Imperial Valley press., 1913-04-28
CARyNA'r WOMEN CANNOT
CUT TRADIrIONARY CALLS

| WARRINGTON. Apr. 2s.-The nrs
techeme fer relieving Cabinet woms
and those In official life from their an
ormous califpE duties has been thor
ouGhly tried out by Mrs. Thomas r
NArshall, wife Of the vive-Presideni
whether willingly or not and II is {
failure II isj&pretty sure that excep
At the White House all tho Cabin e.
1 women will never again be seen or
the line in Washington
Washington official society has
| sought for years to solve the prob.
lem Of lessening the calling list al
people in official life and lightening
| the burden of the wives Of cabin ct
officers.
The result OF a great combined re-.
ception every week or several times
2 season has been one Of the plans
much discussed and swhether inten.
uonally or not, Mrs. Marshall, wife
OF the vice-president. was the first
70 try II. She held her reception at
the Shoreham this afternoon.
The result was that unless the most
experienced aides and ushers at the
White House can be called in to man
age them. the great combine will not
again be attempted. Mrs. Marsha Il,s
friends. official ana otherwise. and
the women who must, according to
the social code call upon her. mum.
Der thousands. Mrs. Bryan's list is
scarcely smaller. as in addition to
OFFICIALS IN general she must also have
the Diplomatic corps, Mrs Garrison
must % At home TO the army con-
ungent as well as official society in
general and Mrs. Daniels has an
equally long navy list who must call
upon her. Mrs. Burleson. Mrs. Lane,
Mrs. Houston. Mrs. Redfield and Mrs.
wilson have not great bodies like the
army and navy and their calling lists
are accordingly much smaller but
sven they number their visitors by
hundreds.
Combine those numbers mathe-
maucally, as well as socially, and one
that of the largest White House re-
ception and II would require the ro-
tunda Of the Capitol 70 accommodate
tho callers,
As the combination worked what
should have been an Imposing and
unique event was simply q crush. Cal.
iers stood SIX and eight deep scramb.
ling to meet the multiplicity OF hosts,
with nothing like the White House
system to- Keep them IN single line.
After greeting the hostesses and
the various other hostesses and max
Ing their way to the back Of the gold
room, there was a breathing space
during most of the receiving hours;
but the crush about the hostesses was
almost intolerabIe. :.
Many women became confused over
the card system. and having called
upon Mrs. Marshall before, or Mrs.
Bryan or some other OF the Cabinet
women, wished only to leave cards
for those upon whom they had not
previously called, thus relieving the
Cabinet women of twice returning a
visit. Great delay al the door was
occasioned by some women arguing
with the official announcer Of names
as to which Cabinet woman their par
t;cular card was intended for.
As at tho White House, each name
was announced. but before II reached
Nrs. Houston, or Mrs. Redfield, 1t
was utterly lost, or so mutilated that
even its owner could not recognize
1t and the line was again delayed by
women Introducing themselves to the
women in line.
While the crowd pushed and bus
tied Mrs. Marshall smiled serenely.
Mrs. Bryan smiled too, and other
women of the cabinet looked happy
but confused.
The next scheme talked Of Is for
the Cabinet women to return no calls
except upon women their supsriors In
official rank. but is Is not probable
that hospitable women will listen to
such proposition. The social code
as II now exists and has existed for
100 years has perhaps outgrown itself
but any change must be carefully
and mathematically thought out.
Mrs Bryan said to several friends
as they were In the line that she
would be at home at Calumet place
next Wednesday and other Cabinet
women will observe their days at
home, Just as though the public had
not been misled into taking Mrs.
Marshall's reception with Cabinet
women to assist. as q scheme TO cur
tail their calling obligations