The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1916-03-12
JEAN EL0T|
81 Letter.

bt:t mostly It has reused rather Tolerant
amusement.
You see 90 many Of tho women OF of
fetal life once experienced the feeling
which must have inspired such state
Ment, q feeling that life in the Capital
10 Just zone DIN social thing after an
other" with a deal OF striving after
place and position.
They have since come to see. what we
old-tlmers have always known. that
washington is Just such city a. other
cities. that Il presents earnest work Tor
the earnest workers as well as frivoi-
tiles for the frivolous.
When Mrs. Baker does come to town
and We all regret her decision TO oeiay
her corning--she1l find all the chance
she wants to meet people who thinK' 10
interest herself in real things.
Bless 4,er, this is the headquarters for
real things, and, II 1 may be pardoned'
for real people.
Take the case of her associates In
the Cabinet contingent, for instance.
There IN not one of them but regards
society as a secondary issue and finds
plenty OF time for the progressive
work. which Mrs. Baker thinks she can
find in Cleveland more than in WASH
ington.
q
With all her onerous duties-and me
social duties of the wife OF the Secre-
tary of State are naturally OF more
momentous import than those Of any
woman save the Presidents wife, Mrs.
Lansing is an ardent worker for the
Y, w. c, A., and has been particularly
active in their Golden Jubilee member
ship campaign.
Even Mrs. McAdoo, who, as the
youngest of the little coterie, might be
forgiven a preference for social frivol-
ing over social work. has her afternoons
devoted to the kindergarten of Neigh
borhood House.
Activities of Wide Range.
And for the rest, their ectivities range
from Mrs. Burleson's playwriting TO
Mrs. Daniels keen interest in the edu-
catjonal work for the Southern noun
taineers and in the work done by the
Daughters Of the ConfederacY for the
Southern veterans.
But. dear me. they have too many
private philanthropies and the public
espousal OF too many good causes 70
their credit for me to mention. More
over, they are a notably domestic crew,
and there arc not to be found In Cieve-
land nor anywhere else a happier lot
Of homes than those over which the
ladies of the Cabinet preside.
=
It's such fun to have Ruth Bliss-I
can't bring myself to call her anything
else, although she has been Mrs. Wat
kns for nearly a year now-back In
town again. And 1 think she. too. is
enjoying the renewal OF old friend
ships.
She has returned with her mother.
Mrs. George Bliss, who spent two
months with her at Leavenworth. and
will take her departure on Thursday
next, unless the Mexican situation
should send her speeding home to her
husband bit sooner. Several old
friends have arranged informal parties
FOR Ruth, one of the most popular girls
who ever made her debut here.
Captain Watkins year at the engi-
neer school at Leavenworth will be up
next autumn; after that their plans are
unsettled. He may stay on at Leaven-
worth for another year or he may be
ordered-well. anywhere.
Although the mo liquor" rule In still
In force aboard the cruiser Tennessee
which Ia bearing the American MEM
bers Of the International High Commits
sion to Buenos Aires, the regulation
fortidding the presence OF women on
battleship except at social functions in
port, has been smashed TO smithereens.
For which the women Of the party
arc probably blessing the fact that q
Presidents daughter is among them.
Per contra. tho representatives Of the
press associations who usually go on
such trips are conspicuous by their alb
sence.
BY tho time they get back. the NC
Adoos will be thinking of packing up
for the summer. And the rumor that
they were leasing a house at Elberon.
near Shadow Lawn. which is to be the
summer White House, while It had
about died out, is given fresh vitality
by the announcement that Secretary
McAdoo has sold the place at North
Haven which he bought only a year
ago. and with which he and his young
wife seemed 80 much pleased last sum-
mer.
They bought It with most Of its fur
nishings from Edward Cameron. OF st.
Louis, and now thew have sold II,
equally with most OF its furnishings to
Il. b. Afford, OF Brookline. As a mat
ter of fact, it's dollars to doughnuts
that, being a campaign year, the Sec
rotary OF the Treasury will be swing
ing around In circles pretty much OF
the summer. and it seems plausible that
as he will want to report, to and con-
suit with his august father-in-law at
frequent intervals, he will prefer to
have Mrs. McAdoo somewhere handy
to her fathers chosen resort.
For he Is a most attentive and de-
voted husband-and he has one of the
most charming wives who has ever
graced the. Cabinet circle, and one Of
the most popular.
Natalie Berry Boynton, widow OF
Brig. Gen. Theodore - Boynton, has
recently been presented with a pair OF
handsome gold knitting needles by a
friend who Is constantly occupied knit
ting comforts for the children OF French
refugees.
Mrs. Boynton was In France last sum-
mer, and was an active worker for the
relief of the refugees, particularly the