Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1922-06-27

VIZ ASHlNGTON, u. o., June 23:-Ihe gar
w den party season is just opening, but
the White House has already had its
only affair of the sort that is scheduled for the
year. Two thousand wounded war veterans,
some rolled in wheel chairs, some limping on
icrutcheS, some guided by other eyes, have
passed in long line and been greeted by the
President and Mrs. Harding on the White
House lawn.
Garden parties are more or less alike when
private citizens receive out-of-doorS. A preSi-
dental affair, however, is different. Whether
the President be Washington with leaning
to courtly ceremony or Jefferson with bluff
disregard for pomp, an official atmosphere sur
rounds all functions at the Executive Mansion.
They are as distinctive in their blending of the
formal and the informal as any court ceremo-
MES of Europe. A veterans garden party is no
different, except that the contrasts are more
striking and human interest is more dominant
The endless line of veterans, accompanied by
their nurses, and the young women invited to
help entertain them, must wind in long sep
pentine through the corridors of the White
House, out onto the gardens and across the
lawn to the oak tree beneath which the Chief
Executive and his wife are receiving.
Everyone must be presented formally to the
President by white clad aide. The President
speaks word of greeting, and listens, perhaps,
to brief speech the veteran tries to make. At
extremely difficult to murmur more than hasty
chow do you do" to the President. The line
is long, and each person is Shuttled by as
quickly as politeness permits
But veteran with only stump of a right
hand to offer his Chief is different. He may
hold up the line moment or two. Mrs. Hard
ing then shakes hands, and General PerShing,
the last in the receiving line greetS each of the
veterans.
Aides stand about to see that small clear
ing is kept around the receiving line There
formality practically ends. The veterans can
wander as they please about the shady grounds
For most of them it is great event, and even
for the Cabinet ladies and high officials this
particular function is an unusual experience
in the round of administration entertainments.
A Colorfnl Scene
The scene is unusually colorful. The closely
cropped grass, red rambler roses on the fence
gay red and white and striped marques where
refreshments are served, the marine band in
summer uniforms, the white portico of the man.
sion and the blue sky of perfect summer
afternoon, make a striking picture. These are
typical of any White House garden party. The
unusual feature this time is the crowd.
There is a Sprinkling of women in organdy
and silk and few middle-aged Government
officials. But the blue, gray, and white of
nursing uniforms, and the khaki Of the service
and the rolling chairs, crutches, and bandaged
arms and heads dominate the scene.
There are chairs all about in the shade so
that the boys for whom this affair means un-
usual exertion can rest. One nurse says that
every man who could possibly walk or be safe
ly moved left her hospital Some of them tried
desperately to make enough progress to be
able to come, and there was great diSappoint-
ment among those who were pronounced not
quite we'll enough for so much exertion.
Some of the boys sit quietly in one place.
For the most part, however, the guests of this
occasion move about, trying to see as much as
possible. They recognize Secretary of State