The Washington times., 1917-03-04

clubs are not so keen about the in
augural parade as they usually are.
The general uncertainty as to what
is going to happen next seems to be
ihclining members to stay home,
where they can give their affairs i'm
mediate attention should occasion re-
quire. And the inaugural committee
has offended the auxiliary committee
of women, so that the women's fea-
lures which were expected to be an
attractive feature of this years pa
rade seem likely to be something Of
a fzzle.
Private Entertainments
Going MerriIy sOn.
But IL the public features are not
panning out, the private entertaining
of inaugural guests is going merrily
on. Governors and mayors and dis
tinguished citizens are thick as
blackberries in Washington these
days. Many of them are house guests
of officials and of private citizens
from their own neighborhood who
maintain homes in Washington dur
ing the season. And all are func-
tioning" as honor guests for three
meals a day, and some apparently
for five or six. There is a regular
blizzard of heavy white envelopes of
all sizes descending upon the just and
the unjust alike, provided they are
of any earthly social or official i'm
portance.
One of the most interesting of these
inaugural functions is the ball which
the Vice President and Mrs. Marshall
are giving at the Willard in honor of
the Black Horse Troop of the Culver
Military Institute, which is to be the
Vice Presidents escort during the
inaugural parade. The Marshalls
passed up this season the two recep-
tions, with dancing, which they have
heretofore given during February:
There simply was no time for them.
So their inaugural ball-hailed as
such because IT is being given on the
evening of Inauguration day-was re-
garded as replacing these two dances.
But Mrs. Marshall does not mean IL
in just that way. She plans a much
smaller party, and has sent out COM
paratively few Invitations to Wash
ington folk.
IFS Culver Boys and
Officers I'm Party.
There will be about 125 Of the Gull
yer boys, and their officers. The Mar
shalls have out about 100 general in
vitations, and Mrs. Marshall has "coI-
lected" perhaps seventy-five of the
smartest and most generally attrac-
tive girls in Washington official life
and, whisper it, l am told has even
raided the finishing schools, with
which Washington fairly swarms,
and gotten quite a flock OF (be not
offended, little ones) chickens for her
boys.
Some one asked her sympathetic
ally IL she was not having an awful
time standing of people who wanted
to bring their inaugural guests with
them There are so many OF these in
town that they might easily swamp
a party where the hosts are as popu-
lar as the Marshalls. But Mrs. Mar
shalT laughed blitheIy at that sug-
gestion- mo, indeed, / haven't had
that trouble. Some of my girls have
asked If they. might bring their
beauX, and I have told them that
beaux would have to be checked at
the door. II they had any nice girls
visiting them ! would be charmed to
include them, but that I was provid-
ing the beaux for this particular
party"
One Inauguration Novelty
at Least Ii Sure.
So Washington is going to have one
novelty for Inauguration, anyhow
party where there will be men a.
plenty and girls will be at apremium.
And military ball, at that, with uni
forms galore and the military idea
carried out in the decorations-just
the sort OF dance that every girl
dotes on. Just between ourselves,
however, I think Mrs. Marshall is
optimistic in thinking that the de-
mand for cards is not going to swamp
her.
Mrs. Wilson's mourning has also
put stop to all speculation as to
whether she and the President would
or would not attend the ball to be
! given by the Vice President and Mrs.
Marshall or the function at the Wash
ington Club. Neither supposition was
entirely impossible.
Last year the President and Mrs.
Wilson attended the second of two
receptions, with dancing. given by
Vice President and Mrs. Marshall, ar
riving quite Unexpectedly, lingering
to make a tour OF the rooms after
|
enjoying themselves thoroughly.
As a matter OF fact, the Marshalls
are celebrating, quite unconsciously,
an event that has not happened be-
fore for nearly 100 years-the re-eIec-
tion of a Vice President with his
President In fact, this Is only the
third instance of it in the history OF
the republic. the two others being
John Adams, who served as Vice
President to Washington during the
first Presidents two terms, and D. D..
Tompkins. who was Monroe's running
mate through the entire eight years,
from 1917 to 1925. And IL hasn't hap
pened since, for OF Clinton's two
terms one was with Jefferson and one
with Madison: and Calhoun served
through the four years OF John
Quincy Adams and then one term
with Jackson, he being the last Vice
President who was elected for two
terms.
Many Farewell Activities
Done Away with.
Social activity in the Administra.
tIon circle is, OF course, only a feat
ure of an Inauguration when the Ad-
ministration succeeds itself, neither
incoming nor outgoing officials beine