The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-04-27
WASHINGTON, April 26.

smart set here was generally inter
ested-and her bridal not until to-da,
Easter week in Washington sped as
merrily as the traditional marriage
bell. 1t was the gayest week since the
United States entered the war. ant
without any one big. spectacular crush
event, like the Russian, the Mard
0ras or the Micareme ball, to focus at.
tention, society danced pretty vel
through 1t.
1t began Monday night with two bis
dances, that Of the Army and Navy
League down at the Marine Barracks
and the Dixie ball" given by the Rob.
ert e. Lee chapter of the L. D. c., both
annual events and each sure Of a large
and brilliant patronage. In fact, fully
half of those who attended either one
probably attended both. For while for
years society has been grumbling al
the bad management evidenced in Civ
Ing two such balls on the one night
and having them miles apart, still II
has usually managed to do it's duty by
both. In these days of motors what's
q few miles between friends2
1t used to be the custom to have
navy yard dances in the sail loft, q
survival in name only of the days
when those who went down to the sea
in ships prayed for favoring winds. II
was queer and medievally uncomfor-
table and inconvenient, and supper
rerforce resolved itself into something
very like n basket picnic, but in spite
of its draughts and discomforts. or
perhaps because of them, the young
people loved 1t.
sit $3.50 sort Of romantic, you
know. and somehow one can always
fancy 1t smells Of bilge water!" seemed
to be the general explanation OF the
attitude.
But after the United States got into
the war the public was shut out Of the
navy yard and no balls could be given
there. Now. though the navy yard is
again open to the public, the sail loft
Is piled high with naval supplies and
1t will be n long while before It is
again available for dances. So they
have had to have the regular Easter
Monday Army and Navy League dance
at the Marine Barracks, in the band
room, that being the largest hall in
the barracks, after the committee had
tried vainly to get the Willard BALL
room, which the Robert E. Lee chapter
had already preempted for its regular
Easter Monday Dixie ball.
The band room really isn't large
enough for the huge crowd thu
usually turns out for this annu; I
Easter ball of the Woman's Army ant
Navy League, an organization of Of
ficers' wives and daughters which
charges itself with the welfare of the
enlisted men-of all branches of the
service. So that 1t was something OF
a relief to find that Monday night
ball-probably because the service is
still very largely serving-was, as
such balls so. rather a small one.
though brilliant. The band room,
which had been repainted for the oc-
casion, was gay with flags: the Ma
rine Band, a brilliant splash of color
at one end of the room, and the May
flower Band, in rather quieter uniform
in the balcony at the other, alternated
throughout the evening in supplying
music.
Mrs. Griscum, president OF the
league, headed the receiving line.
though Mrs. Baker. wife of the Secre-
tary of War. was the bright particular
star of the occasion. 1t was really a
particularly good line, not too long
and with each member having a per-
fectly good reason for being there
Next to Mrs. Baker was Mrs. Frank
lin Roosevelt, ranking navy hostess in
the absence Of Mrs. Daniels. Then
Mrs. Barnett, wife of the commandment
OF the Marine Corps Gen. Barnett, by
the way, made the introductory
And finally Mrs. Alexander Sharp
chairman of the ball committee.
Dinner for Mrs. Baker.
There had been any number of din
ners before the ball, one OF the most
notable being Mrs. James Carroll
Frazer's In honor of Mrs. Baker and
her house guest. Miss Lowe of Cleve-
land. Later in the evening when her
duties on the receiving line were over
Mrs. Baker. who looked very we'll In
a gown of dark blue georgette bro
caded in gold, redeemed her promise
to sing THE Star Spangled Banner
to a Marine Band accompaniment
anu IL Was Ieilly IL III iiiib pciioi III
ance Then. having done her whole
duty, she withdrew to her box. where
she had as her guests Miss Lowe, Gen
Squier and Col. Blair. At least the
box was the rendezvous of the party
which was on the floor most of the
time, for Mrs. Baker and Miss Lowe
are both very good dancers and very
fond of dancing.
Assistant Secretary Of the Navy and
Mrs. Roosevelt had rather a notable
box party - Admirals all - Peoples
Mayo and Fletcher. and their wives (:
Col. and Mrs. Robert Thompson had
Justice and Mrs. Mahlop Pitney. Mrs.
Charles Boughton Wood had her
pretty niece, Miss Antoinette Graves
Of New York, who is her house guest,
and Miss Woodward, also OF New York
who is visiting the Walter School
kopfs. and there were afterward sew
eral boxes filled with boys from Walter
Reed looking on and enjoying the fun
Up at the Willard in the meanwhile
the distinctly Southern element
which in Washington is n large o0e-
was disporting itself. For decorations
there were flags of course, but not the
fags OF the Allies. The Stars and
Stripes and the Stars and Bars-the
nag Of the lost cause-were mingled
even as the Confederate veterans, a
pathetically dwindling little band, In
their gray uniforms with all insignia
and decorations proudly displayed