The Washington times., 1922-07-23
POLITICS PLAYED AT
M R S. HARRIMAWS
THURSDAY EVENINGS
Mrs. Woodrow Will
SON Occasionally is
Among Guests

anu "Hllr WoIIltF
u over tho country are breaking
lanc"s with r0en n the political
lists. a Washing on woman, Mrs.
J. Borden Hartman. is quietly
Qualifying as a political hostess
and making her old.fashioned
house in r street the unofficial
headquarters Of her party.
It's the mocretlc party, ~
course, for T~ Hartman has al
ways been a stanch supporter Of
Democratic principles and an ar.
tent Wilson man" SO now that
things are beginning to look brighter
for the party-and 1t is as.onish.
ng how the gloom which en-
shrouded all good Democrats a
year ago has been ndissipated-she
has inaugurated a series of Thurs.
day evening supper parties in her.
pleasant garden. with Democratic
leaders In the Senate and the
House as her principal guests AMI
politics served up for discussion
over the coffee cups.
DO they dancer" a sweet young
thing inquired on hearing of Mrs.
Harriman's garden suppers, to be
answered with mo, they pull the
strings for others TO dance" And
they do. in truth. for not only do
he Senate and House leaders turn
m pretty regularly, with their
wives il the ladies chance to be in
town, but one is sure to meet vis-
iting Democratic big.wigs at Mrs.
Harriman's. CordelI Hull, chair
man OF the Democratic National
Committee, is almost always there
and so is Mrs. Emily Newell Blair.
national committee woman In
charge OF party activities amonr
women.
And who do you suppose the
hostess has managed to capture on
at least two occasions? Mrs
Woodrow Wilson! The wife Of
the former President was Mrs.
Harr!man's guest last Thursday
and the Thursday before. II is
quite an unusual event for her to
venture into society these days
since she rarely leaves her dIstin.
guished patient, but she seemed
to thoroughly enjoy seeing oil
friends. personal and political,
again.
The personnel OF these Thurs
day evening parties varies. of
course, but there are usually from
twenty to thirty guests. Among
them one is likely to meet the
Oscar Underwoods when they are
In town and the Pomerenes, Sen
ator Walsh OF Montana. Senator
Gerry and Senator Hitchcock and
Senator Joseph Robinson OF Ar
kansas. generally regarded as one
OF the coming men OF the Demo.
cratic party. A handful OF news.
paper men representing Democra-
tic and independent papers-men
like William Hard and Charles
Micaelson--are also frequently in
the company.
The dinners-or more Dpperlv
suppers. for everything iS served
cold and the menu is usually made
up OF salads, jellies and such de-
lightful summer delicacies--are
most informal and are served at
small tables, set out under the
trees which shade the garden. So
it's all very chummy and very
enjoyable, as we'll as significant.
IT seems a bit odd that Il should
be Mrs. Hartman, with no
official connections either in per.
son or by proxy, who should come
the closest OF any woman in
Washington to establishing a polit.
iCal salon-for the Democrats
And yet since the early days OF
the wilson Administration she has
welded strong influence in party
politics. This is more interesting.
moreover, from the fact that she
has answered the now famous
query Are women people?" In
the affirmative and refuses to be
segregated or to play her poll
tics through womens organize
tions.
President Wilson sent Mrs. Har.
riman on two important missions
to Europe while he was in the
White House; and since his re.
tirement she has devoted much OF
her undoubted administrative abil.
ity to the organization Of the vii.
son Foundation.
Another place where the Demo
cratic cohorts are won't to gathe,
these summer days Is at the home
Of Mrs. Emily Newell Blair. She
has taken a house on the edge OF
Cleveland Park. a place with pleas.
ant gardens and wide verandas,
and keeps open house there on
Sunday afternoons. Usually she