The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1921-11-27
World and His Wife
Attend Reception
To Arms Delegates
Commissioners Party
Beautifully Man
aged.


PERHAPS tho post interesting
party Of the week-at any rate
the one that everybody wanted to
be asked to-was the one the British
Ambassador and Lady Geddes gave
at the embassy on Tuesday night.
A dinner for some fifty persons,
with the. Vice President and Mrs.
Coolidge as the ranking guests and
the heads Of the American and
British delegations as the pleasant
excuse for the party, was followed
by a reception which measured up
for brilliance and beauty of appoint.
ment to any ever given in the
picturesque old mansion which is
the home Of the representative of
his Britannia majesty.
For an event Of unique interest,
however, give you the reception
at the National Museum, which the
Commissioners Of the District of
Columbia gave in honor of the
whole conference personnel - the
conferees and their groups Of ad-
visers, observers, experts, etc. That
was wonderful party! Every.
thing beautifully arranged; every
contingency provided for; good
music. an elaborate supper served
from the moment the first guest
arrived until the last one left. And
nearly 5000 persons representing
many social strata. handled with
dignity and decorum!
And everybody on earth seemed
to be there all evenihg-except the
delegates! I didn't see one Of the
actual big wigs-not one! And
scores of others who were there re-
late similar lack Of perception!
To be sure. arrived late. and
the members of some Of the delega-
tons who were present had escaped
none Of them seem to have stayed
very long. But lots of other people
were necessarily late, too. since 1t
took 30 long for the great assem-
blage to pass down tho line. So
there was q general impression of
Hamlet" without Hamlet. and hun.
dreds Of people who had been look
ing forward to this a. their only
opportunity to meet or even look
upon the mon who have the destinies
of many nations in their hands, went
home disappointed.
Perhaps the fault lies ut tho door
Of Washington. Its society Is amor
phous. its code of etiquette 30 I'M
certain and involved that no one
seems to know quite what II the
proper thing. In mono OF the Euro
pean capitals. for example, would
entertaining be permitted to como
in conflict with such a public func-
ton. Any parties which had been
planned for the evening selected
would be cancelled Immediately. But
here. there was gTist Of more or
less official dinners and q charity
bali. and dear knows how many
private parties. to which presumably
most Of the delegates were hidden.
On the other hand, It would seem
that, since this reception was ges-
ture Of good will from tho city Of
Washington. the Capital OF the ma
ton, to conferees. etiquette. or at
any rate. true kindness and courtesy
demanded. their presence.
THE number Of delegates accred-
tied to the conference has pre-
cluded their being marshaled into
line at any Of the festivities given
in their honor. And that does seem
q pity. for only tho few-and they
confined almost entirely to tho
Official worldwide have been privil-
eyed to meet them At luncheon or
dinner have really had tho .oppor-
tunity to look EN- over.
In a corner Of the museum, as
went by with number 1o4s clutched
in ono hand to claim my wrap and
number 632 in the other to claim
tho taxi. I came upon a distinguish
ed figure of Oriental features in i'm
posing robes standing ma3estically
in glass case and labeled "A Diplo-.
mat" IF a diplomat. why not a
delegate?' thought I. land II ono
delegate, why not all of them? Then
5000 people would have gone homo
happy!