Omaha daily bee., 1917-01-02
TEUTONS WILL NOT
LINE WITH BRITISH
White House Social Program
Provides that Diplomats Be
Received Different Days.
SEASON ENDS EARLIER

orally expected, it omits the colorful
diplomatic reception, because Of the
war, and also the time-honored New
Years reception for the public. in
accordance with the custom President
Wilson set when coming into Office.
In place of the diplomatic recep-
ton there will be two diplomatic din
ners. The entente diplomats and all
neutrals will be entertained at the
first and the Teutonic diplomats and
all neutrals will be guests at the sec
ond.
The embarrassments which would
be caused by inviting the representa-
tives of the warning powers to rub
elbows at the same reception may be
more imaginary than actual, but they
are regarded by the social managers
as having possibilities, notwithstand-
ing that it is said that the ambassa-
dor from one of the principal entente
allies and the ambassador from one
of the principal Teutonic powers al
ways exchange courteous greetings
when they pass on the street. How
ever. the program has been arranged
to keep the warning diplomats apart.
All on Tuesday.
The social events all come on Tues
days instead of Thursday, as for
merly; the season begins earlier and
ends in February instead of March,
probably due to the fact that the
White House wants it over by in
auguration time.
This is the program as officially
announced:
December 1e-Cabineet dinner. p. m.
December 19--Judicial reception, . pm.
January S-Diplomatc dinner, p. m.
January 16-Diplomatic dinner, s p. m.
January % - Congressional reception.
p. m.
January 3o-supreme court dinner, s p. m.
February 6--Army and navy reception,
.. p. m.
February 13-Speakers dinner, 8 p. m.
Before the war the diplomatic re-
ception was the social show of the
winter. Invitations were sought so
eagerly by those who were not quite
sure to be invited that the president
set the rule of placing an arbitrary
limit on the number, outside of the
diplomatic corps, who were to be in
vited without his personal approval.
In form the reception differed little
from those to congress, the army or
navy, or the judiciary. In fact it had
a distinctly different atmosphere. The
brilliant uniforms of the diplomats
and their aides, the distinctly foreign
manners of many, and the ceremony
with which custom surrounds a dip
lomat when he is out in full-dress uni
form made the reception distinctive
from the others.
A Brief Greeting.
In a general way all the receptions
are conducted alike. A few special
guests are permitted to enter the
main door of the executive mansion,
but most enter at the east entrance
and after leaving outer garments in
the lower corridors of the White
House form in long lines leading up
the marble staircase to the first floor
and into the Blue room, where the
President and Mrs. Wilson, aided by
members of the cabinet and their
wives, with army and navy aides in
full dress, receive them.
The introductions are made by an
aide; brief word of greeting is
spoken, followed by a hasty hand
clasp, and the guest passes along to
the end of the receiving line to spend
the remainder of the evening NOV
ing about or chatting with friends in
the crowd. Even to personal friends
the president or his wife cannot say
more than a word, because to each
of the receptions come between 1,500
and 1000 persons. and things have to
move on time. In the state dining
room the guests usually find a buff
fet luncheon and in opposite ends of
the main corridor two sections of
the Marine band play almost continu-
ously.
World and Wife.
The nearer the top one is in official
Washington, the surer one is to re-
ceive invitations to these affairs, al
though some of the receptions are
not so Exclusive" as the others. The
congressional reception, for instance,
usually finds the world and his wife
having a good time in the White
House and not always in evening
dress.
In a capital where there are hun
dreds Of persons not connected with
the government, but active in social
life, the limit to the number of invi-
tations must be guaged by the ca
pacity of the White House itself, if
there were no other reasons. 1t is
not easy for the social secretary and
the force of clerks who handle the
invitations to discriminate. Failure
to be invited to at least one reception
may not be fatal to social aspirations,
but it is something to be avoided by
those who make at least pretension to
social prominence.
Invitations Scarce.
Invitations, if anything, are not so
easy to obtain as they used to be. A
story told in social circles has it that
at the opening Of President Wilson's
term certain senator of influence
sent to the White House for ten in
vitations, issued in blank, in which
he wished to write the names of con-
stituents to whom he wished to show
some favor. The story has it that his
request w-s refused with rebuke.
For some of the White House af-
fairs, demand for invitations has been
so great that almost unheard of sub
terfuges are used to obtain them and
on one occasion watchful door tenders
picked up admission tickets which
proved to be very clever forgeries.
The cabinet dinner, which comes
first this year, is comparatively quiet
affair, participated in only by the presi-
dent and his wife, the cabinet men,
bers and their wives and possibly a
half dozen invited guests. 1t takes
place in the state dining room and is