Mrs Taft restored them to the
same dignity that bad marked them
when Mrs. Hayes was the hostess, and
made them even more enjoyable by In
PRODUCING dancing. II was predicted that
with the curtailing OF the lists which
the new arrangements made necessary
there would be much discomfort and Bit
terness, but II was so arranged that all
OF those entitled TO an invitation were
asked to at least one of the receptions,
which was rightfully regarded as more
of compliment than the invitation to
the whole series IN the days Of their de-
terioration. At Mrs. Taft's reception her
women guests wore their handsOmest
gowns, as at the Hayes receptions,
which were not torn from their backs, as
at some Of the old-fashioned brushes. nor
was there the same scramble for wraps,
the long wait for carriages; but In this
latter case there Is stlll abundant room
for Improvement. and tho person who
thinks out q system that win do away
with the prolonged session in a drafty
ante-chamber before the Jehu reports
viii win the eternal gratitude Of long
suffering public.
Mrs. Taft adhered TO the custom OF In
formal afternoons at home, which has
been followed by the wife OF the Presi-
dent for several administrations back.
These were made extremely enjoyable by
assembling congenial people together,
and the musicales she arranged showed
her knowledge and love OF music, as well
as her talents as a hostess.
A state dinner has a fOFbidding sound,
and it is a forbidding function The mo-
ment IL becomes pleasant and sociable II
ceases to be an AFFAIR OF state. No house.
hold journal in the world. no matter how
boundless its resources, could furnish
recipe Of how to make a state dinner
pleasant and enjoyable" Like Jane Field,
They amt no SIGH thing as a pleasant
state dinner"
An Uncomfortable Function.
A noted American who once dined with
[ADtA ALNbl ID al W AAAQHb4 QcGAdEEU tHdL
It was the most uncomfortable function
he had ever attended and that he would
not go through it again for a dozen
shares Of Standard oil stock
A state dinner at the White House IS
hardly as stif, as formal and as bound
around by rules that have descended
from generation - generation as a state
dinner at Windsor. bur at best it is never
a hilarious affair. and II is saying much
when il is said that President and Mrs.
Taft, Ike their predecessors, President
and Mrs. Roosevelt, succeeded In impaTt-
ing much more agreeable atmosphere
10 their state banquets than generally
characterizes such functions.
An incident OF the diplomatic dinner at
the White House should not escape IN
noted. since II illustrates what Is meant
by the term gentleman" concerning the
definition Of which there seems TO be so
many opinions. The Minister from Haiti
and his wife are negroes Of seemingly
unmixed blood, cultivated and educated.
to be sure, but still OF the race that is
not acceptable in the social circles Of the
United States.
Having accepted Minister Sannon .n
his official capacity, the government Is
compelled to extend 10 him and to Mrs
Sannon the same official and social court
esies 1t offers to the other members Of
the diplomatic corps. hence Minister and
Mrs. Sannon were invited 10 the state
dinner at the White House. and Minister
and Mrs. Sannon accepted.
How 10 place Mrs SannOn. who to ask
to take her 10 table. were questions that
puzzled the officials having the dinner in
charge, Mr.. Lagercrantz. the Minister
from Sweden. knowing the American
prejudice and anticipatingH the difficulty