The Washington times., 1921-05-15

ROBERT BELL AND MISS HELEN
~" ROBBINS,
In an enchanting scene from aria
da Capo."
came down and everybody had an OPP
portunity to greet President and Mrs.
Harding. to get a good look at them
and to exclaim over Mrs. Harding's
perfectly stunning gown.
SOME BoDY,s .FEELERsr
WE'RE HURT.
or course. some peoples "feelers''
were hurt at the distinction, for there
are always touchy persons in every
| assemblage. Aud occasional unfor-
tunate mistakes were made. as. for
instance, when General Pershing's
aide was separated from his pro-
testing Chief because no hadn't the
important white card which admitted
him to the sacred precincts. But on
the whole 1t was a very proper ar
rangement and since the line was
drawn on strictly ohiciar lines / don't
see how anyone. could feel injured.
1t is whispered. too. that many OF
the CongressionAs were miffed at not
being invited But the explanation
for this Is simple. i, There are over
400 Members OF Congress-, most Of
whom have wives and II was quite
impossible to include some 800 per-
sons. all representing one branch of
the Government in a party at which
all branches needs must be repre-
scented and which was designed to be
comparatively small.
The diplomatic corps was naturally
included in it's entirety. Yes, even
the representatives of some of the
newly created governments of Europe
| who have been somewhat remtss In
paying their diplomatic calls and
have rather set by the ears the con-
servative members of the corps who
are sticklers for etiquette. I'm told
! there was some talk of leaving out
two or three persons whose omissions
had been particularly fragrant. but
IL was finally decided that two wrongs
didn't make a right-nor two dis
courtesies courtesy.
-
It's all in the turn of fortunes
wheel. of course, but 1t did seem odd
to see Mr.. and Mrs. Robert Lansing,
who had been the central figures in
30 many brilliant parties at the Pan
American, ION the outside looking in"
and John Barrett for so long director
general Of the Pan American Union,
lowering about on the edge of things
while the new director general, DR..
l. s. Rowe, was greeting the guests
and passing them on to the President
and Mrs. Harding l was rather as
tonished to overbesr Mrs. Lansing
telling someone that she had never
seen the President and consequently
was anxious to find a place where
she could get a good look at him:
and 1t was really curious how many
persons told me that this was their
first opportunity to see President
Harding.
don't suppose there were more
than 1000 persons present, hand
picked company. which included the
diplomatic corps, the heads of various
executive departments. the most dis
tinguished men and women in resident
society and a few notable guests froia
other cities. The entire Senate was
invited, with its womenfolk- OF
course: but the Compassionate" were
limited to the heads of all commit
tees one ranking Democrat from each
committee and the members OF the
Foreign Relations Committee--aud, of
course, the Speaker and his wife. The
treme and done with an artist hand,
SO that the architectural beauties of
| the Pan-American" Building were but
| accumulated.
Tho Invitations have gone out for
the first of the long -heralded series of
White House garden parties. 1t will
take place on Wednesday afternoon,
and everybody is looking forward to II
with great pleasure-and saying a lit
tie prayer for fair weather. 1t has
been a long time since the White
House grounds, which at this season
are at their loveliest, have been
| thrown open for garden fete. The
last outdoor festivity which former
President and Mrs. Wilson gave, and,
| IL remember correctly. the only one
| since before the United States entered
boys from Walter Reed Hospital. That
was very exclusive function, just the
convalescents, their nurses and some
| of the Red Cross workers who had
been closely associated with the lads,
| but think. perhaps, II will go down to
| history as one of the incest parties
| ever given at the White House since
John Adams moved in and Abigail
| Adams hung out her wash in the his
| toric East Room. And certainly the
hours spent under the great trees, with
| President and Mrs. wilson moving
| about among their guests and the
| President himself waiting on those
who were not able to serve themselves,
| will be treasured in the memory Of
many a young man who went overeas
| hnh