The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1913-05-21
INF0RMAL|TY MARKS REGIME.
WASHINGTON SOCIETY LIKES
SIMPLICITY INTRODUCED BY
PRESIDENT WILSON.
Informal Lawn Parties Given Weekly
by President Very Popular Social
Anairs I'm Capital-Lack OF Osten.
tatiOn u Feature

Soclety Is DeglnnlnS 10 see and like
the simplicity and lack Of ostentation
which surrounds the home life of the
Wilson family in the White House.
In nothing is this more noticeable
than in the weekly garden parties
which are now being given on the
lawn just to the south of the execu-
tive mansion. There free America
II might be said--meets for the hour
for you may find in Mrs Wilson's
list Of invited guests every kind of
free American citizen, high, low, big
and little, men and women, they are
there.
With simplicity as the most import
ant element Of these weekly gather
ings under the stately oaks that throw
their magnificent shade across the big
White House garden, spend an hour
there and see who you will meet
First and formost you may either
ride of walk as you may wish. You
may use your auto, call a taxi, travel
in one horse shay, pay your nickel
and use the car or walk, because it
makes not one bit of difference. You
Will meet your friends doing either
or all. Some you thought would
motor prefer to walk and some who
might be thought to walk travel in
the big touring car So there you
are, for the locOmotion part. Just
travel any way you like.
Pass quickly through the hat
box"-that abominable place at for
NAL winter receptiOns-nod at the
waiting negroes that you ave neith-
er ovcrcCat nor hat to deposit, ana
you are out under the stately oaks
and only at stones throw from the
president and Mrs. Wilson and their
military aides.
With that cordial and merry smile
with which the president meets his
visitors and the gracious reception
you get from Mrs. Wilson, you pass
on to mingle with free America for
the hour you have been invited. Now
there is no formality, go wherever
you please. listen to the music Of
the marine band, watch the sparkling
waters from the White House foun-
tain, chat little here and a little
there, then make your way over to
where refreshments have been pro-
vided. This is the routine for those
who have been fortunate enough to
receive the coveted bit Of paste board
which bids them to the White House
for the hour.
But the real feature Of the occa-
sion-if there is any one feature
above anotner-beyond the president
and his charming wife is the abso-
lutte lack of conventionality in dress.
You may go in your business suit and
be entirely welcome A light suit or
a dark one, a Panama hat or any
other kind will do just as well. You
may wear the conventional stove pipe
kind and the long tailed Prince AL
bert and ii will make absolutely nc
difference. You may be certain that
anything you may wish to wear will
be in taste so far as the men are
concerned. You Will see workers
from the business offices, the house
member with The typical black slouch
hat and long tailed coat, the sena-
tor, with maybe more dignity but
Just the same clothes, and the politi-
clan, the cabinet member and the
newspaper man all there, talking and
Jabbering away just like the mem
bers of one big family. The men
MAJ dress just any way they like
when they go to these affairs and get
there also any way they like With
the ladies 1t is Il little different, al
though it can not be said that the
same degree of elaborateness pre-
walls as at the formal winter enter
tainments. They are there with the
very prettiest Of spring creations
helping to make time pass pleas
antly.
There Is perhaps nothing that
brings the people into closer contact
In an informal way and which tends
to make them realize that the presi-
dent and the members of his family
are just like other people after all
than these garden parties. The band
plays America" the people shake
hands with each other and their
own president and they are glad that
they are Americans. this care-free
happy crowd. II is indeed something
worth seeing and more than that
worth thinking about. these lawn
parties under the stately oaks.