Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-04-27
Who Shall Walk First
Isy Frederic J. iIaskir

Washington. April 25.-should the
wife of a Justice Of the supreme Court
walk IN 20 donner ahead Of Senator
wife. ar should Il be the other way
round2
This il one of the oldest. the hitterest'
the most debated questions which per
plex the great minds that govern tht
greatest democracy OF earth. Ana IL
IL one Of many such questions. IL Is
symptom of a state OF mind. For IN
this ,,apital of the country where All
men have been proclaimed equal the
question Of social rank ana social pre-
ccdence il given an Importance whlch
ia narauellcd only 10y the practices OF
some harharic tribes in which VIOLA
tion of the order of precedence IS pun
tshed hy death. Here you are punished
~, sorial ar political death. instead OF
phvsical IL YOU fail To make the proper
genunection before the reigning princes.
Al the beginning Of a new admins
tration there Is always degree OF un-
certainty and apprehension in Wash
ington society.
For example. at a recent formal func-
tion here social leaders gasped with
horror when Mrs. Coolidge wife OF the
right Of the guest Of honor while Mrs.
narding. wife of the President was on
the left.
4 Social Crisis.
Washington shivered. II feared that
this radical departure from all set rules
was the signal for a social revolution.
The administration was new. Its poll
cies toward washngton's heretofore
ruckhound code ~ precedence were un-
known. Could il be that the system
worked out ia intricate detail hy gen
,rations nf social mentors. was threaten
rd"
Mrs HARDING had not mingled 70
any great extent IN Washington eN-
elusive society during her years here
a. the wife Of the senior Senator from
ohio Her attitude toward society was
81 doubt, The now administration had
heru in existence but few DAYS. For
IN, moment society held lis breath il
dreadful suspense.
The fcN weeks mat have elapsed
suc, that hrs' crror have relieved the
minds AZ tn social elect. Apparently
~, slp was uniutentiona. Mrs. Hard
ins seems - mind a. follow III" So
c. uat blaz-d is h, predec, sSors
Pr,c,dcne, thc god before whom
Washington ~oc.rt, bows has been arr
p,ascd ii formal functions at tho
White Huusr Siu,. .h,u tar members
~ the Official and diplomatic sct the
ru.rs 81 prcDylenc, hay. boon mttiCu-
'o4S'v observed
~o.a, leaders ard tro-. seeking So
tt pr fsrment ,mInteN .Npr-ts of prc-
t,n.. as S.crcttri,s t, warm th,m
e#.u-t breaches III .a, ~ttr,d ritual
.H. IoNsrumeut lt~.tt ,mplo2s q staf
+, pr, elcuae cNp,ft~ ta ,onduC; in-
FORMAL state functions according 70
lIlc- They ar, verscd q The rules no'
unlN ut this ,ountrN hut of foreign cap'-
tt.s. aud haze ehtrge ~ the visits Of
t.r,4er r4,r- .a statesmen Moot
points aI ..l. a.t Submitted tn these
,,aNrrrm,ui experts ht society leaders
.a Wtshlnstar and m,nhers q; The
uft,lat and diplomats, CIRCLES anxious
e. be on IN, safe ~d. Erfar, 4 diplo-
matte wedding fo- tn example long
constitutions a~, htla tt The Statc De
partnent q determine the N;on. and
charsc,r 81 the tnt.-4t.ua ls
Nrv POINTS of proceed, nc, ate con-
.3l, ar.lur AMI oil ones art Az
t,seS rs dispItc what ~halF the al.
udc 20 ths social ,,ect .n Washing
'a b, coward Mrs Wilson. wife Of
mas president th, first 10 make
hf- hau, after retiring in Washing
- fat the continued Illness ~
tb, former Pres.deu- has precludcd any
decision on thf~ point hat upon his com
Net, te-ovglt ~haIld Tho fprmcr First
I.,ay n tbc Land desire social recaE-
nlt.ar the .,air. uust o, s.tt.od.
Nrs. Wilson'S Fatc.