New-York tribune., 1920-03-14

POSSIBLE! lnarN you. NheVy Chase
co."
Great Social Event
Lord Dash is coming to Washing
I'm on some foreign mission or
sther. Little does it matter to So
,isty what his official business, his
.isit will give opportunity for mag
uidcence and splendid entertain
ment.
Mrs. Blank knows that her dinner
hcuoring the lord will be the crown
;ns touch to her social success in
Washington.
The State Department approves
the dinner and sets date. But it's
responsibility is not ended. Within
. few days Mrs. Blank sends in her
List Of guests and Mr.. Cooks Office
sranges the order in which they are
/ 10 be seated. No question can arise
ITO the taste of the Senator's lady :;
10 one can take offense if his place
does not suit his idea of prominence.
The State Department has seated the
guests, and its dictum is final.
The very lack Of rank in society
b this country has exaggerated the
Importance of rank. Precedents
bave been set by one President and
another. Custom and unwritten law
have been the causes of many dis
putes. Nearly every Administration
brought about new social problems,
and nearly every Presidents wife
broke some precedent" by not fol-
lowing exactly the methods Of the
lady preceding her.
Claims to rank at times grew to
such proportions, disputes over
precedent waxed so intense that for
years the wise hostess dared not in
vlte certain officers to the same par
aes to which other officials were in
hted.
At one time the ambassadors de-
bsndsd that they take precedence
over the Vice-President. Little came
Of the dispute, however, and the
Wce-President remained tho second
In social as we'll as official rank in
Washington.
Uncle Joe" Made Trouble
In the Mckinley administration
dispute arose which brought about
'ae necessity for an official court in
'ne matter Of social rank. Mr.. Can
nn' then Speaker Of the House Of
representatives. asserted that he
should take precedence over the Chief
'usslce. He based his claim upon
@e TACT that he held the third i'm
portant elective Office in the Federal
government. On the other hand, it
'aS maintained that the Speaker
ap was not the third great elective
'@ee IN the country, the man hold
Is 'ne Office being simply regu-
'''y elected Representative elected
"nls Office by the House itself.
Inc dispute went unsettled until
s.Ae tlme during the Roosevelt ad-
sua'stration. Care was taken not
'aV'te Uncle Joe" and the Chief
justice to functions where there
en' DO any seeming preference
'a'"n to one or the other. This
~ "a' IN The Speakers autocratic days
.s'ose the Office had been shorn of
e 20 powers. No one cared to chance
offending the Speaker.
:, ~ settle this trouble and others
d. .a were always impending Presi-
roosevelt turned the matter
a 10 the State Department.
,., .uels has been an ever increasing
saoency Of all hostesses to let that
sa,'nent bear the brunt Of their
s,al responsibilities.
!, .ls evolution Of this social work
~, a' State Department very pos
Sases 'A"A IN 'ne on''eo
.s s.eassy at the capital has been
hs"nat -. varied and almost chaotic
'as - Wilson administration. Dur
), : :. .ae war the formality and much
n. se sayety ceased. The White
a' occupied with war and the
NV mus problems Of the times, gave
y. ~ astention to the lighter side.
society women at the capital
~ E1s0 their talents toward war re-
md supplementary war work.
'ly wasn't quite "the thing"
esns n'sain - too lavishly, and, So
NE at Washington was at q