The Washington times., 1924-06-06
GARDEN FETE
FOR WOUNDED
IS SUCCESS
President Signs Hospital
cation Bill in Midst
of Guests $.
By JEAN ELIOT

BY JEAN ELIOT
"HE signing of the Langley
disqualification bill' by. Presi-
IL dent Coolidge was the most
picturesque feature Of the garden
party given yesterday by Mrs. Cool
idge for the disabled war veterans
in hospitals in the vicinity of Wash
ington-a fete which had more Of
human interest" in newspaper par.
lance, than any of the more formal
White House garden parties that
have gone before.
The ceremony which made a law
Of the third Langley bill, authoriz-
Ing the expenditure of more than
$6,000,OO0 to complete the Govern
ment's disqualification program, with
$350,000 assigned to the building
Of a permanent training center for
the blind, took place on the South
lawn in full view of the soldier and
sailor guests, many Of whom
crowded around the small table
where the President affixed his sig.
nature. Mrs. Coolidge stood look.
Ing over his shoulder, with the Sec.
rotary of War and the Secretary
of the Navy, General Pershing and
Major General Frank T. Hines,
chief of the Veterans Bureau, in
close proximity, and the little group
was ringed about with pathetic
'wheel-chair cases."
The happiest wet" Of all per-
haps. was Charles H. Sedden, Of.
Providence, r. l., upon whom Presf-:
dent Coolidge bestowed the pen
with which he had signed tho bill
and the blotter upon which his
name was. printed in reverse.
Wheeled about by two of the gray
ladies'" from Walter Reed Hospital,
he grinned proudly and showed his
loot to his hospital mates.
1t was a gala day for the veterans
from Walter Reed Hospital, Mount
Alto. the Naval Hospital, st. Eliza
beth's, the Evergreen School for the
Blind, Baltimore, and Soldiers Rest
Culpeper, Va. Over 600 strong thcT
we're, groups Of nurses, Red Cross
workers., motor corps drivers and
other devoted women who have kept
up their work among the disabled in
spite of the passing Of the war emer-
gency, swelling the company. AL
though most of the men were in
'cits," wartime memories were re.
vived by the uniforms Of the "gray
ladies'" the Red Cross motor corps,
end other .women's organizations,
which made bright patches of color
on the green lawns; and the army
and navy officers who were present
in considerable numbers were all in
uniform in honor of the occasion.
CoOlidges Snapped With White
House Aides; Reception Begins.
Promptly at 4 o'clock the Presl-
dent and Mrs. Coolidge made thelI
way down. the stairway from the
south portico, a stairway wreatnCd
with fragrant honeysuckle. They
were immediately pounced upon by
the photographers and snapped"
with the entire group of White
House aides, wearing their whites"
for the first time this season.
Then the reception began, Presi-
dent and Mrs. Coolidge standing in
their accustomed place under d
great oak tree, and the long process,
zion vending its way across the
green lawn. Men on crutches, men
with arms gone or legs, or both
wheel-chair cases and the pitiful
little company of the blind-tears
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them file by, but they are a gallant
lot and one could but smile in VIEW
Of their evident enjoyment Of theil
own party.
Many Of the men were known to
Mrs. Coolidge from her frequent
visits to the hospitals and for each
she had a warm greeting. In
celebration of the real garden party
day-and all the previous White
House fetes had been marred by
inclement weather-President Cool.
idge had donned summer attire
blue serge coat, white flannel
trousers, white shoes and a straw
hat which he carried tucked under
one arm. The hostess, too had a
summary look in her gay sports
frock Of buttercup yellow crepe de
chine. Made with an ankle length
pleated skirt and an overblouse
embroidered in front with a Chinese
motif in bright colors, it was worn
with a big white horsehair hat
trimmed in one great poppy shad
ing from rose to mauve. She had
on a long string Of amber beads
and becoming amber earrings. -
COOlidges Mingle Informally With
: Guests; Autographs in Demand.
Colonel Clarence Sheriff. and Cap
tain Adolphus Andrews alternated
in making the introductions. Once
formal greetings were over Pres.
1dent and Mrs. coolidge moved
about among their guests; respond.
ing to greetings and even occasion.
ally to requests for autographs
General Pershing, too, inscribed his
name time after time on the
Identification tags dangling from
each mans buttonhole and he was
closely surrounded all afternoon by
: men who had served under him.
other wartime commanders who
were given ovations by the men
were Major General John A. Le-
jeune, of the Marine Corps; Major
General George Barnett, who was
at the head Of the Devil Dogs"
) during the war; General Hines and
Brigadier General Amos Fries. of
the Chemical Warfare Service.
Lavish refreshments were pressed
upon the guests as soon as thew