The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1921-04-25

NSoeAAAO~~eS - ~
Should the wife of . justice Of the
court walk in to dinner
ahead of a senator's wife. or should
It be the other way around?
This il one of the Oldest, the Bit
terest, the most debated questions
which perplex the great minds that
govern the greatest democracy on
earth. And 1t is one of many such
questions. 1t is q symptom OF a
state Of mind. For in this capital OF
the country where all men have
been proclaimed equal, the Ques-
ton Of social rank and social pre-
cedence Is given an importance
which is paralleled only BY the
practices Of some barbartc tribes
in which a violation Of the order OF
precedence is punished by death.
Here you are punished by social ar
political death, instead Of physical.
il you fail to make the proper gen
Infection before the reigning
prices.
At the beginning Of new admin
istration there Is always a degree
of uncertainty and apprehension In
Washington society.
For example, at recent formal
function here social leaders gasped
with horror when Mrs. Coolidge,
wife of the vice-president, entered
the room at the right OF the guest
of honor while Mrs. Harding. wife
Of the president. was on the left
Washington shivered. 1t feared
that this radical departure from all
set rules was the signal for a So
cial revolution. The administra-
ton was new. Its policies toward
Washington's heretofore rockbound
code OF precedence were unknown
Could it be thu the system worked
out in intricate detail by genera
tons of social mentors, was threat
end?
Mrs. Harding had not mingled 70
any great extent in Washington ex-
elusive society during her years
here as the wife Of the senior sena-
tor from Ohio. Her attitude toward
society was in doubt. The admin
istration had been in existence but
a few days. For the moment So
ciety held its breath in dreadful
suspense.
The few weeks that have elapsed
since that first error have re-
lieved the MINDS Of the social elect
Apparently the slip was uninten
tional. Mrs. Harding seems Of
mind to follow the social rai
blazed by her predecessors.
! Precedence, the god before whom
Washington society bows, has beer
appeased. At formal functions a
the White house since then To-
members of the official and diplo
matte set the rules Of precedence
have been meticulously observed.
Social leaders, and those seek
ing social preferment, employ ex
perts of precedence as secretaries
to warn them against breeches o
the sacred ritual. The government
itself employs staff of precedence
experts to conduct informal AM
formal state functions according u
rules. They are versed in tn
rules not only of this country blu
of foreign capitals, and have charg
Of the visits Of foreign rulers AM
; statesmen. Moot points OF orde
are submitted to these government
experts by society leaders in Wash
ington and members OF the officia
, and diplomatic circles, anxious t
: be on the safe side. Before a dip
lomatic wedding, for example, lon
, consultations are held at the stat
department to determine the ez
tent and character OF the invita-
ton list.
New points of precedence are cor
., tinually arising and old ones ar
!, always in dispute. What shall tn
attitude of the social elect in Wash
ington be toward Mrs. Wilson, wit
CT a former president? So far tn
continued illness of the forme
: president has precluded any decis
ion on this point, but upon his con
), plete recovery, should the forme
first lady of the land desire soci;
), recognition the point must be Sc
sled.
!, Mrs. Wilson's Fate.
! 1t is admitted that Mrs. Wilsol
widow OF a wealthy merchan
charming as she was, was not ,
: Washington's social elect befol
I her marriage TO Woodrow Wilso
AS first lady she took and grac
3 fully performed the duties OF b,