The Detroit times., 1911-01-02
POMPOUS SCENES
MARK RECEPTION
At WHITE HOUSE
President and Mrs. Taft 0fficiate AZ
Host and Hostess To Diplomats,
Chief Justice of Supreme
Court and Others.
Those Who Hold No Official Offices
Are Also Greeted as Finale
To Reception.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 2.-Presidea
Taft smiled his New Years greeting
to the world today.
II was the second time that the
president and Mrs Taft officiated a.
host and hostess at that time-honor
ed function, the white house New
Years reception. In defiance OF the
weather. crowds gathered outside the
white house, hours before the Duglers
Of the Marine band trumpeted me
entrance of the chief magistrate and
the first lady OF the land to commence
the reception OF the gilded diplomats
the judiciary, and the government
officials, all of whom were received
before the latch was lifted to the
common people.
There was a character for every
role in a world drama among The
crowd that twisted in a persistent
aud stamping line from the white
house doors down Pennsylvania-ave
Possessors of shiny elbows jostled
hoods in fur-lined overcoats with
familiar contemptuousness, matrons
Of determined physiognomy kept a
hawk-like watch for advantageous
places in the line. There were lean
there were fat, there were tall, ana
there were small, in the thousands
that came to shake the hand OF Presi'
dent Taft and to wish him Happy
New Year.
vice-President and Wife First.
With the first deep boom OF the
great hall clock at eleven, four bug
lers stepped out from the band and
sounded the presidential call. The
president and Mrs. Taft appeared ut
inc top of the broad winding stair
and came down to receive the vice
president and Mrs. Sherman, and the
members of the cabinet and their
wives. The party then moved to the
southern end of the blue room. where
the president and vice-prseident ana
the cabinet members formed a re-
reiying line and the ladies took mp
then places to the right Of them. Then
commenced the reception of the diplo-
matte corps.
This Is one of the most gorgeous
spectAcles that the national capital
witnesses I'm the entire year. Bedeck-
ed and beribboned with the orders OF
their monarchs, in all the splendor OF
their court costumes, the representa-
tives Of the foreign nations filed past
the president. 1t was brilliant pan
oply of colors-of red and gold and
blue. scintillating here and there with
the shining helmets Of the Germans
and the silks OF the Oriental ambas'
sailors and ministers. The ambassa-
dora were led by aron Hengelmuller
Won Hengervar, the Austro-Hungar'
ian Ambassador, who, since the last
New Years reception has succeeded
10 the rank OF dean OF the diplomatic
corps. Following him came the am
bassadors arranged according to their
seniority-those most recently ac-
credited to the United States coming
last in line. The last ambassador In
line was Marchose Cusani Confalon-
Teri, the newly-appointed Italian am
bassador. Following him were the
charges d'affairs Of the Brazilian and
Chilean embassies, the representa-
tives OF these countries having died
in the past year, and no successors
having as yet been sent by their gov.
Crnments.
After the ambassadors came the
ministers, headed by Senior Don Joa-
quin Bernardo Calvo, the Costa Ricar
minister. who has been for years
dean of the ministerial contingent.
(Continued ON page A.