The Washington times., 1918-03-17

from being lonesome; and frequently
lately I've seen the name Mrs. Brett"
linked with Mrs. Bakers When I
asked Mrs. Lowe the other day who
this Mrs. Brett who accompanies Mrs.
Baker to 80 many places might be,
she laughed and replied: That's just
what she does do. She's a talented
pianist and devotes a good deal of
her time to playing accomplishments
for the, wife of the Secretary of War.
now that her husband, Major Morgan
L. Brett. is accompanying Mr.. Bsk-
er on his jaunt to the front. Major
Brett. who belongs by rights to the
beCn on duty in the office OF the
Chief Of Ordnance is one OF the Sec
retary's aides-de-camp. The Bretts
have q house in Chevy Chase.
With the Lansings and the Gre
gorys in mourning, Secretary Baker
away and Mrs. Daniels. wife OF the
Secretary OF the Navy. off on q most
kindly and characteristic errand. a
trip to North Carolina to see her old
nurse, who has been with her family
for twenty-five years, and who 10 i'll,
we have had to depend on the Nc
Adoos, the Lanes, and the Houstons
to hold up the social end OF cabinet
activities. Mrs. Redfield is never
very active socially. you see, nor Is
Mrs. Burleson: and this year the
two little Burleson girls are too busy
to play round As much as they usnal-
ly do.
As for the Secretary OF Labor's fam
lily. Are. Wilson Is an invalid and
both Agnes and Mary Wilson are girls
rvhn haNa wfda NJ ntHNafAa
ciety. Did you know that last
year Mary Wilson undertook the en-
tire management Of the farm at Blo5s-
burg, Pa, which Is the home of the
" Ilson family and made no end OF q
success Of it7 She Is running the
farm again this year and just at pres
ent Is more interested In spring plant
ing than anything else.
=
LanstnEs Arc Leaders
In Legsfion Society.
The Lansings, by virtue OF Mr..
Lansing's position as Secretary of
State as well as through inclination
and association. are definitely affil-
lated with the diplomats and that
according to Julian Street-"afhuent
group made up of persons possessing
much money. usually inherited, and q
great deal of leisure in which to
think about the diplomatic set
In this group are former ambas-
sAdors and their wives, as well as
numerous men who have dreamed OF
being ambassadors some day, or
whose wives have dreamed OF being
ambassadors wives-of living In
musty palaces In foreign capitals,
driving around town behind cockaded
coachmen, going to court functions
with feathers In their hair and
jewelry all over them
So, too, are the Lanes and the
Houstons-the former by reason Of
long residence in Washington and
familiarity with the politico-social-
diplomatic aspects OF life In the Cap
ital, the latter simply by force Of
gravitation apparently-and, yes. the
AlcAdoos, too. For the rest, the
Cabinet women seem to I'm dtheir
friends in other circles OF Washing
tons rather complex society.
-
This week, by the way, the National
woman Suffrage Association was sue
cessful IN pulling OF" its tea party
in honor Of Mrs. Daniels. Twice be-
fore the attempt was made and each
time, although the receptions were
pleasant enough Il was a case OF
'Hamlet without Hamlet" as Mrs.
Daniels had to send regrets at the
last minute. She had Q severe attack
OF bronchitis or grippe, you may re-
member. and II played havoc with her
engagement book
-
Mrs- Lawrence Townsend has gone
to New York especially to hear CALI
q. a.. nnA anhffinn
project do you suppose she has In
mind7 Nothing less than to bring
the great prima donna OF the Chicago
Opera Company to Washington to sing
at q mammoth benefit for the surgical
dresslng-the national organization.
Doesn't that sound alluring? Particu-
larly since the tickets for the one re-
cital Galli-CuTci IL to give here, some
time In May. were sold out on the
very day the sale OF seats opened.
Mrs Townsend's son. Lieut.. Law
renee Townsend, Jr.-the one who Is
in the navy-who has been going
about with his beautiful mother a
good deal lately, Is in Washington
still. How long he'll be here is un-
certain. az he's on leave and Is wait
ing orders. Her other son. Lieut..
Reginald Townsend, U. s. A, Is al
ready In france, serving as aide-de-
camp to General McKinstry.
=
Oh, to have q commissionl We must
have an AmericaniZatIon OF the w. A.
A. C.'s Just as soon as possible, and
I'm going to be the generalissimo OF
II, Susan. I have discovered the real
Justification for patriotism.
II you've been away from home
lately you know how impossible 1t is
to get a room in a hotel almost any
where. Likewise. you may recollect
the disgusting preference for young
men in khaki under such circum'
stances.
Well, this thing has gone to the
point Of utterly demoralizing me.
! They've organized the officerE Club