Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1916-02-05

cabinet are often seen at the teas and
receptions of congressional women.
One reason for the greater freedom
and cordially of Washington society
this year is that a period of mourning
in the white house put q ban upon for
NAL entertainment for some months.
This let down the formidable bars Of
precedence and conyentionality ana
gave persons a chance to meet inform.
ally and become real friends instead Of
knowing each other merely as manni.
kins in the official punch and judy
show.
The tendency to stay awhile and
talk. instead of merely sending the
footman in with a card, has led to the
revival of the tea table, which long ago
had been discarded by official society.
Following the white house precedent
of really serving something to eat in
stead of merely a nibble and a napkin,
these tea. tables are being more and
more generously laden.
The regular feed is also a promin-
ent feature this season of the coming
out parties of the numerous Washing
ton d%ebutantes. Each official person
who comes to Washington seems to
bring about five persons of the femi-
nine gender, most of whom are more
or less burdened with social ambition.
Naturally, this heavy importation of
feminine loneliness causes a chronic
stringency in the mar market. The
first requisite Of social success for a
debutante in Washington is a follow
ing of males who own dress suits and
can dance. AS a result, the Washing
ton young man Is one of the most
fused over, overfed and overappreciat-
ed individuals in the country. He has
become quite a distinct genus, who
must be seen to be appreciated-and Is
not always appreciated then. This Is
evidenced by the fact that the wives
of some foreign diplomats have prac-
tically given up formal entertaining
because of their inability to appreciate
the unconventional hilarity of the
young men who swarmed their draw
ing rooms and could not always be
identified by means of the invitation
list.
Most of the volunteer society men
are college boys, young fellows in the
government employ, students for mill
tary examinations and others of a
carefree and happy-go-lucky status who
are naturally inclined to regard So
.ciety as their oyster. Since it could
hardly be opened without them, per-
haps they are right. At any rate, the
quickening Of social activity and its
unprecedented generosity in the mat
ter of refreshment give them great
gastronomic joy.
Another complication in the present
Washington social season is the atti.
tude toward each other of b bell1ger-
ent ambassadors. It was necessary to
give two diplomatic dinners instead OF
the one which has long been a leading
event of the season. This, however,
was by no means a complete solution
of the difficulty, because it was impos.
sible to give two dinners simultaneous
ly and very difficult to entertain either
Clique first without offending the
other. The French ambassador, being
the dean Of TIE diplomatic corps, was
finally honored with an invitation to
the first dinner, while Count o Berns.
torff attended the second. Amends
were made to the German ambassador,
however, by inviting him later to a
yery small and select reception at the
white house where he had the pleasure
of meeting a number of Wash1ngton's
leading retailers.
So the present season is bringing a
number of momentous changes to that
most ancient and honorable of Ameri.
can social circles - the Washington
official set. 1t is pleasant to note that
the tendency is always toward greater
cordially of feeling and more truly
democratic ideals of entertainment.