Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-11-19
CHIFFON POLITICS

man for the strictly administration circles
in Washington. They are Mrs. La Toilette
and Mrs Cummins. At their houses the in
surgents of the House and Senate gather and
talk over their fights, disappointments, and
victories, and as a rule the discussions and
the arguments are guided and controlled by
the two hoSteSSeS.
Mrs Cumnlins came to Washington with
the reputation of having contributed much
to the political rise of Cummins in Iowa, and
in Washington she has continued the work.
The mere reading of the lists OF guests at
formal dinner conveys no idea OF the dlplo-
macy and tact hostess exercises in assem-
bling about her board the men who will con-
tribute most to the enjoyment of the occa-
sion-and, incidentally, to the rise of her
husband. Mrs. Cummins invites the men
who know things and do things, know them
and do them in accordance with her views
and the views of her husband, or who will,
in fullness of time, do and know them in
agreement with herself and her husband.
And always she contributes to such as
semblages- including Senators, Represen-
tatives, journalists, and business men-the
persuasive power of her own observations.
Mrs. La Toilette does work of similar
nature. She also has her salon of prominent
people. Moreover, she has always been OF
great value to the Senator in his struggle to
forward his presidential ambitions. For one
thing, she helps to edit a page in La Fol-
lettes magazine. She is college graduate,
a deep student of economic conditions and
political affairs, and can be depended on for
sage advice to her husband and to the men
who are associated with him politically.
At first blush, it seems rather crude to say
that ones list of dinner guests may be
used as a political asset; but as matter OF
fact, nothing is more natural. Where IS dis
cussion more free and where are condolences
more plentiful than round table laden with
a good dinner? Nowhere else is the spirit of
freedom from hard formality more quickly
felt, and it is the place, par excellence, where
men and women may meet and debate.
What could be more useless, more unproht-
able, and more boring than to have as your
guests people who disagree with your views
and principles, and will never see things as
you see them? And what is more pleasant
than to have about you those statesmen and
stateswomen who either do agree with you
or will eventually think as you do? These
things come home to the Washington lead
ers, the people who do big things in the swift
stream of politics. And the result is that
everybody pays great attention to the dinner
list
1t is impossible to do full justice to the
woman whose wit, tact, and knowledge OF
public affairs make her home rendezvous
for real statesmen and political chiefs. Men
are quick to avoid social functions that bore
them; but they are equally prompt to hasten
to those houses which are famous for their
gatherings of "real people Consequently,
the man in public life with wife who can
make her home such a meeting place has an
unbounded advantage over his brothers less
fortunate. And when the wives of politi-
clans form such friendships as bring their
families closely together, there results al
most invariably coalition in public affairs.
l remember that on one occasion | ex-
pressed to Senator my surprise that A had
been given in the House valuable committee
assignment for which had been candidate.
"That's easily explained, said the Senator.
@You know AS wife is great friend of Mr..
Y. That's what brought it about"
Now and then, of course, woman may