The New York herald., 1922-02-12
fire in the Treasury Building
Provides Excitement When
1t Is Needed.
WASHINGTON. d. c.. Feb. IL.


the close of the conference and
be departure OF the majority Of the
bnferees most of us We're realizing
be aptness of Mr.. Lansing's reply
hen at the italian Embassy party
y the evening OF November IL, 1918,
bme one asked: "Well, Mr.. Secretary,
ow do you feel?" and the response
18th an uncertain, almost dazed,
mile, came: II feel bv.a VERY much
et up and very much let o~wn!"
hat was pretty much the way Wash
hgton felt along about Tuesday and
Wednesday.
1t was certainly the way / felt
trolling down f street on Wednesday
fternoon, wondering il there We're
ny thrills left. And then, crossing
hat main shopping thoroughfare of
Washington, I glanced up the street
md saw-the Treasury on fire! I
idn't believe it.. Probably the men
Eho were working on the roof were
oing something with tar and it hap
|ened to be blazing a bit. But the
Treasury on e?-Nonsense! That
one Of the things that doesn't hap
len.
1t was picturesque and interesting,
ven thrilling, in the possibility it sug-
tested-that co.unnn Of white smoke
nd those leap'ng flames high up in
building which blocks + street at Fiji
eenth-but it was absurd to dream
hat building as carefully guarded
IS the Treasury could possibly be on
Ire! Even when the engines were
acing-they tell me it was newsboy
bn the corner that turned in the
larm-(and I know of at least one
Policeman who agreed that it couldn't
POSSIBLY be the Treasury on flre!)
But when one realized that it really
vas that most picturesque of all the
departmental buildings, and that it
vas genuinely on fire. one knew that
he conference had by no means eX-
bausted the possible thrills.
One can easily understand that Wash
ngton felt both very much set up and
Fery much let down" after the close of
he conference. "Othello's occupation
rone!" For months the town had been
busy entertaining the delegates and the
erned had four delegates apiece, who
lat at the conference table and took
part in the discussions. and had some
lctual "say'' as to the decisions but
heir delegations numbered in some in
tances. nearly 200--advisers. experts.
ecretaries, &c.) Admitted at once that
Washington, after the first two or three
weeks. got bit blase as to the purposes
bf the conference, and showed only the
most casual interest In what it might
pr might not be doing; admitted that in
he long interval between the fourth and
|ifth plenary sessions, the general public
here seemed almost to forget that the
|elegates were assembled In Washington
bn business of world import-still Wash.
ngton society never got tired of the
|lelegates, and its hospitable desire to
Entertain them never for an instant
Tagged.
In the Cabinet Circle.
idge-most of them observed Cabinet
Wednesday this week. They had ex-
bected to be at home on Wednesday of
asst week--but that, like almost every
hing else, was put off because the city
was shrouded in the sorrow OF the
<nickerbocker catastrophe. Except the
judiciary dinner at the White House
livery big official party scheduled for
asst week was called off-and that prob
Rbly would have been, but for the disap-
|bointment to people who had in many
Instances come from out of town to at
tend it; and the recognized difficulty of
Finding a second date convenient to all
concerned for postponed state func,
ion.
Mrs. Coolidge was telling some one
BIT her reception on Wednesday that
while she usually made neither luncheon
.lor dinner engagements for the days
when she was to receive. she had that
Hay been to a luncheon-which Miss
Mabel Boardman had planned for her,
put which was postponed, "as everything
WAS last week. That was the only one
be the Wednesday at homes that 1 was
able to take in. Mrs. Coolidge had prac-
fically the entire Massachusetts Con-
Eressional delegation assisting that af-
ternoon--some at the table and others
helping her receive and entertain her
quests. Everybody was greatly inter-
fsted in a portrait sketch of Mrs. Coo
)tdge-made by that Miss Jacobs--a
huecr front name, something like Liam
was down here during the
conference making portraits of many of
the leading figures therein. There
teeined considerabi- Nergence of opin-
ION as to the re. udft.
| Personally found that Mrs. Borden
Chairman at least divided my interest
with the portrait.
She is always interesting and she
feems about as prominent in Washir--
&on now as during the Wilson regime,
when she was one of the women who
was known as n firm supporter of the
administration and was head of the
|vomen's advisory board to the Council
bf National Defense during the war and
went on special missions and was gener-
billy regarded as semi-official. She seems
TO be permanent Washingtonian now
Rdays and Is head of the Consumers
League here and prominent in the coun-
tils of the National Women's Foundation
bnd active in the newly launched Wilson
Foundation. One meets her everywhere.
bnd it is always n pleasure; her clothes
Pre worth studying-and copying IL
you're clever enough--and she seems
blways to be seeing interesting people
pnd doing interesting things.
AS came near some people were ask
ing Mrs. Hartman about the Washing
ION Opera Company. She and Mrs.
Walter Wilcox have just been added
10 the board of directors
nIr. Coolidge Going West.
|. To-day, believe, Vice President
Coolidge Is headed for Springfield, ILL.,.
whore he is to take part In Lincoln
Day celebration, returning to Washing
|on, as soon as II Is over And II she
|arried out her intention expressed last