The Washington times., 1914-03-29
Vice President Marshall Says
Social Events Are Part of
Official Duties.
Social Lobbying Not Found and
Men in Public Life Give
Views of ''Dining Out"

Do social designations in higI
official life in Washington inter
tere NTH Uncle Sans business?
Vague intimations of the tire
mendous pressure of the socia
game as played in the Capital han.
been heard. But here are the frs
definite statements from Vice Pres
ident Marshall, from Cabinet mem
bers, and from U. S. Senators, o1
their impressions of society i,
Washington.
Does social lobbying play {
part in Government afairs' Some
Of these officials have definite opin
ions on that subject. One relates al
amusing effort at social lobbyin.
that failed.
By ]. R. HILDEBRAND.
Washington ought to have an
official curfew law. Cabinet men,
hers and Congressman should be in
bed by I1:30 o'clock, or by midnight,
at the latest
This from Secretary of the Navy
Daniels.
Dining out is a part of my Of
ficlal duties as Vice President
said Vice President Marshall, Il had
an engagement every evening from
early in January until the beginning
OF Lent / accepted because l want
ed to. not because 1 had to-
But the real surprise came when
Secretary Of the Interior Lane. gem
orally admitted to be one Of the
hardest worked men in Washington
public life, described an eve
nings social diversion" after a
DAY at the office extending from
early morning until p. m. which
made former President Roosevelt
look like an apostle Of the quiet
Efe.
Recently Secretary Lane attended
a reception early in the evening,
hurried away to a fashionable din
ner. and after that went to another
function where he made a speech.
He arrived home a little before mid
night and then, to save himself
from a too early grave. went through
rigorous program of physical eXer-
cises laid down for him by a physi-
cal culture expert
Too Much Extravagance.
But there was not a word of COM
plaint from any of these officials.
Many Senators agreed that there
were few men in either house Of
Congress who indulged in the
social whirl to the point of dissi-
patton. But they deplored the ex-
ravagance of much of the enter
tanning in Washington, and one or
two yearned for the conditions
back home where there was more
sociability and less show" as one
Senator expressed it
Vice President Marshall is not
one Of the men who believes un-
official Washington is to blame
for leading public servants astray.
"My official duties are light" he
said, "and dining out is a part OF
my official program. 1 am sup
posed to accept the dinner invita-
t:ons the President must decline,
and SO help preserve the Executive
digestion"
But in doing so the Vice Presi-
dent let it be known that ne is care
full of his own Neither does he
want it understood that he is COM
planning because of his busy even
ings in society.
Il would not say a word that
would reflect on the courtesy and
good heartedness of the people of
Washington" he explained. per
haps I have gone around more than
n man of my age should. But these
PEOPLE invited me because they
wanted me. and I accepted because
/ wanted to go.
No Social Lobbying.
u DO not believe my health has
suffered because Of dining out 1
drink nothing. and / eat sparinglv.
If ! do not get home until mid
night l do not get up until 9 the
next morning.
AS for the so-called social
lobbying. l have seen none of IL.
] am such a guileless sort Of fell
low that l would not know il there
We're ary.
But in my round OF dinner par
ties, / never have heard public mat
AeTS IeItfTeu u III any DGt lilc UlOsl
frivolous or Joking way. There has
been no attempt to discuss them seri-
ously. II any folks did SO, they got
of IN a corner for their talk
While philosophizing in this vein,
the Vice President was prying open
the lid of a box of cigars which. he
said, had been sent him by a friend
who had board of his complaint that
a man could not buy a good cigar
fnr in this
Il am accepting the present. II
that be lobbying, make the most Of
IL. But you will have TO smoke one
Of the cigars to realize the nature Of
graft in public life"
Lane Enjoys Diversion.
Despite the fact that he is known
as the hardest working man in
Washington, Secretary Lane also has
acquired the reputation Of one of
The most genial. Though friends de-
scribsd the genuine pleasure with
which the Secretary looked for
ward 10 an evening at home, he
pleasantly described his social 3c-
tivities as "a diversion after a day
OF hard work"
Il get through work by O'Clock
frequently" he said. "and ] enjoy
going out to dinner, so j feel at
liberty To 20. I only need six or
seven hours sleep. and / am gener-
ally in bed by midnight. rhat en-
abies me to get back TO the office
at S or o'clock
Il have not noticed taat dinner en-
gsgements interfere either with my
work or with my health. The per-
Sonal equation must enter into
mans social life. And 1 am fo-tu-
i,, - pla 81