Evening star., 1923-08-07
First Lady's Personal Touch
Without Parallel in History
Thousands Greeted Warmly During
the Months of Mrs. Harding's Reign
as Mistress of White House.

While Mrs. Warren G. Harding al
ways insisted in keeping in close touch
with the people 1t is her devotion to
her husband that Is given credit for
much of his success in life. She was
constantly with him, and urging him on
to higher honors. which resulted in the
fulfillment of a statement made on her
wedding day. when she said she would
make him President"
She was constantly with him until
death parted them.
No former mistress of the White
House ever lived In SUCH close per-
sonal touch to the American people
as did the widow of President Harding.
In the months during which she presided
over the social affairs of the nation
she met thousands of persons-men.
women and children-and 1T is safe
to say that not one of them went
away without feeling that she had
personal interest in them.
She planned her social life in the
White House on gigantic scale and
in a manner to more than satisfy the
people and yet relieve President
Harding of much social pressure
Her invalidism during the years Pres
ident Harding was in the Senate
barred her from active part in the
social life of the capital, but 1t was a
period rich in observation. many
women of the Senate circle, who
knew of her incapacity for routine
social life, going to her when she
could not come to them and keeping
her in close touch with everything
pertaining to the life here. Mrs.
a
reader and the society columns were
a part of her daily pleasures. as she
called them.
Fitted for Duties.
All of this fitted her admirably to
take up her duties as the first lady
of the land without a qualm of fear
or the least aversion to a duty. She
secured the services of Miss Laura
Harlan, daughtr of the late Justice
John NJ. Harlan of Kentucky and the
late Mrs. Harlan, and, leaning upon
her and corps of stenographers and
typewriters. Mrs. Harding started in
on her gigantic campaign to know
the people and let them know her.
She wished every citizen of the United
States to feel that they were welcome
II the White House. and she took
means to this end as far as possible.
Just how wisely her conceptions
worked is shown by printed records.
While she received thousands of men
and women in the blue. red or green
room at the White House by special
appointment. she met hundreds Of
thousands through her well arranged
plan of greeting delegations, taking
the pressure off the President in most
cases, and yet more than satisfying
the public. No matter what the or
ganization happened to be. If 1t was
of sufficient interest to enlist a few
hundred members Mrs. Harding con-
Sidered il worth her time.
Posing for Camera.
When worn with fatigue after re-
ceiving hundreds of visitors, every
one of whom wished to grasp her
hand. she would then gracefully yield
to the importuning of the visitors
and stand with them for a picture. The
picture men themselves often put un-
due haste into their work when they
perceived her anxious little expression.
Mothers stopped with her as they
hurriedly passed before her to look
into her eyes-such frank, good eyes
they were-and perhaps tell her a
word about my boy in a hospital"
or about my girl, who is in the
movies or on the concert stage" or
perhaps it would be some genuinely
homely subject. like everyday house
keeping. in which the world knew that
the first lady of the land was unex-
celled.
Hostess to Soldiers.
Most unusual of all of Mrs. Hard
ing's social life were her two big gar
den parties for the wounded soldiers
in hospitals in and near Washington,
a
when she had as her chief assistant
the President himself. Dozens of
times she drove away from the White
House and instead of taking the syl-
van drives of Rock Creek Park or the
more rugged highways of MARYLAND
or virginia went to visit the men in the
hospital and try to cheer them up.
On one of these trips she learned
that the once husky heroes were like
er that she had a good, old-fashioned
taffy or fudge manufactured in the
White House kitchens and sent TO
them at intervals. She bought their
little handicraft pieces. and there are
perhaps dozens of homely little gifts
like baskets, needle books and bead
work in her personal effects today.
She treasured everything pertaining
to soldiers life and was so affected
by their ills that she would be grave
~ Qulet LOT hours a1Ler leaving them
Laddie Boy Helps Cause.
Mrs. Harding had a big conception
of what the people of the United
States wanted to know about the
White House and the people who live
in it. and she used every method to
let them know. The whole world
loves dogs, and so Laddie Boy was a.
connecting link between her and
animal lovers. She showed the Presi-
dents pet off to advantage at every
possible turn. She introduced him to
visitors whenever they asked for
him. When this subject failed she
told the women about the Kitchens
and pantries, about the copper and
aluminium kettles, the general house
hold management and the flower
room, one of her chief prides and de-
lights, to which all cut flowers are
taken for arrangement.
She told them about the senatorial
love of waff1es and how, when the
resident was senator, and before
that, when he was lieutenant governor
or OHIO, how the cook always knew she
must double the family recipe tenfold
when the master of the house brought
his friends. Then, when especially
asked, Mrs. Harding would have the
recipe for waff1es typewriter and
send it to them. She never failed
to outline the simple and yet complex
domestic life of the White House for