Rocky Ford enterprise., 1912-03-29

N\VW with the members of M## s
NEI their families and includ- M$M. -
AL ing, of course. the foreign WI ~
&(YVHAT dignitaries who reside at INl ~
WV seat of government I'LL S%#
Uncle Sans official Ill III
guests. 1t Is not only Easter Sunday III
that Is event in the calendar of NM q III
ofncialdom, but likewise Easter Mon 81
day (Which is great day in Wash Wws#MsxxSSzz
tngton) and the whole Easter week. W@@
However, this whole interval may, in WsSsMssx
effect, be considered Easter. WNEMM
From the standpoint of ofHcialdom W
the first significance of Easter is the NM
religious For, be 1t known, mos. III
of our officials-that is, our national
oficials-are very conscientious
church goers. Whether they are Off
cials because they are church goers, or wheth-
er they are church goers because they are
Federal officials may be mooted question,
but the fact remains that the average public
servant during his incumbency of office In
the city on the Potomac is faithful in attend
ance at divine worship. And even the excep-
tions who "backsders" at other seasons
of the year strain point to be among those
present" on the Joyous Easter morn
The second Significance of Easter in official
dom is as a day of family reunions. second
only to Christmas in the eagerness with which
1t is anticipated. The opportunity for such
rSunions arises from the fact that large pro-
portion of the children of public men at
tend public or private schools elsewhere than
maintain a home at the capital. Sometimes 1t
is a matter of sentiment that makes Official
desirous of having his children educated lin
his old home town, and in the of the
young men and young there are the
college magnets-Vassar and Wellesley and
the rest for the girls. and Yale Harvard Cor
nell and others for the boys
1t thus happens that there is a small army
of and daughters to come home to the
habitatons of ofiicialdom for the Easter vaca-
tiOn.' and usually they bring with
many school chums parents arrange to
entertain, for Washington at Easter is
proverbally one of the most fascinating places In
America and offers no end of opportunities for
good times for young people. During the Taft
administration the White House has taken espe-
cal cogniZance of this Easter Homecoming Gus
TOM for the Junior Tafts have been among those
exies who have made the Easter pilgrimag ge.
bringing with them school friends Accordingly
Mrs. Taft has always made it point to arrange
a round of social festivities, including an Easter
week dance for not only the "house party" at the
Presidential. Mansion but the whole body of Eas-
ter reunfoners in offcialdom.
third significance that attaches to Easter in
ofhcialdom is its function the inaugural of the
spring social season. In the old days "the sea
SON. In Washington meant from the first day OF
January to the beginning of Lent Then as
Uncle Sam became more of a world power and
his capital reflected his new Importance there was
added each year the little season" which ex-
tended from the convening of Congress in Decem-
yet another development and we have the spring
Tin many respects the most enjoyable of
alD which opens on Easter and extends until
warm weather sets in. During Lent, social activ-
ity is virtually suspended. for even the hostesses
who not devout to have heed for the
religious significance of the forty days welcome
the interval rest period" Easter, therefore,
finds the leaders of oficiadom restored in spirit
and ready for new round of activity
But has been said. on Easter morning all
offcialdom goes to church and for the going finds
plenty Of spectators. inasmuch Washington is
always thronged with tourists at Easter, and such
of them disappointed in the effort to gain
admission to the crowded churches throng the
approaches to view the passing show. The larg-
est throngs are usually to be found in the neigh
borhood of the Unitarian church, of which Presl-
dent Taft is member although in simple truth it
must be admitted that President Taft is the only
attraction here, for not many other public men of
prominence happen to worship at the same
church as the President. But 1t is the President
that the Easter throng wants to see and they
block the sidewalks about the church until after
his big motor has whirled up to the curb
and the President has disappeared into the
sichurch, After the service there is somewhat of
a repetition of the scene but the crowd is not SO
large because 1t is etiquette for the President to
be allowed to make his exit the rest of the
congregation leave their seats and he Is well on
his way to the White House most of the peo-
pie emerge from the church.
Many spectators who more Interested In
observing how officials a class observe Easter
than they in the personality Of the President