Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-01-02
Now Year Well Wish
ers Show Due Appre-
ciation What Ordeal
Is TO Chief Executive
President and Mrs.
Coolidge in Line for
Three Hours

r..shingion. Jan. 1.-Evidence was
,..,,sbed at the White House today
I -. ,he days Of big New Years rccep-
- 8, the executive mansion have
! ,,..ed apparently because the Ameri-
eaa people have come to realization
!. 4, such affairs that wear out the
7 chief executive
r,ms was when the New Years re-
,.odons brought 5000 to 10000 people
:. .he White House, but when today S
....r,ion ended it was found that less
50, iO0O--a total of 1891. to be exact
nod shaken hands with President and
u,s Coolidge. The last previous re-
,eo,on. that given by President and
u,s Harding in 1922. was attended by
ann than 1900 persons. and in the
d.ys Of the Cleveland, Roosevelt and
taft receptions there scarcely ever
,s,e less than 5000 visitors to the eX-
seutve mansion,
Today's reception. according to old
white House attaches. was equal in
: rolor and brlliaucy, however. to any
n those previous years. The famous
o,st floor rooms of the mansion were
decorated beautifully yet simply with
flowers and plants from the White
House couscrt tories. and the usual
. lrIlliance attended the receiving of the
foreign diplomats In their state uni
forms. and the high officers of the ar
mg. Navy and marine corps.
President and Mrs. Coolidge re-
sesndcd the broad stairway from the
ppper apartments promptly at il
o'clock attended by military aides ana
n the accompaniment OF Hail to the
Chief from the full marine oand. The
chef executive and the hrSt lGdy took
their places in hc Blue room in front
ola lighted Christmas tree. and until
shortly before : o'clock. with tho cN-
ttption of an interval of 80 minutes
for lunch. a steady stream passed by
them. Mrs Coolidge wore n gown of
nd chiffon hrocadcd in rO9" design
In dark blue velvet with shoes To
match. She wore no jcWclrS.
First to extend greetings were the
members of the cabinet and their wives
and then came the members of the dip
lnmatc corps. next the judiciary. then
. the higher officers of the army. navy
bnd marine corps. officials of all the
various bureaus and agencies of the
government representatives of patrt-
utlc and civic organizations. and finally
the general public. some of whom had
taken up their stand In line as early
as $50 o'clocl, despite a chill wind.
N. .ts 81 IL n,AN l.
edged and Mrs. Coolidge EraCiously
received the wishes for the new year
extended hy every one of those who
passed 10th often paused to say a
few words To- children or some aged
persons after the public began pass
Ing through about | o'clock. Arrange
lnents had been mad" to expedite mat
tcrs as much as possible and often as
many rs 40 10 IL persons were greeted
In minute.
The last of the general public in line
PASSED out of the mansion ut exactly
: o'clock and Mr.. and Mrs. Coolidge
retired to the second floor while the
marine band. two sections of which
played alternately throughout the re-
ception, Departed. Within II few min
utes more than 400 late Corners had
gathered outside the White House and
The president aud Mrs. Coolidsc. no
'ieng thcm came downstairs again
and greeted th,m.
Mr., Coolidge. showing no effects OF
Inc strenuous task, WAS soon TT his
cfice and later went out fer 4 walk
around LAFAYETTE square. Returning.
D" told newspaper mon that he had
found The New Years receptions he
and Mrs. Coolidge used to give while
he was governor Of Massachusetts had
ftted him well for such an affair as
that Of today.