The Pickens sentinel. (Pickens, S.C.) 1911-2016, 1913-01-30
WORRY IN SOCIETY
WASHINGTON FOLK WONDER IL
WILSON WILL DO AWAY
WITH RECEPTIONS,
SOME CONSIDERED NECESSARY
Those Tor diplomats, judiciary, Con.
srsss and Army and Navy, Tosetk-
or With New Years Affair, Prob
ably VIII Be Retained.
BY GEORGE CLINTON.

2pty WsI 80 HSSalHc0.
BY GEORGE CLINTON.
Washington.-In this holiday season
with congress adjourned. Washington
people, and particularly those who
are known as society folk, are dis
| cuss!ng a good deal, and some Of
them worrying bit, over President
elect Wilson's intimation that he is
likely to do away with good many
OF the at present recognized White
House social affairs. The wonder is
In the capital whether Mr.. Wilson. as
has been hi1ted, intends to drop from
the entertainment calendar the four
great semi-puhlic receptions which
have been given every winter In
Washington for years.
IN what he is reported to have said
Mr. Wilson set It forth that he thought
the handshakfng receptions which
were fn no sense public business at
fairs well might be dispensed with
Washington says that the four semi
public receptions are IN a great
measure public business affairs. and.
anyway, society here would miss
these functions sore1y.
No one in the capital believes that
tbs president-elect will care, or per
haps dare is the prop>r word to use
IN this case, to cut from the list OF
White House receptions the one which
Is held every New Years day and to
which the public without regard to
race, color, creed or politics is In
vited.
cne Really Democratic Affair.
It has been said by foreign visitors
to America that the New Years re-
ception at the White House is the
only wholly democratic affair known
to the White House series Of enter
| tainnents, receptions and dinners. 1t
| is true that anybody who will can at
tend the reception at the executive
mansion on New Years day, and 80,
| therefore, IL a broad sense this Is the
most democratic reception which the
president gives. Washington society,
| however, in arguing Tor the continu-
ance Of the other four receptions, de-
clares that while they are not free
for all" they are about as democratic
as they can be made without so over
crowding the White House that the
holding Of tie receptions would be
virtually impossible.
II Mr.. Wilson shall do away with
the four receptions, as he has hlnted,
he will be obliged to find some other
means of greeting the accredited rep
resentatives Of foreign powers OF this
government It Is the presidents Gus
tom each winter to give dinner to
the ambassadors and ministers Of for
eign countries, and as their number Is
comparatively limited the dinner can
be given without overcrowding the
big state dining room. It has been
the custom. however, for years for
the president to invite to the White
House to a reception all the repre-
sentatiyes OF foreign governments.
the ambassadors, ministers, chancel-
| lors, civic attaches and military and
naval attaches. II what is known as
the diplomatic reception Is done away
with the subordinate officials of the
foreign embassies and legations will
never get chance 10 meet the Dresf-
dent Of the United States OF to par
take Of his hospitality.
The diplomatic reception. which is
the first Of the series OF four recep-
tions OF the winter, Is recognized in
stitution and the foreigners hold 1t as
q fitting recognition Of their presence
IN the capital and Of the hospitality
which It is necessary IN diplomatic
way for the head Of one government
to show TO all those from other gov
ernments VINO hold letters OF
J credit"
The three receptions which follow
the Diplomatic affair and which with
it make up the quartette OF the win
ter, ere the judiciary, the congression'
al and the army and navy receptions.
| TOO MUCH r7dFQ~0ftdt1bSs
Washington seems to agree with
Mr.. Wilson That the president OF the
Cnited States rightly might declloe
N receive the scores Of visiting dele
cations which come 10 Washington to
see the sights and which go to the
White House solsiy for the purpose
| oY ias.ne a look at the president and
Of shaking his hand. Persons who
| Go not see me thing day after day
can nave no realizing sense Of the
n,rftfeuhes which Il the fail and spring
months hesiege the White House for
the purpose OF sheking the presidents
hand.
President after president Of the
United States has inumated his inten-
tica OF Going away with some of these
receptions to visiting delegations
which interfere with the business OF
the country, but no president yet
has had the actual courage to do It.
II MI. Wilson does It he will establish
q name for courage which will help
him IN many ways and perhaps hurt
him in few ways.
So far as the White House recep-
lions are concerned. however. Wash
fngton seems to believe that the actu-
al oMcial receptions Of the diplomats,
judiciary, congress and the army and
navy will be continued and that with
! 4hen will stay the New Years day re-
| -. a,,oruhndu uhn will NAV