The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1922-12-13

Precedence Rules in Washington.
Congress is here again, struggling
with legislative projects. some of
which the members like and some Of
which they do not like a little bit.
There are some things just now in
Washington, however, to hold part of
the attention. Once in a while 1t is.
or may be. a good thing to get away
from politics and legislation. 1t is a
bit restful.
Washington is q social place. 1t has
to be. The entente cordiale, as we
think the diplomats call it, could not
be maintained at high pitch and yet in
full tune il official activities were al
lowed to lag. Congress dances. diplo-
macy dances, the judiciary dances, and
the rest of the Washington community
dances.
1t is true that this fall new members
of congress are not much in evidence,
for they will not appear until the be-
ginning of an extra session mex spring,
If there be one, or until the beginning
Of the regular session next December.
Nevertheless some few of them are
here house-hunting. When they do
come, the good women of their house-
holds will find that they have certain
duties to perform after a manner new
to them.
Washington is a regular India for
castles. Society In a way is the text
of the theme, so let some of the Diff
culties which beset incoming congress
mems wives be made known.
Things the Wives Must Know.
The capital is n great stickler for
precedence, and yet this is democracy.
When Mrs. Representative arrives here
it is her first social duty to call on
Mrs. Senator. If she does not do II
she never will meet Mrs. Senator eX-
cept by accident. Mrs. Senator will re-
turn the call after ii is made.
1t Is the duty of the incoming Mrs.
Senator to call on Mrs. Associate JUS
tice of the Supreme court. If she does
not do ii she never will see Mrs. Asso-
ciate Justice of the Supreme court ex-
cept by accident. In other words, the
lowly must call first on the mighty,
and this condition of things must pre-
vail until, through the whirligig Of pol
itics or presidential appointment, the
loWly become the mighty, and then the
thing is reversed and the former Mrs.
Mighty has to call first on the former
Mrs. Lowly.
There is Il lot of humor in this thing,
but the procedure is as fixed, If one
can use q bromide, as were the laws Of
the, Modes and Persians. This prece-
dence thing has bothered certain of
the authorities in Washington since
the beginning of the republic, and the
heart-burnings of some of he women,
and some of the men also, have been
a lasting affliction.
Gideon Welles, secretary of the navy
in the Lincoln administration, kept a
diary. Years after his death it was
published, and it makes mighty inter-
esting reading. precedence" was a
thorn in Lincoln's day and Welles tells
a somewhat delightful story.
He says that Schuyler Colfax, then
speaker OF the house of representa-
tives, came to him one day II said
that Mrs. Welles ought to call on Mrs.
ColfaX, who was not the wife of the
speaker, but his mother. Welles init
mated that he thought 1t ought to be
the other way. William Ii. seward.
who then was secretary of state, was
supposedly n diplomat of rare ability.
1t seems that Colfax went to the Sec
rotary of state with this high matter
of precedence, and then he Went to
Welles and said, Steward declares
Mrs. Welles ought to call on Mrs. Col
fax first"
Then Welres says, in effect, in his
diary. Seward never did know much,
anyway" Perhaps it might be said
here that Welles was no great admirer
of Lincoln's secretary of state.
One Unsettled Question.
1t never has been quite settled which
takes precedence in society, the cabi.
net of the President or the Supreme
court of the United States. Generally,
however, it is admitted that the cabi.
net ranks the court. Sometimes, how
ever, the wife of a Supreme court JUS
tice holds out on the question of her
supposed privileges and wants the wife
of the cabinet officer to call first. There
seems to have been a way of fixing up
these things, however, and nothing I'M
toward ever has happened.
The women of the cabinet have re-
ceiving days and all who want TO come
may. 1t is one of the first duties Of
the wife of a newly-elected senator or
representative to leave a card ut the
White House and then cards ut the res
licences of the wives of the cabinet
members, if they happen to have wives.
This establishes things, and while cab
met women do not do much calling, be-
cause, If they started out to do 1t, they
would have to do too much of 1t, they
accept invitations to general affairs
given by the wives of senator's and
representatives.