Evening star., 1924-11-23
BY MARGARET b. DOWNING.


novationS in the routine traditionally
observed, nor has she disturbed the
placid surface of things as they are
In the exterior sense. But now there
may be few changes. but only in the
living rooms. 1t has always lacked
satisfactory explanation why above the
mantel of the handsome oval library
and sitting room on the second floor,
Immediately above the blue room, Char
trans handsome historic canvas, THE
Signing of the Protocol, should hang.
IT is a replica of the painting by the
renowned French master, which the
lreign Office of the French republic
Ieems worthy of conspicuous place
IN the walls Of its main salon, the wait
big room CT ambassadors. and shows
president Mckinley. NJ. Jules Cambon
and others in full figure. 1t was placed
in the private sanctum of the Presi-
dents. when its purpose is obviously to
record a triumph of diplomacy, it is
explained, because the gift arrived dur
ing a time of stress and strain, when
Mrs. Mckinley lay very ill, and her
husband, recently renominated, was
about to accompany her to Canton and
enter the campaign This mural space
was available, and the canvas was
hung with some ceremony, and there it
has remained. Naturally, Mrs. Coolidge
would prefer a painting of less formal
type, especially as the room is now
adorned with the favorite college flags
of the family, and with many other per-
sonal belongings accumulated in the
past Is months. The Signing of the
Protocol should logically be in the
state room, where the public goes or
in some division of historic paintings in
the National Gallery of Art, which pre-
ssnts important happenings which
transpired in the White House.
The Coolidge administration is
just a little more than 10 months
old, and those who keep tab of such
events say that more celebrities ana
more plain folks have slept in its
guest room than marked the entire
eight years of the Wilson terms. But
then, illness intervened in two IN
stances-that of the first Mrs. Will
son and the President-and the war
was another reason why guests did
not assemble at the White House.
The guest room under the present
mistress is quite grand affair and
has the stateliest of the mahogany
equipment which belongs to the
Presidents houSe-a massive carved
four-poster, with soft. lacy drapings
and spread to match. There is high
boy which would bring a fortune
from a collector and an ancient mir
ror on a carved pedestal. Mrs. Cool
idge, with a touch of sentiment, took
over the walnut set which tradition
has that Lincoln used, a sturdy,
carved bedstead, very long and wide,
and there is a topped center
table and bureau. There are three
big easy chairs covered in English
chintZ, and the same forms the win
dow drapings. The President uses
simple iron bed and a big, broad bu-
reau, very antiauated but roomy.
His room is the smallest of the White
House bedchambers, and was the one
used for a full century by Presidents
FOR cabinet meetings, until the man
sion was made over.
With Fifth avenue celebratin it's
hundr edith birthday in the most digni-.
fed and impressive way, and all of
Gotham taking part in a generous and
whole-hearted fashion, it would seem
that something might be done in the
civic way to celebrate for Washing
tons, and perhaps the Nations, most
illustrous thoroughfare, Pennsylvania
avenue. This noble boulevard has
regularly recorded birthday. April IA.
1892, when, according to the Com
missioners proceedings of that date,
"the new post road was surveyed, the
ground grubbed over and directions
given to the general overseer of labor
to have a breadth of two perches done
in the middle of the Avenue from the
Presidents Palace to the Capitol"
But Pennsylvania avenue was not
formally opened until March 4, 1901.
when President John Adams and
rresident-elect Thomas Jefferson rode
its length to the Capitol. This was
the first of those great historic
pageantS, another of which will be
staged this coming March 4, exactly
124 years later. After this notable
in ha nir1Cr of hn nj
teenth century the history of Penn
sylvania avenue becomes the indus
trial and cultural history of WASH
ington and the Succession of build
ings which have risen on both sides
of it's length make a thrilling recital
of progress and adventure. 1t has its
nautical annals, too, for boats were
used in rainy weather, and for many
years bridges marked the intersecting
streets.
Several handsome little brochures
are among the highly priced offerings
of the Autumn for New York's elite,
and just to be able to peep into one
is hall mark of social rank. These
dainty little gold and vellum vol
umes are variously titled. Those
Who Dined With the Prince of Wales"
and contains the list of Mr.. Clarence
Mackay's guests at the dinner dance
at .Roslyn during the golf tourna-
ment, list which seems destined to
be a new register of the great on
Long Island. Mr.. Pratt's luncheon
guests make another notable list,
and, of course, the proceedings at
the Piping Rock Club are ably and
graphically detailed and generously
Illustrated. Out in Chicago the visit
of royalty was not so solemnly or
reverently treated. Mr.. Wolcott
Blair, son of Mr.. and Mrs. Watson
F. Blair acted as host to his royal
highness at the Saddle and Cycle
Club, and gave one of the loveliest
dances which Wales attended on this
side. It was whispered that the gay
Young prince asked Mr.. Blair. chum
and comrade in London these five
years back, not to ask ladies over
80, and, of course, some who were
honored wish that company i'm
mortalized as establishing the ages
of guests who, though looking less
than 80, are, according to their
friends, considerably over that boun-
dairy. But, so far, no list OF any OF
the Chicago amenities nor or those
staged in Hamilton, Mass, have been
printed, nor will they be. But Long
island can be forgiven this bit OF
seeming snobbery, because of the in
tense rivalry with Newport, and the
hardships the Sound had endured
climbing into the social limelight in
which the Rhode Island. resort has
Tong reveled.
William B. Yeats, Erins sweetest
singer, assisted by Prof. Lennox ROB-
inson of Dublin, has the we1ghty
task Of selecting out of various offer
lngs a national hymn for Ireland
which will be worthy of the ancient
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