The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1922-01-08

clasp an well a. cordial greeting
for each Of the 1000 persons who
passed through the White House
doors.
How do they do It, wonder3 I
stood and watched them for q long
time during the afternoon and both
the President. and Mrs. Harding
seemed to have something different
and something gracious and
friendiy-to say to each guest. In
( the morning when the line was
broken up into groups and there
wsre pauses in between, the Presi.
dent left his place on several occa-
sions to joke with some Of those
assembled In the blue room and had
to DO hustled back into position to
greet the next dignitary who might
be an ambassador making a ges-
ture of greeting from his country
to the United States.
0NE thing the Hardings have
done--they have killed the ex-
preston back of the line" which
was used so much in the old days In
speaking Of the guests honored by
IN invitation to the blue room. For
instead Of taking their position with
their backs to the room they always
manage to stand facing the apart.
ment so that they may have their
guests before them-a gracious
thing and most characteristic.
, One noticeable thing about the
New Year reception was the num-
Der of women present. There were
always q few-notably the wives Of
the Cabinet officers who, with THAR
husbands, were always in the re-
ceiving line. and, think. the wives
Of the diplomats--it was generally
recognized that the making Of New
Year calls was q masculine preroga-
tive.
This year, however. the ladies
were almost as numerous as the
men during the morning hours. and
I should say that there were at
least as many Of the feminine as CT
the masculine persuasion in the
long line which wound its way
round the State. War and Navy
building in the afternoon, slowly
seeking entrance to the White
House.
no you know that the French am
bassador. M. Jusserand. who.
with Nine. Jusserand, was the first
to greet President and Mrs. Harding
in the Blue Room. is the only diplo-
mat Of his rank who has ever be-
fore attended q New Year reception
at the White House? OF the foreign
ministers viscount d'Alte. the min
lister of Portugal; H. H. Bryn, the
minister Of Norway. and Mr.. Brun.
the minister Of Denmark. are the
only ones to have enjoyed the novel
experience. OF lesser diplomats.
who have been in Washington long
enough to have been received on
New Year Day by former Presidents,
one recalls Prince de Bearn ct de
Chalais. counselor of the French
Embassy. who was then only an
attache and counting an American
girl. whom he afterward married.
Then there Ia Mr.. LOTUS, secretary
Of the Siamese Legation. an Eng.
hshman who has been here for
years, and Yung Kwai, counselor Of
the Chinese Legation, who married
an American and has spent many
years here. Most Of the rect were
total strangers 70 such a ceremony
a. the New Year reception.
One wonders rather what they all
thought about this experiment in
democracy. And 1t would be inter.
esting to know the Utmost thoughts
Of Chief Justice and Mrs. Taft who
had played the leading roles at the
last New Year reception. Mrs. Taft
was among the ladies helping Mrs.
Harding in the blue room, and the
Chief Justice greeted the President
and Mrs. Harding at the head Of the
group of Supreme Court Justices.
who. after the foreign dignitaries,
were the first to 20 down the line.
As for the Cabinet receptions In
the afternoon--they were rather
less formal than was customary In
the good old days" Then each
hostess used to have . group Of ten
or q dozen ladies' assisting her and
at least AZ many pretty girls to help
mako her guests welcome. This
time. on, the contrary. none Of tho
Cabinet hostesses had large re-
ceiving parties and Mrs. Coolidge
received with only the Vice Presi-
dent to keep her company. The
Speaker Of the House and Mrs.
Giliett were also at home during the
afternoon. The Secretary Of War
and Mrs. Weeks ana tho Secretary