The Washington herald., 1921-09-11

n really .soms yacht" She Is z73 test
long on the water line (s41 over alD, SO
feet beam and average draft Of IT feet-a
vessel of shout 5000 tons. It takes nine
sficers and 176 men to make up her con-
plenent; at least that IL what she carried
tin the Wilson regime, though one Of the
Aforesaid ofbcers said q few days axo that
she carried at present only seven ofheers and
about $50 men. In the general reduction
Of naval personnel apparently even the
Presidents yacht has not escaped.
Even %, It would seem to the casual OBJ
server that President and Mrs Harding APE
getting Just a. much enjoyment out Of her
a. their predecessor did, with the notable
differences that President Wilson used her 3
almost entirely n . means Of sxclusion,'
whils to he Hardings she II an additional
Instrument Of hospitality.
When the hot weather really set In the
President and Mrs. Harding, held In Wash
ingtoa for the summer through the necessity
for an extra session Of Congress to clear up
the terrible debris Of the World War, went
Of week lending on the yacht about three
weeks out Of four, and always they took along
/. company of kindred souls, close personal
land sometimes politically friends. Gener-
ally thsy-have cruised down the river and
ont into the bay, starting Saturday afternoon
and returning early Monday morning re-
treshed and ready for the weeks work,
usually not landing at all but sending an
sccasional cheery ANS wen' By radio.
THESE week end parties seem to be pri.
J. marily the Presidents parties, more
ne. than women, though there are always
thrss or four women on board to bear Mrs.
Harding company. Undoubtedly there have
hsen some earnest political discussions. But
usually on the Mayfower the big idea has
hen to loaf and invite the SOUL" relax.
- frssh air and sunshine enough to last
through the stufiest week in town.
And In between times, every now and
.s,fn, Mrs. Harding has used the May
hower for aftsrnoon parties. Anywhere
from fifteen to ffty have been invited for Q
short cruise-a run Of perhaps an hour down
the river and an hour back, with tea served
on board and q personally conducted tour
sf the vessel with Mrs. Harding herself as
conductor.
And, Of course, the MayHowsr's most
frequent use seems to be to convey visiting
potabilities down the river to Mount
Vernon, where they lay q wreath on the
rraye of the Father Of His Country and
try to say the same old thing in q new
and thrilling way. But for those trips
neither the President nor Mrs. Harding
act personally as hosts. They loan the
vessel to the State, War or Navy Depart
ment, according to the particular variety
of ruest who Is to be entertained, and the
head Of the that department is the host
of the occasion. Frequently IL the party
n q small one they use the sylph, which
is now regarded as the Secretary Of the
Nays private littlef sloop.
For the weekend parties quite frequently
he whits House Is the point Of departure.
The invited guests meet there and are con-
yeyed down to the Navy Yard in White
House motors. For Mrs. Harding's oc-
casionai little afternoon tea parties, while
there Is White House party which ac-
companies the hostess, the majority Of the
ruests are told to be at the dock q little
before four. And they're therer Oh, yes,
they are there, to a. man, and even more
numerously to q womanl They are prob
ably there before Mrs. Harding arrives.
They ought to be. That is the etiquetts
of the situation. and besides, II they aren't,
they are quite likely TO get left For very
soon after the arrival Of the First Lady the
gangway Is lifted and the hAwsers cast Of.
There could be no greater tragedy than to
arrive just in time to see that being done