The Washington times., 1916-01-02
JEAN ELIOTcT
LETTER. {

SUSAN, DHARs-Soctety has long
been a business in Washington, but OF
late II has been reduced to a science.
We are having a period of the most
scientifically arranged entertainments OF
4 purely private character that has
ever been given here, and the idea
behind It all is so novel and so inter-
esting that not even the distinguished
scientists OF the Pan-American Con-
gress, for whose delectation the town
has turned itself upside down, are
aware of just how the thing is being
done.
The irrepressible John Barrett Is the
author Of the scheme, and the idea Is
just this-he knew that there would
be. a lot OF interesting people from
South and Central America here who
would be delighted to meet a lot of
the interesting people OF our country.
He also knew that there were num-
erous accomplished hostesses In Wash
inGton. So he planned to bring the
three sections together in a social
working unit. to arrange a series OF
dinner parties, teas, luncheons, social
afrairs of all sorts, that would bring
the visitors from Pan-America into
closer touch with representative
Americans than any number OF public
or semi-pubIlc functions could possibly
do.
N was a real undertaklng-mos
people said It couldn't be done-but Il
has been done. There have been more
dinner parties in Washington this week
and there are more planned for next
week than have been given in years.
The scheme was carried through bv the
Assistant Secretary of State. William
Phillips, with the able assistance OF
Stedman Hanks. a tall young man. who
has figured prominently in some Of the
social functions here recently: Boaz
] ,ong. minister to Salvador. Maddin sum-.
Iners, the energetic. young consul general
to some silly little place on the coast or
Brazil, where all sorts OF things hap
pen that bring him back to Washing
ton, and one or two other enterprising
young men.
There Is in New York bureau OF
social requirements. which provides
everything necessary for a dinner or
sny sort of social function-sonetimes
even to the guests. The Phillips-Sum-
mers- s-Stedman- Barrett ct al. combina-
ton go them one better. They provide
not only guests but 'hostesses. The
method is this: Mrs. Blank IS asked
Rhe will entertain on certain evening.
She Is given the number of guests she
NAV expect, and all she has to do Is
to furnish the dinner and act as smiling
hostess. Mr.. Hanks, in his social bu-
resu of the Pan-American Congress,
then complies nice little list OF Pam
American highbrows and a list OF
United States savants, inviting them to
meet each other. Care is taken that
all shall speak the same language. and
this indefatigable young man and his
a ssociates even go so far as to arrange
the seating of the tables so that the
a archeologist from Peru may sit next TO
some one who Is interested In arche-
oloEv and in Peru, and who can speak
the language of the savant. And
sprinkled through the guest list-ln ad-
dition to a select few invited by the
hoetess-are two or three OF the bright
Young men and women who have been
working their heads or as social aides
to the congress.
And. take it from me, Susan. these
social aides have had to work. they
have been assigned to duty with the
various delegations, to see that each
and every one of the visitors Is prop
erly and appropriately entertained
meets congenial people, and is made
emecIally welcome 1t has been nec"s-
sarv for them to be on the job morning.
noon. and night, to engineer the social
arrangements for endless breakfasts
luncheons, and dinners.
Poor John Henderson broke down un-
der the strain, and was carted OF to
the hospital on Friday. where the ac-
surgeons removed his ap-
pendIx. The others are showing the
effects of their labors, but they have the
consolation of knowing that the work
OF the social aides-the men and the
long list of prominent women who ale
helping them-has excited both wonder
ana admiration for its originality and
complete utility.
-
The social side of the congress will
wind up in a blaze of glory next FRI
day with the Presidents reception, and
then the delegates will be off for
iunket to various points of interest all
over the country. Yesterday was par
Hlhulary ,tSu and interesting day
with Charles Henry Buffers original
''Montsweag farm lunchcon"-all the
food came direct from the farm"-tor
some of the men. Mrs. Edison Bradley's
brilliant reception, near score of din
ners. and the big reception at the Pan
American building as a climax.
I should think John Barrett would be
filled with pride. and very justihable
pride, on an occasion like this. or
course the great Pan-American idea
came into being long before his time
and equally OF course the thing has now
crown beyond any one mans concep-
tion: but John Barrett was the man in
this country who focused the idea, made
Il concrete. and to whose efforts the
strides that the Pan-Amer1-
can Union has made are largely due.
II is seldom that any man achieves a
while he is living, but to me
The beautiful Pan-American Union
building stands as a monument to Mr..
Barrett.
The Pan-American building, by the
way, was the scene of Teresa Granda