Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-11-26
FEWER FUNCTIONS
At WHITE HOUSE
Diplomatic, Pan-American and
New Year Reception Omit
ted From Schedule.
PROGRAM is ANNOUNCED
THE PROGRAM:

! The formal program OF social enter
| tainments to be given by President and
Mrs. Wilson during the season OF 1916
and 1917 was announced at the White
| House last night, the principal feature
| being the omission Of the reception in
honor of the members Of the diplomatic
| corps. the place OF which was taken
last year by reception in honor of the
! Latin-American diplomats. There is no
pan American reception scheduled this
year. and no New Year reception is
| announced.
With the omission of the diplomatic
reception, usually the most brilliant
entertainment. public or private. of the
| winter in Washington and which has
been a time-honored event, it is evident
that the social program at the White
! House this winter Is to be an extremely
simple one. The entertainments begin
| three weeks earlier than last season.
and end that much earlier, probably
for the reason that it might be incon-
venient to be carrying out social pro-
gram around Inauguration time.
The first event on the schedule is
dinner, December IL, In honor of the
members Of the cabinet. This is to be
followed, December 19. by a reception
in honor of the judiciary; January 8. by
diplomatic dinner; January Is, by
another diplomatic dinner: January 23
by reception in honor Of the members
OF Congress: January 80. by a dinner in
honor of the Supreme Court of the
United states; February 6, by recep-
tion in honor of tn Army and Navy.
and February 13. by dinner in honor
OF the Speaker Of the House of Repre-
sentatives.
To Finish Before Inauguration.
On this schedule the state entertain
ments will be ended morD than two weeks
before the Inauguration. Another inter-
esting change is in connection with the
fact that last season the state recep-
tions were given Friday evenings and the
state dinners were given Tuesday even
ings Before the administration Of Presi-
dent Wilson all state entertainments were
given Thursday evenings. This season,
however, all the entertainments will be
given Tuesday evenings
There are to be two diplomatic din
ners this season, as last, owing to the
war in Europe, and the fact that 1t is
not expedient to invite to the White
House at the same time the representa-
tives of the powers which are at war
ing two dinners solved this problem last
season. the representatives of the allies
being invited to one and the representa-
tvs Of the Teuton powers and their
companions in arms being invited to the
other. 1t is presumed that this plan will
be followed again this season, Ambas-
sador Jusserand. representing France,
being the ranking diplomat who will
escort Mrs. Wilson to dinner at the enter
tainment to which representatives of the
allies are invited, and Ambassador Won
Bernstorf, representing Germany, being
the ranking diplomat who will escort Mrs.
which representatives of the Teuton pow
ers and their companions in arms are in
vited.
The public of Washington, including
merely the "onlookers." have always
taken a deep interest in tine gaia social
events at the White House. and the
diplomatic reception has always been
the means of bringing to Washington
for the winter social season a large and
important group OF hostesses from
other cities. especially New York.
Philadelphia, Boston. Baltimore Rich
n'ond and other eastern communities
who have taken houses hee. and who
have entertained largely because Of
the brilliancy OF the social winter as
set by the White House program. This
/ has usually made the month of Janu-
AIRY an especially Interesting one So
cially, but the coming January there
| will be but one reception at the White
House-the ono in honor of the mem
bers Of Congress.
The Less Important Functions.
The other events on the White House
program for January are dinners,
which do not attract as much public at
tention as the receptions. The nights
| the latter are held it has been no un-
| usual thing to see thousands Of Wash
| ingtonians gathered In the neighbor-
! hood OF the White House. irrespective
/ of the weather. which has often been of
a semi-bliZzard character. to watch the
gay throngs arriving in carriages, in
I automobiles and afoot, as happy and
| as eager at the prospect Of the reveis
! within the brilliantly Illuminated and
historic old mansion as the actual
! participants about to enter.
| Another innovation in this seasons pro-
gram is that the receptions are to begin
at o'clock instead of 8 80 o'clock, the
! hour Of last season. This. will probably
/ have the effect of having them end earlier
and giving the tired President and the
! first lady Of the land an opportunity to
retire earlier after having stood in line
( for hours and laboriously shaken SO many
hands. as they are required to do
! The fact that there is to be no resump-
| ton OF the New Year reception Ions, a
! feature Of White House life dear to the
heart of the Washingtonian before the
| administration of President Wilson he
walks of life paid their respects to the
| leading citizen of Washington on that
day. caused no surprise in Washington
last night, President Wilson never having
| ing. it is understood. opposed to it
|
To Raise Standard of Hospitals.