The Washington times., 1911-01-02
NEW YEAR THRONG
GREETED BY TAFT
White House Scene of Cor
geous Annual
. Reception.
CONTINUED from First Page.)

army. and navy contingent who usuall
pass down the line just following tn
Congressional contingent, were admitte
little previously. AS a result, tn
line for a time presented a somewha
conglomerated appearance, with tn
gay military and naval trappings of tn
gallant officers intermingled with tn
sornber frock coats of some of our lead
ing legislative lights.
Lesser Officials.
With the passing of the military, tn
spectacular features of the reception
were at an end, and the lesser Govern
mept officials in plain citizen clothes
filed in. in the following order
The Solicitor General, Assistant At
torney General, Assistant Secretaries }
the departments, Assistant Postmaster:
General, the Regents and Secretary %
the Smithsonian Institution, the Civil Ser.
vice Commissioners, the Interstate Com
inerce Commissioners, the tariff board
the,-Railroad Securities Commissioners
the 1sthmian Canal Commissioners, tht
Commissioners of the District of Colum
biaS.the Treasurer of the United States
LibTHrian of Congress, the Public Print
er, the heads of bureaus in the several
departments, the president of the Co
lumbia Institution for the Deaf and
Dumb. --v
Then followed the various patriotic
societies, who are accorded special rec
OgnitioI at the New Year reception
Members of the folio rinG organizations
were in line: The Society Of the Cir
Cinnau, the Aztec Club of 1S4T, the AS
sociated Veterans OF the War OF 1S46-i7,
the Military Order of the Loyal Legion
of the United States, the Grand Army
of thR Republic, the Medal OF Honor
Legion, the Union Veteran Legion, the
Union Veterans Union, the Society Of
the Army of Santiago, the Spanish Mar
Veterans, the Army and Navy Union,
the Minute Men, the Sons of the Amer
lean Revolution, and the members of
the Oldest Inhabitants Association of
the District of Columbia.
Citizens in Line.
The last of the official visitors
left by o'clock. Mrs. Taft, Mrs.
Sherman, and the ladies of the Cabinet.
then withdrew from the reception
line to the state dining room, where
refreshments were served. In the
Blue ruom the President and his Cabi-
net squared their shoulders and
prepared TO receive the long line that
White House walks. The President S
smile broadened, the bugles sounded, the
band broke into a lively two-step and
the common people entered.
A heterogeneous throng-typically
Ameriean-filed in to the lively music
Of the band. quickened to hurry them
it reached the President, but there it
was ueldy6C Dy edCn lnQlNlQual en-
deaYoring to obtain a distinctively per-
Sona1 greeting from the host.
A few feet down the line from the
President stood several well-groom-
ed and Yell-6uilt men apparently loung
ing carelessy about, bat keeping care
ful eye on the moving line as it ap-
preached the Executive. They We're the
secret Service men, and not a person
reached the objective point of the
line without their close scrutiny. There
were no hands wrapped in handker-
chiefs, no packages Were carried in
the line. and no one approached the
president without keeping their two
hands In plain sight.
The, band quiCkened it's tune, shift
ing from the lively two-steps to more
lively ragtime: The attendants were
more persistent in keeping the line
moving, but still ;he common people
came on: Until the gray of dusk
heralded the ending of the winter day
they filed through the Blue Room.
Little Tafts Extend
Greeting on All Sides.
Robert Taft, the eldest son of the
Chief Executive and a sturdy, whole
some looking youth, was here and there
throughout the entire suite of state
apartments, extending the seasons
greetings on all sides.
Charlie Taft, the boy of the household
attracted considerable attention in the
corridor early in the reception, where
he appeared with his model of an air
snip, with which it is said he contem-
plates flight from the roof of the White
House, but up to the present date has
been prevailed upon to postpone indefi-
nltety the date of the ascent or descent,
as the case may be.
prominent figure who was the cyno-
sure of all eyes as he entered and stood
for while chatting in the corridor. was
Aepresentat1ve Champ Clark of Mis-
yourL His appearance was the occa sion
Tor some conJecturtng as to his rank at
the New Year reception of 1872
Ihe representatives of the Far East
who attended the reception and were
the center of attraction for a while in
the Green Room, Just after passing
down the receiving line, lent quite a
picturesque touch to the scene
The Chinese minister and his suite,
with the exception of Nine. Yung Kwai,
the wife of the first secretary, and an
American woman, and one or two of
the attaches, who wore the conventional
frock coat Of morning costume, were in
marked contrast to the appearance of
the Japanese ambassador, who, with
his entire retinue,r wore up-to-date Eu-
ropean clothes.
Mr., Chang wore the rich Oriental XII
mono of his native land and Nine.
Chang and her daughter-in-law, Nine.
Henry K. Chang, wore the most exqui-
site kimonos of pale blue embroidered
silk and pantalettes of a darker shade.
A unique feature of Nine Henry
Chang's costume was distinctly Occi-
dental diamond pendant, which she dis
played proudly outside her quaint XII
mono.
Indictment Weather
No Hindrance to Plans.
Despite the inclemency of the weather |
outside, the White House never looked |
more attractive than il did this morn |
ing for the Presidents 1911 New Year |
reception.
The drawing rooms presented a most |
cheerful and imposing picture, and |
quite an innovation in the interior deco |
rations was the handsome rugs here and |
there. Heretofore the floors have al /
ways been bare for the occasion. Tall
vases filled with American Beauty |
roses stood about and the furniture 4
placed about in inviting groups for
tete-e-tetes, was particularly grateful
innovation to those assisting, who have
usually been obliged to stand aimlessly
around for hours. w..
Still another arrangement departing q
little from the customary routine was
the dividing of the Marine Band into
two groups, one on either side of the
aisle kept clear through the north
corridor for. the entrance of the guests |
Mrs. Taft looked particularly we'll in
a gown of goblin blue chiffon trimmed
with touches of black, and veiled in a
lighter shade of chiffon, the overdrapery
edged with black fur. She carried al
cluster of white roses and gardenias
Miss Helen Taft, who was the centert