The Washington times., 1912-04-14
By Accepting Invitation
From Ambassador Bryc.
They Break Precedent.

In exercising their rights as private
citizens, and dining with the British
Ambassador and Mrs. Bryce wednes-
day night, the President and Mrs. Taft
broke a long established precedent
which precluded them from accepting
invitations from foreign ENJOYS at the
National Capital.
This custom, which has, always been
an unwritten--ahd, therefore, an ef-
fective-law,.h has been a source of great
annoyance to the diplomats stationed
IN Washington, who have often wished
to reciprocate some of the courtesies
extended to them from the White
House.
And this is only one of the curious
ppovincialisms that crept into WASH
fngton official etiquette so long ago
that no one knows their origin. It is
probably related to that other odd in
heritance from colonial provincialism,
the tradition that the President must
never leave American soil during his
term of office. =.
The social antiquarians, say that this
prejudice against the President leaving
the country originated in the early years
feared the baleful influence that foreign
courts might have on their President
IL he should 60 cavorting around Eu-
rope He would, of course. be received
as a ruler. entertained by kings, smiled
on by queens, squeeze the hands of
princesses, and .hobnob with dukes.
Like as not, these foreign celebrities
would turn his head and fill him with
the idea OF being king himself: maybe
actually conspirei with him to help him
become one. - ~,
So the President never left American
soil. They. say that the rule about not
dining with ambassadors Is a first cou-
sin to this one; the ambassadorial resi-
dence is theoretically and diploma tically
foreign territory. No. 1900 Connecticut
avenue-that's where Ambassador Bryce
lives-is little detached bit tof Great
Britain. rA s.-"'
So necessary corollary to the rule
about not leaving American territory
was, of course. that the President must
not dine on ambassadorial soil. The
that whereas the, King of England dimes
once 3 season In much state at the
home of the American ambassador in
London, the Kings ambassador here
might not hope to entertain our demo-
cratic Chief Executive. -... ..,..
Seemed Nonsensical
To Mr.. Taft.
All this seemed to Mr.. Taft unneces-
sarily nonsensieal.. so he first smashed
the alien soil notion by chasing off to
Panama Now he has exploded the am
bassadorial ostracism theory by going
to dine with the Bryces at the British
embassy
One plunge of this sort and the rule
Is hopelessly done for. because the Pres
ident will now be invited by all the
other ambassadors and must go or give
whether he will accept Invitations from
diplomatic hosts of less than ambassa-
doriai rank; and the etiauette experts
viii have to figure out what sets Of
and all that. Who'll sit next to the
President when he is an ambassadors
guest of honor? Who will take out
problem, giving gray hairs to a lot Of
Thus is President Taft's Administra-
ton brought into closer touch with the
his predecessors in office.
Early in the season, at the first in the
annual series of Cabinet dinners in
honor Of the Chief Executive, the Sec
very materially in Welding these closer
relations between the White House and
the Diplomatic Corps by including four
Of the ambassadors and their wives in
the company asked to meet the Presi-
dent and Mrs. Taft. This was also an
entirely new departure and created a
considerable social furore at the time.
meeting; however, only with widespread
approval, as has the Presidents latest
overture. r.H. r-I.' .- -
Early in this A Administration Mr.. and
Mrs TAFT set aside the rule forbidding
them to dine except at the home of. a
IHD1net officer
accepted invitations from their intimate
friends. OF late they have even accept
.d more formal hospitality in their
musicale at the home of a private in
dividual. thus paving the way for num-
erous brilliant affairs in their honor at
the homes OF some Of Washington's
ffashlonable. but entirely unofficial. ,po-
lists. .- -.n
Mrs. Field Takes
New House.
Mrs. Marshall Field, after spend
ing the winter in Washington at hand
some apartments on Sixteenth street, is
Just now taking possession of the hand
some Venetian palace, erected on upper
Sixteenth street hill a few wears ago
hY Mrs. Henderson. This house which
IS called the Pink Palace" and Is one
the National Capital. has had only Two
tenants since its comrletion-the Roos-
.Veltian Secretary, of Commerce and La
hor and Mrs. Oscar Srraus. and later
the Secretary of the Treasury of the
Taft Cabinet and Mrs. Franklin Mac,
NeaRh., It's admirably adapted to en-
tertatnlng an will doubtless, be the
sccnc of many brilliant hospitalities be-
Tor the erection OF the handsome
Widows own mansion, stin castle in,
the air. ''E 'h
some OF Mrs Fields neighbors are
tho FRENCH Ambassador and Mime. JUS
serand, the Danisn Minister and Coun-
tess Moltke, both of whom occupy
houses which Mrs. Henderson has .'e-
Gently put up on the" hill In her efforts
70 beautify that part of tie city. Just
across the street are the Secretary OF
the Treasury anl MIS-. MacNeagh In.
the rather remarkable looking edifiCe
which they erectud for their Washing
Ton domicile soon after their descent on