Evening star., 1922-02-12
Personalities at Arms
Conference as ENJOYS
Marked Time at Close
Mrs. Hughes Betrayed Great
Pride in Her Husband.
Balfour Tapped Table
With Pencil necessarily.

The last two days of the arms con-
ference, Saturday and Monday, pos
sessed great social interest as well as
making the most remarkable pages in
the worlds history. The delegates
showed but few signs Of the gigantic
task they had completed. and at times
there was real air of jolYity about
the entire company sitting around the
table. But there was nervousness.
both on Saturday, when the last treaty
was passed, and again on Monday, when
Harding present for signing. Mr.
Balfour tapped on the table with his
huge silver-capped pencil. toyed with
it, wrote few lines now and then
sometimes a note, which he passed to
Lord Lee of Fareham-but he never
laid it down. The Belgian ambassador
scribbled little notes and passed them
on to the Netherlands delegate, who.
short, fat and jolly. laughed at them.
The Japanese delegate leaned back in
his swivel chair and rocked; Sir Auck-
land Geddes rubbed his head. oc-
casionally took nibble at his thumb
nail, toyed with his fingers and smiled.
while the Italian delegate. Senator
Ricci ambassador to this country,
leaned far back in his swivel chaf:,
shifted occasionally at the scarlet car
nation on his coat lapel and smiled
The American delegates. too, showed
their nervousness, former Senator
Root keeping his hands in. evidence
and in motion, his fingertips together
and pointing upward. and he. too. sway
ed in the swivel chair. Senator Lodge
his fingers. through his short. curly
locks, scribbled now and then, and took
a turn at teetering in his swivel chair.
The French ambassador scribbled
notes, nibbled a bit of chocolate and
listened to everything without scarcely
| looking UP.
The Secretary of State. Mr.. Hughes.
and the Chinese delegates were the
most quietly dignified of all those about
the conference table. The latter were
almost stoiid, DR.. SEE. the minister,
writing rapidly with an inordinately
long pencil placed between his mid
die and index finger. pretty much as a
write.
So much for the men at the con-
ference table. and if they seemed
nervous, one should have beheld their
wives. Mrs. Harding watched every
proceeding with minute care when
leaned over with tense expression
while the President spoke. was per-
ceptibly nervous and looked relieved
when it was all over. Mrs. Coolidge
was calmly interested. watching the
faces of those about the table and
always wearing her calm little smile.
Mrs. Hughes was so proud of her
husband on Monday that every one
smiled at her eagerness. Her eN-
preston was one of calm exaltation.
The boxes were filled with the wives
of delegates and the more compli-
seated "our friends" which, of
course, included many notables. The
costuming of the women was splen-
did. "a kings ransom in furs being
worn by the foreign women, while
sea of more elegant hats in all colors.
shapes and sizes would be hard to
imagine. Colors would look sedate
enough for two. or three seats and
then there would flare out the bright
orange or tangerine color of
blouse, dress, scarf or hat, while
blues and all the heavier colors
showed in the costuming of the
women. Mrs. Harding wore on va
rious alternate occasions two of her
rich fur wraps. one long seal coat
lined with a rich blue brocade. while
another wrap is of broad-tail with
shawl-like collar of chinchilla. Her
hat. worn on several occasions. was
of henna color feathers, with a long
crystal hatpin thrust through the up
turned black velvet brim at the
front. Mrs. Frederick H. Gillett,
wife of the Speaker. who nearly al
ways wears black, wore a modish
costume of the somber color, her
hats, always in the extreme of fash
ion. showing the dropping effect in
feathers now so much in vogue. Mrs.
Grafton Minot, the granddaughter Of
Senator Lodge, who entertained the
delegates for him all during the con-
ference, wore on one occasion
gown of genuine emerald green in
color, with a little black hat. while
on another occasion-Monday,
think it was-she wore a natty black
costume. the hat quite small and the
skirt of the we'll fashioned dress
showing the floating draperies fall
ing below the hem of the skirt