The sun., 1919-08-24
WASHINGTON, Aug. %.
T THAT there is left Of the social
~ set in Washington these days

Newport. Narragansett, Southampton,
Bar Harbor, the White Mountains and
the Thousand Islands; not overlooking
the Adirondacks, Old Point Comfort
the Eastern Shore and the Berkshires
Above all 1t is keeping both eyes stead
fastly fixed on Canada and the Prince
Of Wales.
Even accepting the fact that the
Prince will be in Washington for only
four or five days, and that he will ac-
cept no private invitations, no hos
pitalties OF any sort except those Of
fcred by the President and Mrs. Will
son and that offered by the British
Ambassador, there are some burning
questions that remain to be answered
One is, will they run up the royal
standard OF Great Britain alongside OF
the Stars and Stripes over the White
House while the Prince is the Presi-
cents guest?"
II is recalled that when the series
OF high commissions was in Washing"
ton in the summer OF 1917 the Whito
House was about the only official
building which did not carry a sue
cession Of the flags Of the visiting
mission SO long as they were in town.
At times the State, War and Navy
Building and the Treasury had whole
string of flags of the Allies, when as
frequently happened there were sew
eral of the missions here at once. And
each residence that housed one Of
those missions displayed the flag OF
the country represented while the mis-
sion occupied 1.-THE Breckenridge
n.s. gzt.
White house, the French flag; the Jo-
seph Letters, the Italian; the Perry
Belmonts, the japanese. and so on.
In fact. the White House and the
Capitol were about the only places that
did not fly a long succession OF foreign
flags. and according to a story gen.
orally accepted here the Capitol had
narrow escape.
1t is told that when the British
High Commission was going up to the
Capitol TO make a friendly call and say
few words it was suggested that 1t
would be a gracious and graceful thing
10 run up the British flag alongside Of
the Stars and Stripes. The matter was
taken TO the Vice. President for his
sanction, and probably without stop
ping to think about il he agreed
readily enough. But before giving the
order he naturally consulted the
Speaker. And there's where Champ
hit the ceiling"
They say his language was emphatic
and picturesque. Reduced to Bible
English, it was to the effect that they
had tried in bygone days TO get it
there by force, and now they were
trying persuasion, but so long as he
had any voice in the matter there
would be no British flag. nor that OF
any other nation, flying over the Capt.
to, OF these United States OF America.
That may have been. as one man at
tho State Department called 1t. a
shirt sleevy" point OF view, but 1t is
ono that so per cent. OF the population
Nolld have indorscd, with absolutely
no prejudice against Great B.italn or
any other nation,
However. the question Of raising the
royal British standard alongside OF
that OF your Uncle Samuel on the
White House will OF course be decided
by the President, and I fancy he will
do as ne was done by. If the Stars
and Stripes floated over Buckingham
Palace when he was a guest there
hS Will lCtuIu TIC
mont. The American flag was flown
over the houses OF Parliament on the
Fourth OF July last. according TO a
recently returned officer. That, one
would imagine. might have struck
some ,oyal Britons as n bit incongru-
ous, but he had no information as to
whether it floated over Buckingham
Palace.
French Flag on White House Once.
\ man in the State Department who
s. an authority on such matters as
sorts that he knows that on one occa-
sion the French flag was raised over
the White House. He could not re-
member what the occasion was, ex-
cept that he was sure it was not on
Bastlle Day, as the question OF doing
it then had been raised and vetoed.
Then again, how about the red VEL
vet carpet? Is that to be unrolled
down the steps and across the pave
merit OF every house and every build
inc that the royal visitor enters? Or
arc his unwonted feet TO learn the feel
OF the hard, cold tagging under them?
II Is generally understood that roy
atty always travels to and from over
this red velvet carpet. The custom is
centuries old and is observed when
ever member OF the royal family en-
tcrs or leaves its town house in Lon
don or attends the theatre. or conde-
scends to honor any private enter
tninment. From all accounts the Gus
tom was vigorously adhered to when
this young mans grandfather. Albert
EDWARD, visited Washington and was
a guest at the White House in Bu-
chanan's time, even though he was
travelling unofficially and was techni-
cnlly incognito, which his namesake,
Edward Albert, will not be.
IT fact, the whole question OF Just
how far the Government Of the United
States will enter into tho formalities
of court" entertaining is a fertile
subject OF discussion among those who
tire In the least Nkely 10 be invited 10
my Of tao state functions given in its
l'cnor, and indeed among those who
ere not.
Naturally all thesc questions as to
"'ourt' obsefvanccs Will dppiy equally
10 tho King and Queen OF the Begi1ns
and to the little Prince of Savoy heir
apparent TO Italy's throne, If he comes.
but not In quite TIC SAME degree TO
the Duke Of AoSta. should he come
over to represent the Italian King and
return the Presidents visit For the