Evening star., 1920-11-14

boxer as part OF his physical train.
ing force.
is attended by q military and a naval
aid. and sometimes by several. Rear
Admiral Grayson came to the White
House as naval aid for President viii.
son. and Col. Clarence s. Ridley has
been serving as military aid. Because
there have been no social functions
in which President Wilson participat-
ed. these aids have not been con
spicuous in recent years. The last
notable example was Maj. Archibald
Butt. chief of the aids to Presiden,
Taft. who was as shadow to the last
republican executive until Maj. Butt
lost his life when the Titanic was
sunk
Portraits Of the Presidents have
been made since the days Of Washing.
ton, and these Official pictures are hung
in the White House. constituting one
of the most interesting and valuable
collections Of portrait paintings in the
ington. the greatest OF an portraits oi
the first President, was heroically
saved by Dolly Madison, wife Of Pfesi.
dent James Madison.
Until 1857, during Buchanan's ad-
ministration. these portraits Of the
fIeSIQSntS were purchased unOtuClaily
and that year Congress authorized a
commission to purchase portraits OF
the Presidents to be hung in the White
House. Twenty-Five Of these portraits
hang in the red. green and blue rooms
In this executives art gallery also
are some remarkable portraits Of for
mer mistresses Of the White House.
government: for example. the portrait
Of Mrs. Roosevelt was presented to the
United States By the people Of France.
The portrait Of Mrs. Van Buren, shows
her adorned with an enormous plumed
headdress and displaying q handker-
chief Of amazing proportions. Mrs.
James K. Polk is depicted in a head
dress Of pink feathers.
There is also White House library.
started by President Fillmore under a
special appropriati ton from Congress.
President Grover Cleveland added to
this a noted collection of children's
books. some Of which are still on the
dents have brought their own favorite
books with them to the White House..
The White House conservatory has
delighted thousands Of guests. Flow.
ers from the White House have given
cheer and new hope to the MANNED boys
in Walter Reed Hospital and to other
invalids and shut-ins. The floral deco.
rations for White House receptions and
dinners have been lavish and particu-
larly artistic. To provide these palms.
ferns. potted plants and blooms by the
thousands there is q colony of green
houses in the rear of the bureau of en-
craving and printing. south of the
Monument. which are
for the principal purpose
of keeping the White House properly
supplied. When President Harding and
Mrs. Harding come to live in the execu-
tive mansion they can at once have all
the flowers they want for themselves
and to send to their friends without
worrying over florists bills. More than
lect his fayorite flower for a bouton-
Mere and 1t will be at once raised in
profusion in these greenhouses.
The President has at his command
the beautifully equipped yacht May
flower. manned by the pick Of the
Navy This was formerly the property
Of millionaire of Philadelphia. who
aurns Ut over tn. to sns
can war. when it was fitted up
as gunboat and saw valiant serv-
ice. Then. as the old Sylph, pre-
viously the Presidents yacht. had
become unseaworthy and out-of-date.
the Mayfower was turned over to
the President. 1t has been used by
AT his disposal. also. is the best
of musicians in the en-
tire world, the Marine Band. under
the leadership Of Lieut.. William H.
People throughout the
states boast of having heard this
band play and are envied among their
neighbors for having enjoyed that
otu
on summer evenings. The Marine
Band also furnishes music for re:
ception, garden party or other social
events at the White House.
Few persons throughout the country
know that the President Of the
his own: 1t does not fly from the
White House. nor at the masthead
Of the Mayfower. This special nag
is reserved for those rare occasions
when the President appears in his
official position as commander-in-
chief Of the Army and Navy. The
flag consists Of the coat Of arms on
the Presidents seal. against q blue
background and fanked by four stars.
This flag is usually broken at the
main the moment the President steps
on the deck Of any United States ves-
sci and continues to fly as long as
he is aboard. A national salute of
t"chtS -oHc guns Is HreQ II tHc VcSSc1
has that complement.
Since the White House is the social
center of the United States. one Of the
most important attaches of the admin
istration is the social secretary Of the
first lady of the land. This is no sine
cure AS well known in Washington
as the famous Miss Knollys in London
is the incumbent. Miss Edith Ben
ham. The social secretary has a posi-
ton of serious responsibility To her
is intrusted the difficult task Of re-
jecting as well as the pleasant one Of
accepting courtesies proffered the
wife of the President. She has the
social register at her fneer-tips.
Diplomacy must be her watchword.
She serves the wife of the chief Of q
democracy. the while the dignifed
traditions Of the executive mansion
must be upheld.
The social secretary became an in
stitution under Mrs. Roosevelt. Miss
Isabel Hagner. now Mrs. Norman
James of Baltimore. created the role.
for there was no regular employe who
performed just that specialized class
of service for the first lady Of the
land previous thereto.
The social secretary must be an
authority on questions of precedence.
and helps the mistress Of the White
House to entertain.
In the long retinue Of specialized
attaches at the White House one Of
the most interesting tasks. which Ia
also one Of the most helpful TO the
President, is that Of conducting 4
clipping bureau" This department
has been greatly developed since 1902