The Carbon County news. [volume] (Red Lodge, Mont.) 1924-1931, 1924-11-13
SOCIAL TASKS THAT
KEEP FIRST LADY
OF THE LAND BUSY

ing duties of the oVerworked Fresl-
dent of the United States, nothing
has been said of her who happens to be
the ''first lady of the land"
AS wife of the President OF the
limited States. Mrs. Calvin Coolidge
has the heaviest Of social obligations,
and they are obligations that cannot
be dismissed in a perfunctory man
ner. Custom has decreed that the
mistress of the White House must
give certain set of entertainments
for official Washington in the winter
season. These receptions and dinners
take first rank in the capitals social
activities. They are solemn and i'm
portant events. To be asked to the
White House on one of these state
occasions is equivalent to command
for your presence. No one ever re-
fuses presidential invitation.
To make these entertainments
worthy of the White House and the
presidency is the duty Of Mrs Cool
idxe. Weeks of preparation are nee
essary. And on the great occasions
the hostess is called upon to exhibit
all her grace and charm and dignity.
1t has been said that much of Presi-
dents political success depends upon
the way in which his wife entertains
at the White House functions.
A Born Social Entertainer
The "first lady" who new occupies
the White House has been called q
born social entertainer, and it ia the
general opinion in Washington that
this season at the White House win
be, officially, one of the most brilliant
that historic mansion has seen.
On the White House social calen-
dar there are eight dates mYked
4Must." No matter what happens,
Mrs. Coolidge must follow tradition
and give four state dinners and four
state receptions. These entertain
ments are characterized by the strict
est formality and the most elaborate
ceremony, Officially these dinners
and receptions make up the entir<
social season at the White House
While there may be all sorts Of adj
ditional entertainments by the Presa'
dents wife, they either are infnrrNa
or contingent upon some unfoasee
circumstances.
The eight must engagements ar
dinners to the cabinet, the SUprem'
Court, the diplomatic corps and tn
speaker of the House Of Represent
tives, and receptions to the army ass
navy, the jshciary, the DIPLOMAT
corps and the Senate ana tht Hous
OF Representatives.
These entertainments are about
week or 10 days apart, stretch
over social season which begins i
December and ends in February o
March. Washington society is mott
fled wei i'm advance of the ar''.a
dates of these affairs and all othe
social activities Of any Importance i
the city are so arranged that Their
may be no conflicting engagements
A Cut and Dried Process
AS Cor the guests at these dinrcr
and receptions. that is decided BY a
almost inflexible arrangements Gu
and dried process based wholly upc
Official rank. To the first dinner com
only The 40 members Of the cabias
and their wives. Although this funt
ton is smali---only % persons sittls
down h ltahle---it is of especial impol
lance, inasnruch ;as 1t is the only tim
the President formally entertains h
cabinet zs a whole. OF course, u
members are frequent guests at tt
White Hause at other times but onl
at this dinner is their presence oificla
The Supreme Court dinner is 7
larger than fhe one for the cabiDe
but it is Of equal significance. 1t
the one point Of formal social COZ
tact between the executive and 1ud
clad branches pf the government
The dinner to the diplomatic corr
is the largest. The Presidents wi
invites to this fnnction the heads !
all the foreign embassies and leg
tions in the capitol As there a
some SO such foreign headquarte
in Washington, the ambassador
ministers and other ENJOYS who after
with their wives, make the number
guests more than 100. AT such di
ner the diplomatic rank Is closely Q
served. The foreign representati'
who has served longest takes fir
place, and SO on down the lines TO u
newest arrival in the diplomatic corr
The last dinner, that to the spea
err Of The House, is more general in ]
makeup Of guests. Here Mrs. Cos
idge can use her own judgment abo
whom she shall invite. The list
o,.aafs usualIv numbers about 80