New-York tribune., 1921-11-13
~ 10 Downing Street, London, England.

Nv Dear Mr.. George:
don't know whether you are coming over
here or not, as you have changed your mind
% many times, but if you do, here is something
would like to take up with you. understand
that the housing conditions in Washington are
% bad that all the delegates may not have
What they are accustomed to in the way of
recommendations, so If you finally decide to
con,e over any time during the conference, the
m;ssus and would like to throw open our
little suburban home to you during your So
journ.
have never had the pleasure Of meet
inc YOU, but you need not let this make any diff
ference, as am not the least sensitive about
such things. When a great world crisis is at
hand throw formality to the dogs, is our motto.
When we first saw about the housing short
ase in our national capital (Washington) and
the idea came to us to help the nations of the
world get together so that they would under
stand each other better the missus was fright
ened, because she did not know whether you
would be hard to talk to or not, and whether
you were going to bring your wife along or not,
ard all the complications of entertaining out
of-town company, and what was the English
fashion about where to begin on forks, because
you know how sensitive women are about hav-
ing every little curlycue just right. So an idea
hit me and l said, "Well, let's get book Of
etiquette SO as to be absolutely sure of our
ground"
guess you may not be familiar with it in
your country, Merry Old England, but in this
country you can send off and buy book that
will tell you everything you want to know.
For instance, like you coming to stay with us
during the arms parey. If we are in doubt
about anything we can look it up and not have
to give it another thought. So you may not
believe how fast this country is progressing
in books Of etiquette or rules of social conduct
It has come to be big business, and they are
being sold far and wide, so no longer can any
body say that America is behind in culture.
If you could see the big advertisements for
them you could see for yourself that there isn't
anything about dining out, or having a func-
ton at home that we don't know about Dur
ing the last year the u. S. A. has made won
derful progress in this line.
For instance, suppose you and lady and
another couple who are your social equals are
dining out at some fashionable restaurant
where you want to be on your best behavior,
and the lady you are accompanying drops her
fork on the floor with bang. Now, how
are you going to meet that? Should the lady
pick it up herself? Or should you, the lady's
escort, do the trick? Or should the other
gentleman of the party interrupt his discourse,
and maybe at the same time you do, and bump
your heads together unpleasantly? Or should
all pretend that they didn't hear it and let on
that the lady in question never eats with any,
thing except her knife and spoon? That is
only one of the thousands of things it instructs
you in on its finely printed paper and hand
somely bound, and sent in plain wrapper to
any address in the postal unicn, so you need
not have any fear about us people here in
America not being able to look after the So
cal graces or elegancies of conduct which you
have been accustomed to since you took up
public life.
will be frank with you and tell you that
the missus has sent for one herself, and al
though have seen your picture in the paper
you don't look SO dressy to me, but if it is
going to make her feel any better say what
is the difference? l am telling you this SO
that there will not be any awkwardness when
you come into our little home, because people
who are going to live with each other for any
length Of time ought to be perfectly frank and
open with each other, and am not going to
be the first to hide anything from the other.
But please don't mention this to the missus,
because women are not naturally as open and
frank as we men are and it might get me into
complications, as, naturally, she was a bit
Mustered when thought of the idea Of making
you at ease under our little rooftree. She
does not know that. after all. men are pretty