The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1913-01-11
Social Notes


Not the least p~erpIexing Of the.
problems confronting President-elect
Wilson is the selection of an Official
arbiter of etiquette, who must keep
the administration and those associav-
ed with lit out OF the pitfalls that lie
In the way of misplaced dinner guests
and establish the order of procedure.
Washington's official world, n es-i
pecialIy the female portion Of 1T Is
longing for q code of state etiquette,
and the state department and social
secretaries are wishing for the same
thing, that they may not be Kept
awake at night and interrupted every
hour of the day by pointed ana per-
picking questions.
Foreigners who come to Washing
ton conclude tina there is not q Well
established social code, and many Of
them therefore proceed to copy old
world customs which, while working
we'll in many ways, especially with the
wealthy personT who live much abroad.
bring CONSERVATION untold TO 2 SIM
pier citizens who must also do the NtS-
iting and entertaining.
Formerly there was an idea that So
cial life consisted of pink teas, dinner,
parties, a. few dances and a day at
home. That time has passed, and SO
important has become the subject IN
Washington that the state department.
has equipped itself with numerous So
cial secretaries at the read of which
10 AAOA&N ~
are Miss Marsh, the social secretary OF
Mrs. Philander c. Knox, wife or the
secretary OF state, about whom ret
wolves the whole social o outside OF
the White House, and CT. Cooke, on
whom devoIves the carrying u OF
many OF Mr.. Hale's ideas. With Mr.,
Hale rests the task of seating the
presidents guests at a dinner In the
White House IN such a AMI as not
to create a social war, and especially
must he use every care In seating the
guests at the presidents diplomatic
dinner.
The news from Trenton that Mrs.
Wilson has selected Miss Isabella Hag-
ner TO be her social secretary in the
White House has ben received with
wide interest. Miss Hagner is well
known. as she was secretary for Mrs.
Theodore Roosevelt for sever years.
She is now connected with the state
department.
So involved Ii the social subject that
a regular book OF forms is used in the
state department. denoting how an
ambassador a foreign minister or otis
er diplomat is to be addressed. Senator
Root ordered that the book be prepared
for use IN the department. when he was
secretary of state. This little work
placed the senator high In h opinion
OF social leaders, who had before then
wondered in vain how to address invi-
tatlons and notes to higher diplomats.
Society was at sea as/to the calling
code up to the days OF Secretary Hay.
Mrs. Hay had the courage 10 settle
the matter. AS the wife OF the secre-
tary OF state, she easily mad the de-
cree without offending any one, and il
holds good today. There could be no
mistake of the visit OF a new arnbas-
sad0r m his wife at the White House,
az that matter was all arranged BY the
state department, nor was there an
cutlery when 1t was announced to the
ambassador and his wife that they
must also call on the vice president
and his wife, but there the simplicity
of AFFAIRS ceased. Cabinet women did
not see why they should call on the
wives OF ambassadors, but Mrs. Hay
showed them it was correct. She also
Insisted tina theswives or members OF
the supreme court should call on the
wives OF ambassadors and that the
women OF the senRte should also make
these first calls.
1t never has been much OF a habit
with the ome of the congressional
set to call on diplomats with few TX
ceptIons, and only when the American
has lots OF money is there much of an
exchange OF hospitality. Tt lis In the
oficial set generally that there seems
to be q mixup.
The social season was supposed for
uerly to open after the FIRST large en-
tertainment in the White House, and
cabinet women then opened their doors
to the Official sWorId and received visits
from all who thought 1t q duty or a
pleasure to call. Now only a few sof
the cabinet women receive visitors be
fore January.
When, however, these doors are OPP
ened the cabinet women Will have cali
ed on the wife Of The vice president
when there As a vice presidentI-and
Ike wives OF Ambassadors, supreme
court justices and the speaker 0f the
house. There Ia q decree that they
must also call ON senators wives, hut
this they seldom do. On them iii re-
turn. will cali ali of those forewhOm
they have left cardss and besides the
their OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES the cab
tret women have called or not-WtveE
Of foreign MINISTERS, Representatives.
and others OF the official ana merely
SnctaI world.
Senator'S wives h&ve b much more
onerous task for thee newer women o1
the senate must Gail 81 the women
whose husbands outraHk their III