The Pickens sentinel. (Pickens, S.C.) 1911-2016, 1913-01-30
WORRY IN SOCIETY
WASHINGTON FOLK WONDER IF
WILSON WILL DO AWAY
WITH RECEPTIONS.
SOME CONSIDERED NECESSARY
rhose for Diplomats, judiciary, Con-
eress and Army and Navy, Toseth-
er VIII, New Years Affair, Prob
ably VIII Be Retained.
sy GEORGE CLINTON.

Washington.-In this holiday season
with congress adjourned, Washington
people, and particularly those who
are known as society folk, are dis
cussing a good deal, and some Of
them worrying bit, over President
elect Wilson's 1ntimatton 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 hinted, intends to drop from
the entertainment calendar the four
great semi-public 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 handshaking receptions which
were In no sense public business af-
fairs well might be dispensed with.
Washington says that the four sernt-
public receptions are In great
measure public business affairs, and.
anyway, society here would miss
these functions sorely.
No one in the capital believes that
the president-elect will care, or per
haps dare Is the proper 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.
One Really Democratic Affair.
It has been said by foreign visitors
to America that the New Years re-
caption at the White House is the
only wholly democratic affair known
to the White House series Of enter
tainments, receptions and dinners. 1t
is true that anybody who viii can at
tend the reception at the executive
mansion on New Years day, and so,
therefore, In q broad sense this Ia the
most democratic reception which the
president gives. Washington society,
however, in arguing for the conttnu-
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 the receptions would be
virtually Impossible.
Il Mr.. Wilson shall do away with
! The four receptions, as he has hinted'
he viii 6g -SSasged to find some other
means of greeting the Sseseul'eu Z .ez
resentatives of foreign powers This
government. II 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 oyercrowding the
big state dining room. It has bean
the custom. however, for years for
the president to l.iyite 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. If what Is known as
the diplomatic reception Is done away
with the subordinate officials OF the
foreign embassies and legations will
never get a chance to meet the presi-
dent Of the United States or 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 It as
q fitting recognition Of their presence
in the capital and Of the hospitality
which It Is necessary In a diplomatic
way for the head of one government
to show to all those from other GOV
ernmerts VINO held letters OF
! credit"
The three receptions which follow
the Diplomatic affair and which With
it make up the quartette OF the win
ter, are the judiciary, the congression-
al and the army and navy receptions.
Too Much Hand-shakIns.
washington seems to agree with
Mr.. Wilson that the president OF the
United States rightly might decline
10 receive the scores Of visiting dele
cations which come TO Washington to
see the sights and which go to the
White House solely for the purpose
Of taking a look at the president and
of shaking his hand. Persons who
do not see the thing day after day
can have no realizing sense OF the
murtitudes which In the fail and spring
months besiege the White Eouse for
the purpose Of shaking the presidents
hand.
President after president Of the
United States has intimated his inten-
ton of doing 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 1t.
II Mr. Wilson does It he win establish
e name for courage which will help
him in many ways and perhaps hurt
him in a few ways.
So tar as the White House recep-
tons are concerned, however, Wash
ington seems to believe that the actu'
al Official receptions Of the diplomats,
judiciary, congress and the army and
navy will be continued and that with
them vii, stay the New Years day re-
ception when everybody who will may
enter the White House portals to
greet the president, his wife and the
cabinet officers and their wives.