The Washington times., 1922-09-03

or Hamlet" with both star and
leading man detained by lmpor-
tant business. For Secretary
Davis. about the time that he
should have been in Mooseheart
watching the unveiling Of a
statue of himself, was In Phil
adelphia along with Senator Pep
per, trying to find some way
out Of the coal muddle. and the
President was here sitting on
the lid.
Mrs. Harding has remained
quietly in Washington all summer,
eschewing all social engagements
and giving her time and thought
to making things as easy as pos
sible for her much-worried hus.
band. She has worried more or
less for him. For they do say that
he has been losing sleep and appe.
tite over the impossible industrial
situation, which was part of hts
executive inheritance. Since they
had to stay at the White House
she has made the White House as
pleasant a summer residence as
possible. She has not fretted her
self or her husband with big or
brilliant parties, but she seems to
have brought the porch party idea
with her from Marion, and she has
a curious and unprecedented way
of regarding the White House as
not merely the Presidents House"
as the marking on much Of the
White House silver has it--but his.
home. She has turned the front
portico-the south side is really
the front Of the house, though II
is the least familiar to the general
public, which approaches the Exc
cutive Mansion as q rule by the
back door-into the most delight
full of informal reception rooms,
with quantities of rugs and cush-
ions and wicker furniture. The
latch string Is always out for their
personal friends-especially for
visitors from Ohio-and the First
Lady is always Hospitality anxious
that they yshould see, all there 10
to see, and have everything thor.
oughly explained to them. She
leads many a personally conduct
ed tour through the state apart
ments, and IL accounts are true.
occasionally delights visitor with
a glimpse Of upstairs where they
live"
As for meals-while there are
comparatively few invitations OF
Come to dinner or luncheon;"
there are so many Of Stay to din
ner or luncheon"-or perhars
Take pot luck with us" for their
personal or political friends that
they rarely sit down without some
extra people at the table. For in.
stance, there is Carmi Thompson,
Of Cleveland, Republican candidate
for governor Of Ohio. who almost
commutes between Washington
and Cleveland. judging by the fra.
auency with which his name fig
ures on the Willard register. He
is one Of the Presidents oldest and
closest friends-persona and poiiti.
cal-and he drops in as casually,
and almost as constantly--at the
White House-as he would at their
Wyoming avenue home Of two or
three years ago-or at their hons
in Marion. g.
As to whether the President and
Mrs. Harding will get away at all
for anything like a real vacation,
however short-that IL on ne
knees Of the gods apparently the
gods Of labor and capitaD. II they
don't ii won't be for lack Of invita-
tons. It Is known that they have
been invited and urged to visit In
New England-Weeks and Mellon
both have tried to land them as
guests, and may succeed. The I'd.
ward Beaie McLeans have tried to
land them as guests-and they
may succeed. within the last week
Senator Calder has presented q