The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-02-20
Calling Days At Capital

Age -Herald.j
 Calling Days At Capital Each official group in Washington has it's day for receiving. On Monday you may call on the judiciary. There aren't many judges, 50 that is slack day.
 Tuesday is busy day, as the wives of the representatives are receiving, singly or in groups.
 Wednesday is cabinet. day, numeri- cally small but very important.
 IT On Thursdays the ladies of the senate are at home, while Friday is reseryed for the diplomatic corps. Social Washington has day off on Saturday and may round up the cave dwellers, have shampoo and give a party on the quiet.
 The hours of calling are usually from four to six or sometimes seven. I went to a senator's house one day and arrived a few minutes before four. I pushed the button and a liveried person opened the door.
 Madame does not receive until four o'clock" he said firmly, and closed the door in my face.
 Up on Capitol Hill, where so many of the Congress wives live, Tuesday is as busy as washing day used to be in the days of our great-grand- mothers. As one woman said ;"On Tuesday feel like the trashman, going from door to door," You see there are over four hundred congressman. In some apartments they receive in groups. When you go in the door you see a row of baskets. each with a name tied to it. You need a regular deck of cards when you start out on this round.
 I have seen some women drop a card into each basket, without looking at the names. You might say, calling in bulk.
 Others are much more discriminating. They will read the name, drop a card i; read the next, drop a card, read the next.
 Mrs. Blank-I despise the woman, won't call on her," and that basket is skipped.
 One Basket, One Hand
 Then you face the line and shake hands-hand after hand, the number equivalent to the baskets. Even if you haven't left a card you may have to shake the hand of Mrs. Blank
 This is an official duty social, yes, but ironclad. If you think you can ignore it. well, just try and see where you will find yourself. To call it a duty is right because I don't believe many find a great pleasure in it. But there you are!
 I remember calling on the cabinet wives one day.
 'This is your first reception of the season, isn't itT' l said to one hostess.
 "Oh mol" she corrected, standing firmly on her two flat feet. "We were at home on. New Years day, and did good business too," she added proudly.
 The Senate claims that as it has to confirm the Cabinet officers ap- pointment it has prior right. Cabinet, or at least six of its members are eli bigle for the position of president, in the event of death or disablement of the nation, and so theg feel superior. Socially a compromise has beeni ef- fected. The cabinet wives call first on the ladies of the 'senate--an admission of lower rank-but at dinners the Senators take lower seat. -.5T. Mrs. Burleson, when her husband was postmaster general under President Wilson, tried to recast the social mould. She suggested that cabinet wives should not return the calls of Representatives nor should they bow the knee to the Senate by paying the initial visit.
 Secretary Holds Master Key
 As Mrs. Burleson had previously been the wife of Representative be fore acquiring Cabinet rank, the proposition was not we'll received.
 The social formalities of Washing ton are a tangled web to enmesh the feet of the feet of the newly-elect. So many trip; either merely stumble i; some crash through, but few new corners escape without bruising.
 Changes come with changing con ditions but the years have now evolved definite social system, of which the social secretary in the state department is the custodian.
 As each President comes to the White House small changes are made in keeping with his personal tastes. If he shuns society, as Woodrow Will son did, added barriers are erected {; if genial sociable person, like Warren c. Harding, the gates are thrown open wide. But no matter whose administra- tion, 1t is to the social secretary you apply when in doubt about the seating of your guests or the issuance of invitations. Mixing your guests is -