The Washington herald., 1911-01-08
DIGNITARIES
REVIVE THE IMPORTANT
QUESTION OF PRECEDENCE

could not be a more fitting designation
Of this organization, which has become
not only an agreeable but useful fea-
ture OF society.
A Paradox In Society.
1t is the first plunge in the social sea
that matters most. To retiring people,
and many Of those who come to Con-
gress. paradoxical as this may seem, are
retiring, the dread Of the first header
among those who are accustomed to the
social swim is deterrent. The little lady
who was at the head Of affairs social in
her own town breads the lawful first
calls" that must be made on those who
rank above her, and so puts OF the evil
day until often her husband is retired
before she makes her initial visit. Looked
at from the proper point Of view. the
privilege of making the first call on those
she wishes to know is a great one for
a newcomer. 1t enables her to select her
friends and to go about doing this in her
own way and her own time.
The greatest burden that those who are
in society must carry Is that of making
personal calls. which is a sentimental.
old-fashioned idea that should be aban-
doned. To expect the wives OF the Vice
President and the Speaker and the wo:n-
en- Of the Cabinet to return all the calls
made upon them in person Is to expect
the impossible. They have tried. some
of them. to do this. and many Of them
protest that ii Is a pleasure as we'll as
duty. but such a statement savors of
demagogy. desire to court favor with
the proletariat. The wife of a former
British minister after searching for an
hour or more for an address given on a
card left at the legation. finally found
her caller living over a tin shop in south
west Washington. The woman had evil
IDENTIFY called through curiosity and left
her card because she saw others doing
so. This was, of course, an extraordinary
incident. but the women OF the official cir
Gle meet with similar incidents every
season
Foreign System Preferable.
The system Of visiting in England and
on the Continent is superior to ours. At
any Of the European capitals the new
conner leaves cards on those persons
whom she feels she has the right of
knowing. Those upon whom the cards
are left return the courtesy by leaving
their cards within day or two. never
later than a week. 1t is not unusual to
have ones first visit returned on the
same day. so punctilious are foreigners
in this regard. This exchange of cards
Is Immediately followed by an invitation,
generally to an afternoon or evening re-
ception, the afternoon receptions corre-
spending to our days at home, save that
they are never crowded and the callers
linger longer and indulge in real con-
verSation.
Official women who have Travelled and
iVn1 1nnc in ion city
seeing the advantage Of this system.
have tried to introduce it in Washing
ton, where visiting is the great bugaboo
of society; but it requires more than one
o. two women to change the order OF
things, and those who nave attempted
such a radical change have been set
down as snobs The wife of one of the
Presidents suggested to the women of
her husbands Cabinet the adoption Of
this foreign method. One or two of the
women, who were new to Washington.
accepted the suggestion. but there was
vigorous protest from the others. more
familiar with official society at the Capt.
tai. They had, they said, always paid
their visits in person. To DO otherwise
they regarded as most undemocratic and
UNI American. SO they continued in the
old way, and this effort in the right
direction fell through.
Would Strengthen Prestige.
If the women of the official circle
would agree to return all of the calls
made upon them by card. and then if they
would receive one evening a week or two
or three evenings during the season. in
viting those whose acquaintance it is
their pleasure or for their interest to
keep. they would find the labor and ex-
pense less and their popularity and pres
Increased rather than diminished
1t is true that to receive cards instead
of a personal visit is resented by every
one who calls in person and hence has
right to expect a call in person: but IL
all of the official women banded together
and took the stand that they would re-
turn no formal calls save by cards. no
one would feel aggrieved any more than
those who call upon the President and his
wife feel aggrieved because their calls
are not returned.
According to the custom of the day,
new member and the woman of his family
are expected to call at the White House
this formality means merely the leaving
of cardS-on the Vice President and the
Speaker and their wives, at the homes of
the Cabinet ministers. the judges of the
Supreme Court, the Senators and upon
his colleagues who are his senior in point
of service and their wives, daughters. sis
tiers. cousins. or aunts who may be men,
bers of their households. Senators call
only upon the President, the Vice Presi-
dent. and their colleagues who rank them
because of their longevity of service.
Members Of the Cabinet call upon the
Senators. In fact. every one calls upon
the solons of the Upper House. as I have
already observed. Foreign ambassadors
and ministers are entitled to first visit
from American officials and residents,
with the exception of the President and
Vice President.