The Washington times., 1919-12-28

and besides, the food is famous. Most
of the viands are brought from Mont
sweag Farm, the Buffers summer
home in Maine, and smelts, caught
through hole in the ice and cooked
after famous recipe, are usually the
piece de resistance of the menu.
Wade Ellis "old-fashioned Christ
mas party'-isn't that suggestive of
egg-nog and other Christmas cheer?-
was just such a breakfast from. all
accounts. Given on Christmas Day,
there were about a hundred men pres
ent-Secretary Lane, Justice McReyn-
olds, Justice Van Devanter, Senator
kellogg, Senator Harding. and on
down the line. notable men of official
dom and of the various professions
They drifted in for buffet luncheon
between ~ and 1 o'clock and fingered
late over their cigars while good
stories went the rounds Mr.. Ellis
had a similar breakfast last Christ
mas for smaller party. some twen-
ty-fve men. It's success led to the
larger party this year and 1t Is on
the cards that, like Mr.. Buffers New
Year party, it will become an annual
institution. / wish you might see Mr..
and Mrs. Ellis library some day. It's
such a delightful room and one Of
the best selected Libraries in town.
Lansings To Revive
Diplomatic Breakfast.
The Secretary of State and Mrs
Lansing are attempting a delicate
task in bringing the diplomatic corps
together officially for the first time
since the war and in the present state
of international distrust. But, after
a IA
member that it is diplomatic"
breakfast and Mrs. Lansing is a hos
tess of such skill and tact that there's
small chance of any unpleasant in
cident arising.
This historic function will be given
at the home of Secretary and Mrs.
Lansing in Eighteenth street. where
every diplomat of note visiting Wash
ington in the last quarter Of CEN
tury has been entertained, first by
Mrs. Lansing's father, the late Gen.
John w. Foster and since by the
present Secretary of State.
In the last few years the diplomatic
corps has outgroWn the possibility of
being entertained as a body in any
private house, so the Lansngs will
follow the precedent established by
the late John Hay when he was Sec
retary of State and will entertain
only the ambassadors, ministers and
charges daffaires-the chiefs of mis-
SIonS, in short-with their wives and
daughters and their military and
naval aides. And even with their
list thus reduced they'll have over
hundred guests at their breakfast
The breakfast will take on added in
tcrcst from the fact that the diplo-
matte corps has been almost COM
pletely reorganized since 1914 and
that there are many newcomers both
of ambassadorial and ministerial
rank who have not yet come to-
Scthcr at any formal entertainment
In point of fact, the corps has been
pretty nearly made over since the
last diplomatic breakfast in 1913. The
French Ambassador, NJ. JuSserand, is
StIll dean of the corps, but the Span
lSh Ambassador. Senior Riano, is the
only CHER ambassador row IN Wash
lngtoIS who represented his country
here Eafore the world war. The list
of mE listers, too, is short, including
only the Minister of Bolivia, Sepr
Calderon; the Minister Of Norway,
Mr.. Bryn; the Minister Of Sweden,
Mr.. Ekengrcn; the Minister of Den
mark, Mr.. Brun, and the Minister of
Siam, Phya Prabha Karavongse.
Apparently the prevailing uncon-
vcntionality has invaded even the
sacred sphere of diplomatic procedure
1t used not to be considered etiquette
for diplomat to be entertained off
clally in the character of his coun-
trN's representative until he had pre-
Sonted his credentials to the Presi-
dent. But included among the guests
at this purely Official party of the
Secretary of States WILL Of course.
be the large and growing group of
diplomats who are waiting the oppor-
tunity to be received by President
WIlson-the Belgian ambassador. who
presented his credentials as minister
several years ago, but has not been
officially received since his promo
ton; the British Ambassador, WIS.,