Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-01-02
WHITE HOUSE A MECCA;
ALL ROADS LEAD THERE
Spectacle a Brilliant One of Life
and Moving Color.
OLD CUSTOM PASSING AWAY
Few of Washington's Hostesses
Keep Open House Today-For
merly a Feature of Capitals
Social Life.

All roads led to the White
House today. The Presidents
New Year reception-one day
late because of the intervention
of the Sabbath-the one most inn
pOrtant survival of the established
annual custom that prevailed in
Washington in days gone by, was
the official and social lodestone
today for residents of the Ma
tiopal Capital, rich and poor, idle
and occupied, in every strata OF
society and walk of life.
Certainly this annual function
doesn't seem to lose in popularity.
In addition to the members of the
diplomatic corps and the army of
government servants in the mill
tary and civil branches, whose at
tendance is in a measure compul-
sorry, a great crowd of citizeriry,
orderly. patient, garbed in holiday
attire, impelled by no other mo-
tives than those of respect and
impersonal regard for the chief
executive, stood in line for hours
in front of the White House, wait
ing their turn to be admitted.
Thousands Wish Him Well.
Thousands shook the Presidents hand
and wished him well. Others. late ar
rivals mostly. were disappointed whom
the White House gates changed shut at
2:SO. the reception at an end, leaving
them on the outside.
The President expects to wear his hand
In . sling tomorrow. The vigor of his
handshake and the strength OF his clasp
sppreciabiy diminished as the day wore
on. Very few Presidents there have
been who could stand the strain of 5000
tst grips as could Mr.. Taft's predecessor.
Col. Theodore Roosevelt. In his case the
eighth thousandth stranger who put out
his hand to the colonel with Happy
New Year" was just as liable to get a
broken finger as the eighth.
1t is the very spirit of the New Year
that when the talismanic greeting has
been exchanged the page shall be turned.
the slate wiped clean, the hour glass re-
versed. the soiled past exiled to that
Never Never Land where the old and
used-up years retire. Too often 1t is
the letter and not the spirit of the day
that is observed. although even this, af-
ffr, ,}ipe. t,,rifx
truce, is something
Reception a Big Success.
So it was at the White House as else
where when on this day hands are struck
and there is Lip service in honor of Gus
tom and convention. Men Of all political
creeds and shades of economic faith
democrats. republicans, insurgents OF
both parties. jingoes and peace-at-any-
price advocates-big men, little men,
statesmen, peanut politicians, workers,
idlers and all the rest, took their places
IN the line that marched by the niche
where the President stood, his good right
arm working like a pump handle his
round face Illuminated by the celebrated
Taft smile
All this heterogeneous crew wished the
President well, and doubtless not a wish
but was sincere. This tribute today was
personal. Tomorrow they may assault
him viciously- But that will be by way
Of business. 'Tis well understood on both
sides, and this. President Taft's seconu
reception since his inauguration as Presi-
dent, was big success.
Passing Of Old Custom.
There we're other receptions by or
Sanizations and individuals in the Ma
tional Capital today. but the list is pitt.
fully small compared with even a few
years ago The custom is passing; has
passed. indeed, and at the same rate OF
progress it will not he long before the
only Information obtainable concerning
those New Year days when everybody y
who was anybody kept open house, when
visitors stuffed to the point of repletion
and drank 10 the mark of capacity when
the day was a mild riot. sobriety the ex-
option and headaches the rule, will be
contained in the back files Of the news
papers and in the pleasant fiction that
new school of maga zine contributors
Hill be moved to produce.
And so today. outside of the big affair
at the White House, there were but few
general gatherings and these mostly edu
cational and inspirational The Y NJ
-. A. the Woman's Christian Temper.
ance Union, the Gospel Mission, variou.
veteran organizations and a few othel
bodies Of this sort kept open house Ant
few individuals. informally. very in