The New York herald., 1922-01-29
White House Still Center
of Social Events in Capital
President and Mrs Harding Continue Their Round Of
+. Brilliant Entertainments Reception in Honor
of the Judiciary Chief Event.

Capitol fairly swarmed with them. and
they were lunching and dining In every
available dining room with their Con-
gressmen or "their" Senator's. and Sec
retary wallace had a bunch of them
eating with him at practically every
meal--and sometimes. of course, they
had him-and they simply owned the
Agricultural Department. and the assist
nnt secretaries and the bureau chiefs
treated them all as honored guests.
The White House reception seemed
quite impromptu. but it was quite some
party" Miss Harlan telephoned to each
OF the Cabinet women. in Mrs. Harding's s
name, asking that all who had no other
engagements come to the White House
at 8 40 and assist at the reception. She
herself had the state suite all dressed
up and donned one of her prettiest even
ing dresses-all lavender and silver
and ordered refreshments and a good
sized orchestra from the Marine Band,
and with the President and a really very
good showing of the Cabinet was ready
by half past eight to welcome them-as
representing the farmers OF the country.
1t was rather remarkable that so many
Of the Cabinet could respond to a hurry
call like that. The only ones who were
in Washington who were missing were
the Secretary of War and Mrs. Weeks,
who had perfectly legitimate engage
ment, since Miss Helen Cannon was en-
tertaining at dinner in their honor. ana
Mrs Hughes. who presumably was under
the weather. since Secretary Hughes
was there extending the glad hand to
the country cousins.
500 at the Reception.
The Attorney General. Mr.. Daugherty,
was out Of town, as was the Postmaster
General and his wife, and Secretary
Fall, who has been off on a Department
inspection trip for several months, and
Mrs. Hoover. But the Coolidges. the
Denbys. Mrs. Fall. Mr.. Hoover and the
Davises and several assistant and un-
der secretaries and their wives were very
much on the job. and several Senators
and Representatives who have farming
interests were rounded ups to help the
Administration convey to the farmers
Uncle Sans warm interest in them and
their problems. Altogether there were
probably 500 people there that night,
and to some it was undoubtedly an ex-
perience to treasure and tell about for
the rest Of their days. For it was not
a matter of "How-de-do, an goodby."
but rather of spending the evening with
the President and Mrs. Harding and a
group Of the people who are running
the country and being made to feel the
genuine hospitality that the Hardings
seem SO we'll able to express.
Mrs. Hoover has been away for a
week--went down to Savannah for the
Girl Scout conference, and understand
she got elected to the national presi-
dency of that organization for her pains
She has always been very actively is-
terested in the Girl Scouts. you know.
But for that matter Mrs Hoover is ac-
lively interested, when she is interested
at all. She is not keen for society--of
the capital s sort-although she un-
questionably shines when she consents
to appear in it. She Is rather addicted
to black evening dresses-has more diff
ferent ones and better looking than you
would think possible-and they are tre-
mendously becoming to her rather inn
posing figure and her white hair.
Mrs George Wharton Pepper. wife
OF the newly appointed Senator from
Pennsylvania. strikes me as very much
Mrs. Hoovcrs sort--a woman OF social
grace and likely to be much in demand
in official society, but rather more in
terested in the serious problems of tho
day than in pink teas and Kaleidoscope
functions.
She Is as democratic and straigh.for-
ward as they grow. She is friendly and
sympathetic to a degree and she hasn't
an affectation or a single bit Of sncb-
berry concealed anywhere about her
person. Washington already likes her
whole lot--so much SO that she ard
her husband were knee deep in en-
gagements almost as soon as they
reached Washington. Moreover they
n <<, ho hatn III, hy
any one Of the many circles that make
up Washington society. I have known
Of their being at the William Marshall
Bullitts's dinner in honor of Chief JUS
tice and Mrs. William Howard Taft;
at Secretary Melons dinner for the
Vice. President and Mrs. Coolidge on
Tuesday night. and the Weeks's dinner
for the President and Mrs. Harding on
Wednesday. the judiciary reception at
the White House on Thursday and the
Pennsylvania Society's big reception in
honor of Governor and Mrs. Sproul last
night.
White House Hospitality.
As for the President and Mrs. Har-
ding. they are putting so much energy
and good will into occupying their posi-
tion--and filing it-that one wonders
bankruptcy. No one VINO hasn't watched
the social game as 1t Is played in
Washington can begin to understand
what strain 1t can be. The Hardines
for instance. have had guests at the
White House, one or, two or even three
or four at time, fully two-thirds Of
the time since they entered the White
House. They seemed to feel that there
was long arrears of neglected hospi-
tally to be made up-and that that
was their job. Probably six days in
the week they have people in Informally,
at luncheon or at dinner. or both. and
probably at least six days a week Mrs.
Harding has some afternoon guests to
whom she offers afternoon tea even If
she does no heavier entertaining. And
in the week from Thursday to Thursday
inclusive. she has had state dinner
the annual diplomatic dinner, with
eighty-five guests-two small evening
receptions--that Is. II you call from
ESQ to 500 small--one Friday night of
last week for the delegates to the hos
pitalization conference. and the ladies
of their parties to the number of be-
tween ESQ and 900. and one Monday
night for the Farm conference delegates,
TO nearly double the number. and one
big state reception. In honor of the
Supreme Court. on Thursday.
Added to this there was the Weeks
dinner on Wednesday, and look in on
the ball for, the bentft of the Garfield