The Washington herald., 1911-02-26
SOCIAL CODE AND LAW
Should There Be Chamberlain at the White
House?
House !?
By THE SOCIAL ARBITER.

By THE SOCI
And why not a chamberlain at the
White House even though the idea does
excite the. .resibilities of New York's So
called smart set?" What would be so
very extraordinary or undemocratic in
having an official to conduct the Presi-
dents household in so far as it concerns
society, thereby relieving the President
and his wife of much that is annoying
and time and strength consuming? 1t
is all very we'll to contend that the White
House is the center of the official circle
at Washington, but is apart and outside
OF society. All the contention in the
world, however. would not make it true,
for at the Capital the official and social
circles unite to form a society. the most
interesting and brilliant in the country,
and the one without the other would
make poor showing. The official circle,
and the fact that through it one can enter
society. has tempted many millionaires
to take up their residence within our
gates.
George Washington believed that the
President and his official family should
dominate society and he maintained
dent Adams adopted the same social
standard, but Jefferson swept away all
traditions. Dolie Madison made her hus-
bands regime a brilliant and memorable
one. and the MOnroes. who had lived
much on the other side when Mr. Mon
roe was Minister to France and at the
courts of England and Spain, introduced
many foreign forms and ceremonies
John Quincy adams was as ceremoniOus
hF E-s1 uuV,lf
Jefferson in his attitude toward matters
social. Then. too. pretty Peggy O'Neil
broke up his cabinet and played the mis-
chief with society generally. In Lincoln :
time the stern demands of the civil war
forced things merely social into insignii-
canoe.
Grant A soldier. his wife a plain,
unpretentiOus woman-a wife and mother
before all else. who never aspired to
social leadership. Mrs. Hayes was a
gracious woman. She did not do much to
improve social conditions at the White
House. Her entertaining was quite diff
ferent in character from that of the
women who had directly preceded her.
She Haugurated the card receptions
which are still feature of the White !
House entertaining. and since Mrs. Taft |
became its mistress have been conducted
on exactly the same lines as those |
planned by Mrs. Hayes.
President Arthurs social regime was |
brilliant, and he gathered at his dinner |
table the most intellectual, the wittiest, !
and the cleverest people a the Capital. !
He was the first President to utilize the |
services of a social adviser. His cham
herlain, if we call things by their right |
name. was "A man of excellent birth, gen
TIC breeding. fine presence, broad culture,
and savOir faire, with d social experience
second to none-CIayton NJ. Michael,
whose official designation was marshal of |
the District.
Before President CIeveland's marriage
the social side OF the White House was
somewhat neglected. Mrs. Harrison,
however. was assidious in her attention
II her duties and in her efforts TO raise
the social life at the White House to the
plane which it enjoyed in Washngton's
She had no chamber
lam, no private Secretary. The mere
mention of such an assistant as a per-
sOnal secretary would have created us
much excitement in those days as men
tion of n chamberlain has to-day, and
in the attempt to fulfill the obligations of
her position. "a she understood them,
she broke herself on the wheel of duty.
a high hand With the White House IN
I'll its departments. He had it enlarged, !
bea UTILIZED, ana refuTnished in fashion
commensurate with the wealth and power
# the nation il represented. He did rot
suggest chamberlain. Nv hatever he may
nave had in mind for tho future, but he
employed a secretary for Mrs. Roosevelt, |
and detailed more than the usual number
IF officers Of the army and navy as mill :
4 ~ Al tn bal |
ary in arranging for and managing the
,Ocal dUingS at the White House. Not !
,incc President ArthuT's time had the |
White House 50 dominated society as it |
lid while the RooSevelts occupied it, and
his domination has continued under the |
Tafts The capable management of its
wO last mistreSses has made the White !
House The social center once more around
which society -evolves. and it again ex-
rts the power and influence it was in
ended in the beginning it should exert
An invitation to a White House recep-
ion is no longer regarded as an empty
nnOr as it was at one time, when the
ard receptions had degenerated into
mere crushes of all sorts and conditions
f men and women. who obtained the
ards that carried them beyond the por-
ais in various and often discreditable
Ways.
As the White House was conducted un-
er Arthur and Roosevelt, and as it is
onducted by the Tafts. 1t should always
'c conducted. A chamberlain, or how
yer he might be designated, the name
makes no difference, with a permanent
taft of secretaries under him, would OBJ
late all necessity for the President and
lis wife to do more than suggest and
OnsulT.
With such an experienced person at
he head of the social department at the
White House there would need be no
reak when one administration replaces
mother but, from the moment a new
resident and his family take up their
esidenCe in their new home. domestic
nd social affairs could be run smoothly
/ would not take, as it does under pres
Mt conditions, months and much expert
renting before a President and his fam
Y feel at home in their new surround
lgs. and are fully equipped for the un-
ccustomed duties that fall TO them.
There is invariably an awkward hitch
the White House with a changing of
There is only a few hours,
} be sure. between the departures OF the