The Washington times., 1922-01-08

afternoons at home. which took on
added interest from the fact that It
was New Year Day. Mrs. c. C.
Calhoun received. 30 did Mrs. Frank
Hisht-but why go on.
FOR, after all, interest centsrsd
upon the White House in par
ticular and the activities Of the Off.
cial world In general. Tradition was
closely followed in the White House
reception. but there was Just enough
difference between the old order and
the new to give an added FLIP Of In
terest.
The governmental establishment
has grown 80 tremendously I'm the
nine years since the last public re.
ception held In President Taft's day,
that II was necessary to divide the
party into two sections, the Official
world being received in the morning
and the general public in the af.
ternoon.
This indubitably made for comfort
and convenience and decorum. be-
side giving the President and Mrs.
Harding an opportunity to withdraw
for luncheon and a bit of rest. But
It did away with the striking con.
trasts which were so much feature
Of the old days and robbed the news
papers Of their opportunity 20 write
about ''the greatest statesmen Of the
United States and the representa-.
tives Of the crowned heads Of Eu.
rope rubbing elbows with ragged
urchins and poorly clad women
whose arms were still red from the
wash tubs"
OF course, the diplomats had had
to slip away even before the morn
ing reception was over in order to
show up promptly at the Pan.
American building for tho diplo-
matte breakfast, to which they were
hidden at 1890 o'clock. Some of
the ladies assisting Mrs. Harding
were also included in this company.
some were preparing to receive
themselves in the afternoon and so
the group in the Blue Room, which.
had included. Of course, the Vice
President and Mrs. Coolidge and the
Cabinet and the Supreme Court,
with the ladies Of their families. had
very much thinned out by after
noon. Mrs. James R Mann stayed
on. however. and Mrs. Frederick
Hicks and General and Mrs. Sawyer
and Miss Harlan and a few others
who stood about in groups to chat
and watch the long line file by.
In the morning the scene was
rather different, for once they had
greeted the President and Mrs.
Harding the guests doubled back to
say Happy New Year" to the
Cabinet or broke up into animated
groups In the various drawing
rooms and before long they were
humming like hive of bees. Since
1t was q purely official company
everybody knew everybody else and
there was SO much merriment and
laughter that the Marine Band. In
its accustomed corner Of the hail.
way had to labor for It's laurels.
Really the band deserves o dec-
grafton for that days work. After
playing away all morning, they 70
turned to the fray with renewed
vigor in the afternoon and played
the last straggler out of the White
House before breaking ranks.
ENTERING the White Houss
early. one was struck by IN
look Of being stripped for actioa-
The rugs were up in some Of the
rooms, and the great dining room
looked strangely large and bare
with tine table removed. But once
the people began to assemble the
great rooms took on q festive air
to which the quantities Of lovely
flowers, arranged under Mrs. Hara-
ing's personal direction. contributes
In no small measure.
wh~~ Ma HARDING cans doWu