The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-01-27
Frederick Haskin's Letter
nj Arxual
White House Receptions.

i-J 81 Win elhcie-,
speed. You reach the east ' r.
feeling like a package of crsa IN
that slides along a belt in a a. g.
and is suddenly dumped somewso.!
finished. aefe
Diplomatic Reception CoIa-b,
You put in a few minutes aer,.
ably in the east room, rubbi-s sS'
bows with gold lace, red '
diamond tiaras, cabinet Officers -,
nobility. A diplomatic recs1. 5ll
is known as the most colorfniF ~. -ei
picturesque of the four his US va
house receptions. The unifor1 nl'ys
the diplomats, the quaint costg.U
OF some of the women in me- ne
dress give the scene the ann.
ance OF a fancy dress ball IT,.
tie Chinese women, especiaTV ~,
native, high collared COSTUME, y.
white satin, with their baIr VI
ranged very like our own dsbr,
antes make an interesting pictr..
After counting all the celehri,i,s,
you can name or bow to, You ha,.,
to think of getting home earlv H. :.
fore the inevitable crush
urely stroll downstairs IN -.
portlco, however, reveals thai m.
idea has hit several hundred nso
pie first. Despite an efficient ~ ~.
tenn of carriage checks, teleDbon..
megaphones and signals. lesvir1
the White house is more oOmnF
Gated than getting in. II ~.
Is minutes to get your automobf.
detached from the thousand o5i
cars parked nearby-if Won aFs 1.
luck. If the chauffeur misses ~
call, 1t may take two Or tb,o.
times as long.
This, then, is the modern rac,,
ton. Boiled down, it consists y,
getting into line and waiting IN n
greeted by the president, who 4
glad to see you" then a little "a.
cial conversation with friends and
acquaintance, and the eeremmv
of producing the taxi that matcbs,
your carriage check.
1t seems doubtful if a president.
ial reception to which a lsrgs
crowd is invited can ever be coS.
Quoted in a less stereotyped fashion
When state receptions have bes-
conducted without the utmost foT.
mality there has been confusion
and complaint.
In Jackson's term, the idea that
the White house belonged to ever.
one became so popular that at one
time it was not uncommon for il.
vited guests to be unable to Obtain
admission because others bal
crowded in and the entrances wep
blocked by crowds waiting Their
turn.
In Civil Var Days.
At reception in Lncolns ID.
ministration, before it was custom.
airy to handle social gatherings BY
strict traffic rules, the jam during
the evening became terrific Al
account of the occasion says:
An hour before the doors Of hs Z
house were opened the great drive
way was blocked with carriages an
the sidewalks and approaches e )
the White house were thronga
with ladies and gentlemen, am
iously awaiting an opportunity d
enter and pay their respects %
President and Mrs. Lincoln. At
o'clock the doors were opened and
the house was soon filed. By bali
past eight the crowd inside vas 50
intense that-it being impossible q
pass out of the door owing to tie
large numbers outside waiting tU
admissiOn-it was found necessary
to pass the ladies and gentlemg
who desired to retire out thFous.
the windows. This mode OF Ell
lasted nearly an hour, especially
for the gentlemen.
That was before cards Of admls
sion and strictly limited lists q
guests came into general use to'
important White house func+ion3
Of late years this sort Of contusIl
has been eliminated. Rules OF Pre-
cedure are mapped out far in o.
vance of the occasion, and tTah.
officers, White house guards, AIDES
and detectives see that the rules an
strictly followed.
Since RooSeveIt's time, engraved
invitations have been sent out GEL
orally by White house messengers
to guests invited to the reception,
and in the past few years a card @
admission has been added TO ui
invitation. This little card IN u
envelope marked Not transfeFa0t
bears the name of the guest, i-
day and hour, and the entrance q
which il is TO be presented.