New-York tribune., 1912-01-02
THE PRESIDENT GREETS
5000 IN WHITE HOUSE
New Years Reception Brilliant
Affair, Attended by Officials
and Citizens in Washington.
BRYCE HEADS DIPLOMATS
Gates Only Closed to Public
Three Hours After Opening
Cabinet Members Assist
in Ceremony.


in Ceremony.
From The Tribune Burcau.l
Washington. Jan. More thah eiei'
Thousand persons-to be exact. SVS--rahN-
.ns from members OF the Cabinet ana rep
resentatives Of the great powers ol 'n'
world 70 the humDlest citizens, passed III
line through the White House TODAY u
shake hands with the President ana WISH
him Happy New Year. Al cio'N'
three hours after the doors were 'hio"
open, the line apparently unending' "oteu
forward slowly and patiently Much ursi"s
on the part OF those around him was re-
ouired 10 induce the President to consent 10
the closing of the gates AT that time.
When the reception opened all of the
members Of the Presidents CaDlnet were
behind the line, but gradually, as the hhe
lost its official color they were taken INTO
the state dining room, where the assistants
receiving i'm the Blue Room were serNeu
with a breakfast Secretary Wilson alone
refused TO leave the President lie stood
watching the hurrying crowd or paceo
slowly up and down back of the PRESIDENT
and though the oldest in point OF service III
the Cabinet as we'll as in years. refused to
leave his place while the people passed
Custom Of a Century Observed.
1t was President Taft's thiEd New Years
reception in the White House, and as has
been the custom for a hundred years
through the administrations Of twenty-SeN-
en- Presidents, il opened with greeting from
crowned heads of the world through their
representatives. and ended by the rank ana
file of the residents of the capital Wishing
him a prosperous New Year. The weather
was mild. and thousands gathered in the
vicinity of the White House several hours
before the opening of the doors.
The receiving line was an unusually
short one. mourning having kept Mrs.
Sherman wife of the NiCe-President. and
Mrs. Stimson, wife OF the Secretary OF
War. away. The Attorney General ana
Mrs. Wickers ham. on account OF the health
Of the former, were also absent Standing
next to Mrs Taft were Mrs. Knox. Mrs.
MacVeagh. Mrs. Meyer. Mrs Fisher ana
Mrs Nagel Mrs Taft carried a large
bouquet Of Golden Gate roses. and each Oh
the Cabinet women found a huge bouquet
awaiting her with her New Years greet
inss
Ambassador bryce T1edus Ii'c'
After the President and Mrs Taft had
greeted the small party assisting in the
Elue Room the doors were opened and the
British Ambassador advanced to extend 10
the President the fluctuations OF KING
George V He was accompanied by Mrs.
Bryce and the members of the embassy
staff and their wives. 1t was the first time
that Englands fluctuations have been the
first 10 be extended TO the President since
the death Of Lord Pauncefote, who was
dean cf The corps fol many years By the
absence from this country of Baron Hengel-
miller. who is now in Austria, and of
the French. Ambassador Nj. Jusserand. who
is next in rank, the distinction devolved
on Mr.. Bryce.
Lending particular interest were the
three new ambassa4Or who for the first
time greeted the President on New Year =
Day. They were Dominica de Cana AM
bassador from Brazil. and the members of
his STAFF; the Mexican Ambassador, Sehor
Don Gilberto Crespo y Martinez. and his
staff and the Russian Ambassador and his
staffN
Following the ambassadors were the min
listers ard charges d'affaires from the thirty
Costa Rican Minister Senior Don Joaquin
Bernardo Calvo, appointed in January. 1899,
and I'm point Of service the oldest member
of the diplomatic corps. heading the line
Then new diplomats with the rank of min
lister greeted the President.
Justices in Sombre Garb.
In marked contrast TO the brillancy OF
the diplomatic corps was the rather
sombre line of justices Of the Supreme
Court who Immediately followed. The
Chief Justice and Mrs White headed this
line, ard being I'm deep mourning stopped
only long enough 10 greet the President
and Mrs Taft and the ladies Of the Cabi-
net. They did not stop in the Blue Room
70 assist as did the other justices and their
families The illness OF Mrs. Day. which
has been kno-n to the associates OF her
husband for some time, cast gloom over
the entire party
Miss Taft was in and out of the Blue
Room all during the reception leaving ohlS
when the especially invited guests went u
the state dining room for luncheon. With
her most OF the time were her two DFothe's
Robert Taft and Charles TAFT, the Iatlei
being the most Interested person present
With them were their house guests, MISE
Edith Percy Morgan and John T. Town
send. OF New York; John Heron ana freu
crlck Ecksteln Miss Nagel the daughter
of the Secretary OF Commerce ana LABOR
also had a party Of friends about her uui'
ing the reception.
Others in the Blue Room were Mrs. JOhi
HAYS Hammond Miss Boardman' Mrs
Champ Clark. Mrs Beekman Winthrop
Mrs Huntington Wilson, Mr.. and MIS-
Hugh s Knox Mrs. Clarence Edwards
Lady Lawrence and Lady Jedd, OF Eng
land: Mr.. and Mrs. Horace Westcott' Mis
McCHntock, Mr. and Mrs Nathaniel Fran
,is and Mrs. Frank Ellis.
Members OF Congress Absent.
TO relieve the President and Mrs. TAFT
whom they viii hare an opportunity 10
meet al a later reception. most or the mem
hers of Congress. did not appear to-day
This idea seemed to prevail so generally
that when Senator john Sharp Williams
stood I'm the red corridor and waited for
others of the Congress BODY he had finally
TO ask II he had made a mistake. senator
Sewlands. ex-senator Kean and ex-Sen-
ator and Mrs Burrows were the only rep
resentatves OF The legislative circle.
While the President officially received
representatives from all the civilized world
I'm the passing il the diplomats, he received
Others OF different rank In the long line
which came in under the "citizens" recep-
ton.
There we're old women who showed suCI
feebleness in passing that an aid was re-
81 cid Ia. agQIc or