The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1921-10-28
MHWAOWLE

IufAl aspect anu IN the method and
O manner of the dOings of its society
or rather societies. Washington Is
ahIdestionably a city apart.
Inc TACT that this city is the capital OF a great
c0untry and that here the chief officials of that
country dwell, coupled with the farther fact Of
the presence Of a large foreign official element,
accounts for tile singularity Of Washington in its
social life.
There are seven distinct social circles in the civ
q washington. Each circle has It's distinct place
an0 each eisjoys its own somewhat isolated &C.
uvisics. And yet there are times when all the
circles become conceiitric and within the one cir
eomference the members Of all circles mingle.
ieots this sound obscure? In truth it Is a very
ample matter. The seven social circles Of Wash
lngt0n Are those OF the administration, OF congress,
q me tHplomats, OF the army and navy, Of the
Juuaclary, Of the scientists and Of the old resi-.
dents. So 1t Is that all through the sO-caIled so
clat season Washington witnesses all kinds OF
Ooings which are separate one from another and
which are attended only by those whe were born
- have been INDICTED into the particular circun-
terence. Then comes perhaps some greater event
and all are hidden md all 20.
Now why S 1t that Washington Is as 1t Is social
Vt In the first place it is what 1t is because in
this town. except for the residential set neither
birth nor mOney can count for anything. 1t In the
once held or the attachments reached. as in the
case Of the scientists, which determines the po-
etttOn OF the man and his family in Washington
society. This Is America and the Office and not
the man must be accepted and honored. In WASH
lngtOn a nun may be poorer than the turkey OF
Job and may have been born In q garnet, but II
~ Lac made good and the people have honored
him by election to high Office he freely can enter
\ certain White House which the country counts
- better than any Newport or Southampton man.
Ion.
X has been intimated that Washington society
= systematfzed. So It Is. 1t has to be. The
presence Of SO many foreigners of high Official and
personal position has made precedence a prime
matter In the capital city. Foreigners are great
sticklers FOR what may be called the right Of way.
The ambassador OF longest service must precede
t11e ambassador Of shorter service and his wife
must precede the other ambassadors wife or
there Will he dire trouble.
This precedence has forced system into Wash
s1ngtUn's ny Of dot e things socially. In Chicago
one nnI, and one woman at q reception Gun walk
ols0ad Of iii either man and another woman with
Seut Snentai discomfort to themselves and without
injury tn the feelings OF the trailing couple. In
Wnahlngfun things are different because American
eG5ce holders, or more strictly speaking, their
ujvea have imbibed the precedence draught from
N cups 0f the foreigners. And SO here the CALI
stnef officer must walk ahead of the senator. the
E6onNfur ahead Of the representative, and the rep
seoSDenfative ahead Of Thomas Jones who holds no
I'LL this may seem sn0bhish to the last degree.
S&1&t g ! way the thing Is most excellently dem
31kkSe1fc. The precedence given q man in Washing
2Nfoally Is b compliment to the people who
<TenI1 him ~ office Or who elected the man who
Slnie6 him ID Office. Here i where the demos
Washington society cOmex ID despite its
11Sfscen md e1me seeming fol-de-rols.
<2k1nan u democracy Ia America who II the
Y ~ ~ landf She has been . working
4 s1(eennn md a American housewife 10
$3.50 nrouer eomnrises the