The National tribune., 1911-01-05
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best to ruin the reception at the White
House New Years Day, but he couldn't
do it. It was muggy, muddy. misty,
moisty-in fact. generally nasty outside,
but within the White House all was
light and brilliance. with fash of gems
gleam of Satins and silks, warmth of
furs and velvet, with perfume of flow
ers and the blare of trumpets, crash
of brasses boom of drums, and jinglins
of sabers
President Taft's smile was expansive
and all-embracing. Mrs. Taft was all
graciousness, while Miss Helen Taft Mr..
Robert Taft and Master Charles Taft
were much in evidence and hail-fellows
well-met with all. Then there were
other White House bellies there also.
Mrs. Roosevelt Lonsworth was holding
her small court among adoring friends.
while her half-sister Ethel, who is
demure. gentle. unobtrusive little lady.
and Mr.. Kirmet Roosevelt were also
surrounded by friends Mrs. Taft wore
blue chiffon over white satin; Miss Taft
wore pink chiffon over white satin-her
debut dress, by the way; Mrs. Long
worth mouse gray chiffon with burnt
orange satin facings and cream Spanish
lace; Miss Ethel taupe satin with pink
satin bands. Mrs. Longworth had hers
made in FELLOWSHIP fashion; the rest of
the costumes mentioned were reason
ably wide at the foot
The President wore afternoon dress
what the Governor of Oklahoma would
call a "Jim-swinger" coat, the same be-
ing Prince Albert, worn with dark
tie.
The Cabinet women all wore new
gowns, most OF them distinctly not be-
coming. Mrs. Ballinger, wife of the
Secretary of the Interior, wore a mag
nifcent gown of pearl embroidered
white crepe, which was the most be-
coming in the line.
The New Years reception is always
q joy to look upon, for 1t Is so demo-
cratic. Everybody attends 1t; from the
highest to the lowest wake Of life are
represented. Some came with packages
IN their arms which they had gotten at
the market. There was a distinct smell
of freshly-ground coffee from one hand
bag. The colored citizen touched ell
bow with Bureau Chiefs. and mon
golians, Japanese, and Italians of the
middle world were all In line. Some
proud parents brought their whole fam |
lily, babes in arms and small boys in
long pants, and big boys in short pants. |
with girls in all kinds of attire. There |
were some 5000 of them in all. The |
Army and Navy representatives re-
splendent in gold trimming that II !
would take Klondiks to keep up; the !
veterans of the war of the rebellion, |
few in numbers and no longer hale and !
hearty, attended In body with Depart
nlent Commander Johnson at their
head
The Diplomatic Corps was the first
to greet the President under the rules
of precedence, Baron Hengemueller
heading it as the Dean of the Corps. |
Baroness Hensemueller is i'll from nerv- |
Gus collapse, and was not present. The
Baron's red velvet coat, hanging opera
boune fashion from one shoulder, his 1
ermine, his ribbons, jingling spurs and |
shiny knee-length boots are always |
items of interest to the great public. |
There were much embroidered uniforms
on a heap of small-statu tured men; in
deed, the gold findings on the fronts
OF some of the uniforms made the same
SO boardlike that pain in the wearers'
tummys might have been caused by the
weight of the gilt. They solemnly shook
hands with the President, and he SOL
emnly said Happy New Year to them
all.
Then the Supreme Court Justices filed
in, and they all shook hands in the |
most solemn fashion, and were wished |
Happy New Year" Then came the |
Speaker of the House of Representa- |
tiyes-no, the Vice President and the |
United States Senate came next; there |
were only half dozen Senators-then !
came Speaker Cannon and a handful of |
members OF the House. 1t being the hol- |
fday recess, nearly everybody is out of
town. Speaker Cannon held as big a !
reception as the President after he got |
into the East Room, for Speaker Can |
non is as big a social lion as he is po- /
liticai. The Vice President, always jolly |
and sOciabIe, was also constantly sur |
rounded by friends.
to 2:30. Mrs Taft entertained the Cab |
met people and her invited guests at
luncheon in the state dining-room after
the reception was over. All the Cab
met women held receptions later.
Probably the next largest reception in
Washington on New Years Day was
that of the WOman's Relief Corps Mrs
Nora B. Atkinson, President Grand
Army Hall was handsomely decorated
with flags for the occasion. and Mrs
Atkinson was assisted by her Depart
Inent staff and Past Department Presi-
dents in receiving the hundreds of
guests who came to shake hands with
the ladies. Refreshments were boun-
tifully served all afternoon.
Vice President Sherman tried to in
troduce reform methods in the Senate
the other day by calling a quorum, and
thought he had everything fixed up but
when the journal was read the next |
day the dignified gentlemen who form
ed the that House of Lords concluded
that calling a quorum was altogether
too revolutionary for their blood, and
SO they turned the Vice President down.
There are several members of that
body, however, who were members OF
the House when the late Tom Reed was
presiding, and they applauded vigor-
ously his action in calling a quorum in
that body.
Chandler p. Anderson, Of New York
City, has been appointed Counselor Of
the State Department to succeed the
late Henry NJ Hoyt Mr.. Anderson
who is a lawyer of New York. has done
important work for the State Depart
lnent during the last few years.
In his special work Mr. Anderson has
been identified particularly with British
and Canadian negotiations, and his ex-
perience in this line, il is regarded, will
be OF value in connection with reci-
procity negotiations between Canada
and the United States, which viii be
resumed in January.
Work performed by the new Counsel
or as agent of the United States in the
North Atlantic Coast fisheries arbitra-
ton at The Hague attracted attention.
Mr.. Anderson will assume the duties OF
his office at once.
The War Department is constructing
the laying of another military cable be-