The Washington herald., 1912-01-14
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The diplomatic reception which oc-
CURED at the White House. January 9
marked the opening OF the national
social drama in which the President
and his wife are the star performers
and which is the great feature Of a
winter in the Capital.
In pursuance of a custom which had
Its origin in the formal levees OF the
stately Lady Washington" the Pres
ident and his wife give nine state func-
tions each winter. These begin with
the New Years reception, which is the
only AFFAIR designed for the edihcation
of the general public, and are given in
the following order: The diplomatic re-
ception, the diplomatic dinner. the
Cabinet dinner, the judicial reception.
the Supreme Court dinner, the Congress
sional reception. the dinner for the
Speaker, and last. and by many con-
sidered the best, the army and navy re-
ception.
To be the recipient of a card of invi-
tation to one Of the four state recep-
tions is the height of the ambition OF
hosts Of people whose desire to bask
in the reflected glory OF the great or
near great prompts them to resort to
all manner of extremes to encompass
Ec1SCeoACAA
pasteboard which opens the portals Of
the Executive Mansion on these occa-
sions. Because OF the enormous de-
mand for these cards and the abuse Of
the invitation privilege, with the
knowledge that they were being bar
tered like so much merchandise, bor-
rowed and even stolen, the present ad-
surveillance over the lists of names.
This care, with the assistance of a
formidable black list, compiled through
the dificulties and experiences of past
years. lessons the misuse of these
much-sought favors.
Receptions Much Smaller.
Naturally these lists are now much
smaller than they used to be since Mrs.
Taft eontrives to keep each reception
almost exclusively for the class Of guests
for which # is intended. Hence only the
Cabinet and the diplomats are favored
with cards to all four. The Congressional
and judicial delegations, with the excep-
tion Of the close personal friends Of the
President, come to their special functions
while the vast number Of press CORE
spondents who are listed in the Con-
gressionaI Directory are asked once dur
ing the season.
In former administrations, when all
Washington ofiicialdom was included, the
White House was packed and jammed
with the throng of from two TO over
three thousand people who formed in a
line that often extended from the Blue
Room through the entire house to the
cloakrooms below. While the President
always managed to shake hands with
each person presented to him, such a
greeting to such a multitude was beyond
the physical endurance OF any of the
first ladies, though many made a brave
pretense of doing so.
Under the present regime the personnel
OF guests for the diplomatic receptions
consists Of the ambassadors and minis
tiers, their families and attaches, and
representatives, and the different Con-
GresslOnal committees whose special
charge is the foreign relations OF this
government and also the favored coterie
OF close friends who are always desired
The same rule applies to the other three
save perhaps in the case of the army
and navy, which is the most brilliant and
the most characteristicaIly American.
The diplomatic is the most spectacular
and picturesque because so many Of the
ambassadors and their retinue appear in
the costumes of their native land, while
the army and navy. with its brave array
OF gold lace, splendid uniforms and clank-
lnE swords Is the