The Nevada County picayune., 1919-07-31
WHITE HOUSE |S
 AGAIN CENTER
OLD ACTIVITIES RESUMED WITH RETURN OF PRESIDENT
 FROM FRANCE
WILL RESUME SOCIAL LIFE
For Five Years Executive Mansion Has Been Closed to All Forms of Entertainment, but With Ending of War 1t Again Comes to Life.
By EDWARD B. CLARK.

By EDWARD B. CLARK. Washington.-Once more the doors of the White House swing outward and inward. There are lights in the win dows by night, motors approach and depart by day, and what was lifeless Is life.
 The old days of the White House probably have returned to stay. Even while the president Is on his travels members of the family and of the household will remain to keep open the old mansion and to show that the spirit of hospitality once more has lodgment under the roof.
 Never before in the history of the country has the White House been removed for so long a time from the social activities and, latterly. from the business activities of the city and the nation. Washington believes that from now on through the years the fine old house within the finer old grounds will take its place as the cen ter of the capitals social life as 1t is
 
 directing energies.
 During the four years of war, or, more properly speaking, five years, be- cause the armistice did not necessarily mean peace, the White House re- mained virtually closed against all forms of entertainment. For three years, or almost three years. the Unit ed States was not involved directly in the war. but the horror of the battle fields in Europe made itself felt, not only In the White House but in all the houses of larger entertaining In the city of Washington The president and Mrs. Wilson apparently did not feel that 1t was the time for entertain ing.
 Entertainments Dropped.
 Something besides sentiment Is re- sponsibe for the virtual barring of the doors of the White House All enter tainments that are given within the executive mansion precincts are In the natural order of events shared in by the representatives of foreign na- tions. When France, England, Bel gium and Russia, and later Italy, were fighting Germany. Austria, Turkey and Bulgaria it became virtually impossi- ble to give an entertainment at the White House without including in the list of guests representatives of the clashing nations. This would have made for embarrassment, and so 1t was that with very few exception all en- tertainments were taboo.
 After the United States entered the war there were no entertainments gwen at the White House
 During the Civil war White House entertainments were not given over entirely. The circumstances of the case were somewhat different from those of the past five years. The country was in the throes of war which might be called one of brother against brother, but there was feel ing among the high officials of govern ment at that time that 1t was good for the United States to keep up a sem blance of things normal. It was the
 
 and Wilson seems to have another.
 In England at the outbreak of the present war the people showed a de- termination to keep to their ordinary pursuits in life as much as was possi- ble. It was the feeling of the men and women of England, no matter how much their hearts might be cast down, that 1t was better to buoy themselves up and the nation up by keeping things as nearly normal as possible.
 Matter Of Viewpoint.
 In France it was different The French people looked at the matter from a different standpoint than that from which the English were viewing 1t. They shut all their theaters except those producing serious plays and those showing moving pictures of a kind to inspire patriotism. The French went Into mourning garb, while the English did not. Again it would seem as If the entire question was one of personal. or, if you will national view point.
 During the presidents absence in Europe the White House offices were kept open but only for the transaction cf necessary business. The usual gatherings of senators and representa- lives on business bent were no more in evidence.
 Now all is changed, and changed for the better for the atmosphere about the great house on Pennsylvania ave nue for the last five years has been de- pressing IT was the center of all things and suddenly It seemed to be, except for the presence of one man, the center of nothing. The daily pil- grimages of senators, representatives