Evening star., 1925-01-09
PRESIDENT AND MRS. COOLIDGE
HOSTS TO DIPLOMATIC CORPS
Brilliant Reception White House in Honor of Rep
resentatiues Of Foreign Governments EN-
braces Throng of Distinguished Officials.

The President and Mrs. Coolidge
were hosts to the members of the
diplomatic corps at the White House
iast night, the entire corps being
present. and to meet them was Con-
gress in almost unbroken ranks, with
other officials and a large contingent
OF important society folk from wash
ington, Philadelphia and New York.
seldom, IL ever. has there been a
more brilliant or comfortably arrang-
ed state reception held in the man
sion, or one of greater Importance. All
the form and ceremony attending
such an event was carefully carried
out except that the uniformed bug
lers of the Marine Band announcing
attention did so from their station
in the entrance hall without stad-
Ing at the foot of the grand stairway,
a form observed in State events for
many generations.
brilliant Throng Assemblies.
Diplomats and the specially invited
guests to later fill the blue room as
senbled early, and the state dining
room, where the members OF the corps
met. and the west end of the red cor
ridor were filled with a brilliant throng
to watch the official procession from the
second state stairway into the blue
room.
The President and Mrs Coolidge pre-
ceded by the military and naval aides,
were Immediately followed by the Secre-
tary of State and Mrs. Hughes and
others of the cabinet, and the Ambas-
sador of France and Nine Jusserand
were the first members of the corps re-
ceived, after which came each Ambas-
sador and Minister with their respective
staffs and the ladies OF their families.
let,
ed by members of their cabinet the bril-
liant regime of the late President Roose-
Welt by his Secretary of Treasury, Mr..
Leslie NJ. Shaw, who was there accom-
panied by Mrs. Shaw, and former At
torney General and Mrs. Wickersham,
who were also guests of the evening.
Miss Flora Wilson, daughter of the late
James Wilson, for many administrations
Secretary of Agriculture, was also rem
iniecent of the Mckinley and Roosevelt
administrations. Seldom is a White
House levee we'll attended by members
of the Senate and House, but last night
the august body almost WITHOUT excep-
tion attended in honor of the diplomats
and their hosts
Decorations of Simple Character.
The decorations of the mansion
were exceedingly simple, flowers be-
ing used on the marble mantels, with
a few palms placed to advantage.
However, there was no lack of bril-
liant color, the costumes of women
vying with the court or state uni
forms of the envoys and their respec-
tive staffs. each man bearing on his
breast many decorations bestowed for
prowess In war or peace. Adding
touch of military were the dress uni
forms of the Presidents 20 White
House aides. chosen from the Army,
Navy and Marine Corps, who assisted
in handling the vast COM
pany of more than 1000 with dignity.
Costumes of UnrivaIed Beauty.
The uniforms of the diplomats were
almost secondary last night to the
brilliancy and richness of the cos
tunes worn by women, many of them
showing the earmarks of recent i'm
portation quite In keeping with a
reception for the diplomats of all ma
tions.
Mrs. Coolidge's gown was of deep
French blue velvet. with rhinestones
on the shoulder straps and the white
roses which she carried giving the
only contrast, except her long white
gloves. The gown was made without
sleeves. square neck back and front
and with a square but not long train.
Mrs. Hughes was in white crepe de
chine embroidered in crystals, mar
row panels of the crepe embroidered
at the ends, hanging on each side to
the hem Miss Mellon, who walked
with her father. the Secretary of the
Treasury, had an effective and strik
ing gown of metal cloth, wrapped and
draped to the left side. The upper
part of the gown. which was square
neck back and front and with no
sleeves, was of silver cloth and at a
low waistline the gown changes
like into gold cloth, the
drapery, held by a rhinestone orna-
ment, falling below the edge of the
skirt, which on that side was several
inches shorter than on the other side.
She wore strings of pearls and drop
Mrs. Weeks accompanied
the Secretary of War, wearing a
graceful dress of rose pink velvet. the
skirt short and round with side pan
els falling longer and the sleeveless
bodice having a panel in front of sill
yer lace, and her ornaments were OF
pearls.
Mr. Stone, who, with the Attorney
General, attended her first official re-
ception since joining the cabinet cir
Gle, was in white chiffon shaded to
edged with deep bands of lace. The
General was accompanied
by Mrs. New, the latter in a gown of
white brocaded crepe fashioned on
gracefully draped model, with no
sleeves and square neck. the waist
line marked by jets and crystals and
the drapery held by an ornament in
the black and white beads. Her
square train of the silk was lined
with black chiffon.
Their First OmciaI Function.
Although the Secretary of the Navy
and Mrs. Wilbur have been members
of the cabinet circle somewhat longer
than the Attorney General and Mrs.
Stone. it was their first experience as
members Of the official family. Mrs.
Wilbur's gown was of black velvet
relieved with rhinestones on the
and at the waistline. The
Secretary of the Interior, DIR. Work,
and the Secretary of Agriculture, Mr..
Gore, walked together down the stairs
and into the blueroom. The Secre-
tary of Commerce and Mrs. Hoover
followed them. Mrs. Hoover wearing
a becoming gown of black and silver
lace. a panel of the lace falling from
the waistline in the back and forming
a short square train.
Secretary of Labor and Mrs Davis,
just back from their trip to South
America, completed the official family.
Mrs. Davis was in gold color lace
over cloth of gold, made short and
round, with a sleeveless bodice with
square neck in front and cut " in
the back.
Representatives of Embassies.
Nine. Jusserand was at her best in
a gown Of French blue and silver bro
cade with a short train and she wore
a diamond collar, and a coronet of
diamonds. Sonora de Riano, wife of
the Ambassador of Spain, was in
metal cloth Of gold and red, the bod
ice cut in a V back and front and