The Washington herald., 1918-02-17
Women Prominent the Social Life of the Nations Capital

years for those commissions va.
only the nrst ten IN the clas1 received
Well young Barnett made the bes
Of it by going into the Marine Corps
and the Marine Corps has a Cheerful
habit of being where things are hap
pening. 90 MAJ. Gen. George Barnett
U. 8. NJ. c.. has seen some pretty
lively service IN his time. Moreover
oficers who have grown gray in thu
service agree that no commandant OF
marines has ever accomplished sc
much for the corps a. he has. Sc
there was very general feeling thai
when 80 many men in high positions
in various branches Of the service ara
under FIRE to make a change in the
case Of a man who seems TO be equal
ly persona grata with the powers that
der him.
Hearing some one whiEtling Captain
links of the Horse Marines, who fec
his horse on corn and beans" like
perfectly good Hooverite. brings .tc
mind the sudden activity of the Rid
there has always been considerably
going on there, and Il has pulled off
some society circuses that were
scream. Also IL has been largely the
Riding and Hunt Club set that has
been responsible for the Besux Arts
balls that have enlivened the las
two or three winters; largely because
George Oakley Totten is at once an
artist and an organizer and the besi
sort OF q sport, and he has brought
his architectural artist crowd and his
sporty riding crowd together with
most satisfactory results 20 far "a
getting action goes.
But this year IL has been singularly
quiescent. George Oakley Totten is a
major in the Engineer Corps, shouldn't
wonder a bit IL he was back of that
camouflage ball which the csmoV-
flouge-they are engineers-are get
ting up as a JOINT benefit for them
selves and Neighborhood House.
though ] don't remember hearing him
mentioned in connection with it.
However, back TO the Riding and
Hunt Club. William Phelps Emo is
its president this year. and he has
lately revived the musical rides the,
were so popular there in past season..
only Tuesday is the night this yeat
instead OF Thursday. With the towr
simply swarming with officers OF a.
nationalities the rides have takCr
tremendously. At the first one there
were thirty-six couples, at the second
several hundred, and now the club is
wondering IL II has bitten off more
than ia can chew" But II refuses 10
he daunted, or TO call off the rides.
Moreover, Mr.. Emo has opened the
club two nights a Week-Wednesdu
and Fiday-to any man in any unI-
form who wants to learn TO ride
Horses are there 10 be rented very
cheaply-at the same rates as to cIut
members-and on these two nights In.
structors are in attendance 10 give
any one who wants them pointers In
the gentle art OF sticking on.
Moreover. all men in uniform are
also cordially invited 10 attend the
Thursday evening French classes al
All Souls Parish Hall Competent in
structors sue ON hand to help the men
learn simple French. which will make
the getting about 30 much easier ''ovor
there" The French lessons-thoUrr
they really are eagerly sought by quite
as many men as can be taken care Of
are done up in a suEar-coated pill OF
other interesting features. Last
Thursday. for instance. there was
short French lesson BY Nine. BenTy,
followed by an addressby a French
officer. a group OF French songs sung
by Mrs. Fairfax. and. finally. an hour
devoted TO French conversation and
light refreshments.
All this, without money and without
price. TO the men in uniform Who
wouldn't be the man in uniform, all
things considered?
Formal church weddings are almost
a thing OF the past nowadays. some
thing else to blame on the war. There
are sure 70 be war weddings during
the Lenten period. Engagements
show no signs of decreasing. and sew
announced OF late.
That marriages contracted by men
OF draft age on and after May Is
1877. and urged by them as reason
why they should be exempted from
serving with the national army, are
not TO be Jumped as Stacker" mar
riages hereafter is a late ruling OF
the War Department. Each case is
TO be considered on its own merits
So far there have been no Stacker
marriages I'm Washington society.
Quite to the contrary. the bridegrooms
since last May have all been in serv-
ice or were just entering II in some
way or other. There is hardly a dis
tinguished family now but has one
or two members. sometimes three and
four. in actual service. The Tuscsnia
disaster has brought home TO many