The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1922-01-15

sNckSaSAos AkAoos VI ssAo " 1870
having been removed at her sugges-
ton. giving way to an increased
number Of strings. Tt,a
THE Harding way resembles the
Roosevelt way in that they do
not-at least. they did not last
fhursday-attempt to serve the
buffet supper in the dining-room
that the Tafts instituted and the
Wilson's continued. The Cabinet was
received upstairs and there was the
same little procession down the
grand stairway into the Blue Room
that was characteristic Of both the
TAFT and Wilson state receptions. I
confess don't remember the Roose-
welt grand entry" but fancy that
they. too. came down from their
private apartments leading . little
procession made up OF the immedi-
ate Administration circle
Personally one doesn't mind con-
fsasing that one missed the buffet
supper Of the two previous regimes
-aoe Tor the foods sake, but for
the hospitality It suggested and the
inducement to iinger and gossip.
At that, apparently. the guests
needed no inducement to linger. for
when drifted away at eleven-thirty
the party was still going strong. and
the President and Mrs. Harding
were Just greeting the last of the
guests. g. ~
Moreover. it's q good deal Of an
undertaking to serve supper to sonr
5000 guests with proper dignity and
decorum; and-well. White House
hospitality has been frequently
abused. The souvenir hunter Is
abroad In tho land and the lure Of
something from the White House"
n particularly strong. And one cant
very well search invited guests to
make sure that they are not walking
off with the silver table or haven't
tucked q stray napkin into their
pocketsl
THE Wilson's at their last few
receptions threw all the State
apartments open to all their guests.
The roped doorways into the Blus
and Green drawing rooms were un-
roped and there were no reserved
spaces for special guests. This time
the ropes were up. possibly to dis
courage crowding into the rooms to
which general access had once been
denied: and the big wigs were gently
steered toward the Blue Room once
they had gone down the line. But
the guards stationed at each door
way were quite willing to let DOWN
the ropes. there was no attempt to
keep anybody out, and by the tina
the evening was wen under way the
goats" were rubbing elbows in the
most friendly fxshion with the
sheep"
ONCE the President and Mrs
Harding had welcomed the last
Of their guests they retired to
their own apartments, and after
that there was informal dancing in
the East Room. The crowd had.
of course, thinned out, but those
who stayed on seemed to find this
the pleasantest part Of the party.
II was we'll after midnight when
tho last motor drove off and ST.
lence settled down over the White
House.
Mrs. Harding gave UP her pro-
posed trip to New York on Satur-
day. possibly because she was too
fatisued by Thursday evenings ex-
perience to attempt It. She had
been asked to attend tho luncheon
given yesterday by the New York
Women's Republican Club, but her
acceptance was only tentative and
she found she couldn't make It.
THE White House IL often criti-
cized as inadequate as the
Executive Mansion Of a great
nation like the United States. I
suppose It really II too small and
certainly there are Inconvenience.
I remember. for instance, Mrs.
Wilson speaking Of how she once
had . Christmas house party nearly
frozen out during q cold snap since
the wind always blew the open fires
in certain Of the guest rooms out
onto the hearths. But I always feel
proud Of the White House when
see It IN gala array a. It was on
IL