Evening star., 1924-11-10
WIDE HOSPITALITY
BACK WITH TORIES
London Looks for Restora-
tion of Former Social
SpIendors in City.

LONDON, November 10.-The chang
ing tide Of the general elections,
which restored the Tories to power
and submerged the I4aborites, also
ushers in an entirely new official So
cial regime In London. The great
Tory houses In Mayfair and Bel
gravia and along Carlton House Ter
race. overlooking St James Park and
buckingham Palace, whose mistresses
capitulated early this year to Labor
housewives from Putney and Hemp
stead and less notable neighborhoods,
Will again be centers of wide open
hospitality as the old leaders assume
the official social reins.
Labor's social regime has demon
strated in striking fashion the won
derful adapta bility of the English
people. 1t would be misleading also
TO leave the impression that Labors
ofhcial hostesses were lacking In
charm. OF course. most of them were
without the prestige that comes from
great wealth, but some at least Of
them brought to their social leader
ship qualities of mind which would
be equaled in few capitals and ex-
ceeded in none.
To mention only two Of Labors
brilliant hostesses there are the clev-
eT and handsome wife of Philip Snow
den, late chancellor of the excheQuer,
and Mrs. Sidney Webb. wife Of the re-
tirfng president of the board OF trade
They have attained to an Intellectual
| leadership In London from which 1t
will be difficult for women of mere
wealth and fashion to supplant them.
Long before the accession Of the La
Dor party to ofTloe, Mrs. Webb had at
tanned distinction as tho principal
hostess of the world-famous Fabian
Society. while scarcely less brilliant
was Mrs. Snowden's own salon, over
which she presided with much grace
and charm.
Returns to Spectacular.
or course the return Of the Tories
TO power means much moro lavish
expenditure OF money and more spec
tacular display OF material possess
stons than was possible under the
Labor regime. Mrs. Baldwin, wife Of
the new Prime Minister, will not be
new to her duties as official hostess
at No. 10 Downing street. 1t was only
vew months ago that she vacated
the historic official residence to make
way for Miss Ishbel Macdonald, the
daughter of Labor's first Prime Min
lister. In passing, it ought to be said
that 1shbel, although the youngest
chatelatne Downing street ever knew
inherited much Of her famous mothers s
charm and has made a decided hit as
hostess.
Two American women whose social
leadership will be enhanced as a re-
suit of Tory domination are the
Marchioness Curzon, formerly Mrs
Duggan of Alabama, and Lady Astor.
whose activities, whether political,
social or philanthropic. are ceaseless,
no matter what government is In
power. Her dinner two seasons ago,
at which the King and Queen met the
Labor leaders-the latter in court
attire, knee breeches, silver buckles.
swords and all-is still remembered,
and paved the way for the smooth
induction of the Labor hostesses into
social prominence when their time
came.
Death brings Surprise.
1t came as a distinct surprise 10
most people here to learn that until
this week, George Eliot's husband
was still with US. An announcement
of his death. and his burial beside
the great writer at Highgate Gene
terry last Wednesday brought TO many
their first knowledge that he had
been lately alive.
This ggentlemau was John Walter
Cross, London banker, who married
George Eliot ~ years ago, only seven
months before her death. He was g..
and gained some of his earliest ex-
periences in finance in New York be-
fore and during the Civil War. Mr..
Cross was an old-tine friend OF
George Eliot's circle, including George
Henry Lewes, her first husband He
was a writer on financial subjects and
author Of a life Of George Eliot.
There was the sound Of revelry this
week in the stately ballroom of Ches-
a,,ia
czar's ambassadors in pre-war days
gave dazzling entertainments to the
diplomatic world Of London. Once
again lights blazed from the crystal
chandeliers. and the great starways
re-echoed to the strains Of Russian
music. But this time the occasion
was celebration Of tho overthrow
of czardom. and to commemorate
the seventh anniversary Of bolshe-
vism's accession to power.
The celebration also marked the
occupancy of the old mansion as the
official headquarters of Radovsky
and the other London representatives.
of the Russian Soviet government
1t is only few weeks since the GUST
Ing from the Gresham House of the
anti-bolshevist Russian Refuge AS
ISOLATION and the Russian Red Cross
The Soviet representatives declare
the mouse mas been looted OF many
of its greatest treasures. which were
the property Of the old Russian gov
ernment.
Earl Of Suffolk Completes Cruise.
The young Earl Of Suffolk. 1s-year-
old son of the former Marguerite
Letter and grandson of the late Levi
2. Letter, has just returned to Eng
land after 16 months seafar!ng
aboard a windjammer. having cruised
as a common sailor around the world
He says he Is now ready to settle
down for a political career.
Mrs. Blakeney Ward, president of
the Society of Woman Artists, sailed
Saturday on the Aquitania for New
York. Mrs. Ward, who has exhibited
at the Royal Academy since her
student days, has recently painted
Princess Marys portrait and Is per-
haps happiest In her pictures of
children. Her home is in an old
fashioned corner of artistic Chelsea,
in an Old World cottage. which was
the hunting lodge OF Henry VIII,
and has a wonderful Tudor garden
(Copyrirht 192k)