Evening star., 1924-11-05

Aided Animal Rescue League.
For the most, these requests come
from we'll known sources. such as the
Animal Rescue League, to which Mrs.
Coolidge last year lent not only her
name as a sponsor, but her dog, Rob
Roy, as a special exhibit at the an
nual card party at the Washington
Club.
Mrs. Coolidge never minds spon-
soring a good cause, and when last
April a committee from the Women'S
Law Enforcement Convention waited
upon her she consented to he their
honorary sponsor. Three former first
ladies of the land were also patrons
Mrs. Warren G. Harding, Mrs. Will
liam Howard Taft and Mrs. Thomas
A. Preston, jr., formerly Mrs. Grover
Cleveland. Mrs. Herbert Hoover was
chairman of the convention, and Mrs:
Henry c. Wallace, wife of the late
Secretary of Agriculture: Mrs. John
w. Weeks, wife of the Secretary of
War; Mrs. Charles Evans Hughes and
others of the Cabinet circle actively
participated in the convention.
Mrs. Coolidge never refuses the use
Of her name when it is possible to
give it. Thus she sponsors the ball
for the Navy Relief League, that for
the Children's Country Home and the
Children's Hospital, other hospital
benefit balls and other charities. To
some she contributes a sum known
only to herself and the treasurer, and
to many she sends flowers, which are
later sold and the money added to
tho revenue from the entertainment.
Member of ri Beta Phi.
She goes heart and soul into an en-
terprise when her assistance is
pledged, and gives close study of the
work accomplished. She takes un-
usual interest in the Pi Beta Phi
womans fraternity of which she is
q member, and which is the sole sup
port of mountain school in Ten
nessee-a movement which has
broadened out from single school
room at the start into a general seat
Of learning, and one which figures
as the largest asset in community
work in that part of the State. 1t
was this organization which, in rec
ognition Of her helpfulness and in
terest, ordered the beautiful portrait
by Howard Chandler Christy, now hung
in the lower corridor of the White
House with portraits of other first
ladies of the land. 1t is a tribute of
the gratitude and appreciation of the
Pi Beta Phi for her cooperation with
them over period of many years.
There are dozens of requests by
letter to meet Mrs. Coolidge, and, of
course, these must be individually
submitted to her for decision. Then
there are letters asking for d contri-
button to a church fair or a bazaar
to be held for some worthy cause.
These requests, unless manifestly of
doubtful nature, are always granted,
Mrs. Coolidge spending considerable
time each day affixing her name to
nv cyroN nj
Of the White House, which is her re-
sponse to all such requests.
Gifts by Other First Ladies.
The late Mrs. Mckinley, when mis-
tress of the White House, undertook
to knit slippers to fulfill all such re-
quests, and her successor, Mrs. Roose-
veIt, bought handkerchiefs by the
hundreds to be accompanied by a
note, to which she subscribed her
signature. Mrs. Coolidge found that
Mrs. Taft and the mistresses of the
mansion since that time had adopted
the engraving, and, being an exqui-
site tribute and one always in un-
questioned taste, Mrs. Coolidge also
uses it.
Mrs. Coolidge and Miss Harlan go
over as much of the mail together as
is necessary. and certainly over
everything of a personal nature, the
secretary making notes, after which
1t is turned over to a group of secre-
taries to write the letters and arrange
the correspondence for signature
Each afternoon during the Winter
season Mrs. Coolidge receives small
groups of women, and often men, by
special appoin tment made through
Miss Harlan, who sends a little card,
engraved for the purpose and bear
ing the White House seal in gold. an
nouncing that Mrs. Coolidge will be
pleased to meet the visitor on such
a day and at such an hour. To be
late for such an appointment as this
is an objectionable error.
The guests generally arrive 10 or
Is minutes before the appointed
time, are assembled in the blue room.
and later a White House aide arrives,
speaks with every one present, and
when Mrs. Coolidge is ready to re-
ceiye in the red room-alWays the