The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-06-21

Washington. D. c., June 2o.-The
garden. party season Is Just open
ing, but the White house has al
ready had its only-affair Of the sort
that is scheduled for this year.
Two thousand, wounded war veter-
ans, some rolled In wheel chairs.
some limping on crutches. some
guided by other eyes, have passed
in a long line and been greeted by
the president and Mrs. Harding on
the White house lawn.
Garden parties are more or less
alike when private citizens receive
out-of-doors. A presidential affair,
however. is different Whether the
president be a Washington, with a
leaning to courty ceremony, or q
Jefferson, with bluff disregard for
pomp, an official atmosphere sur
rounds all functions at the execu-
tive mansion. They are as distinc-
tive in their blending OF the formal
and the informal as any court GER
emonies of Europe. A veterans
garden party is no different, except
that the contrasts are more strik-
ing and human interest is more
dominant.
The endless line Of veterans, &C.
companied by their nurses, and the
young women invited to help enter
tain them. must wind in long ser
pentine through the corridors of
the White house, out into the gar
dens and across the lawn to the
executive and his wife are receiv-
ing.
Everyone must be presented for
mally to the president by a white
clad aide. The president speaks a
word of greeting, and listens, per
haps, to brief speech the veteran
tries to make. At another big re-
ception the guests would find it ex-
tremely difficult TO murmur more
than a hasty how do you do" to
the president The line is long.
and each person is shuttIed by as
quickly as politeness permits.
But a veteran with only a stump
Of right hand to offer his chief is
different He may hold up the line
a moment or two. Mrs. Harding
then shakes hands, and General
Pershing, the last in the receiving
line, greets each of the veterans.
Aides stand about to see that a
receiving line. There formaiity
practically ends. The veterans can
wander as they please about the
shady grounds. For most of them
1t is a great event, and even for
the cabinet ladies and high officials
this particular function is an I'M
usual experience in the round of
entertainments.
A COlorfUl Scene.
The scene is unusually colorful.
The closely cropped grass, red
rambler roses on the fence, gay red
and white and striped marques
where refreshments are served, the
marine band in summer uniforms,
the white portico of the mansion
and the blue sky of a perfect sum
mer afternoon make a striking
picture. These are typical of any
White house garden party. The I'M
usual feature this time is the crowd.
There is a sprinkling of women
in organdy and silk and a few
government officials.
But the blue. gray and white of
II "a otilS tiA44AOA Aut Tue hAoh4 VI
the service. and the rolling chairs,
clutches and bandaged arms and
heads dominate the scene
There are chairs all about in the
shade so that the boys for whom
this affairs means unusual exertion
can rest. One nurse says that ev-
cry man who could possibly walk
or be safely moved left her hospi-
tai Some of them tried desper-
ately to make enough progress to
be able to come, and there was
great disappointment among those
who were pronounced not quite
we'll enough for so much exertion.
Some OF the boys sit quietly in
one place. For the most part, how
ever, the guests of this occasion
move about, trying to see as much
as possible. They recognize Sec
rotary OF State Hughes, and they
watch with amusement the group