The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1925-01-08
OFFICIALDOM ON
EDGE in SCANDAL
Scott Divorce Case Dis
turbs Serenity Of Capt.
tai Life.
MORE INVESTIGATIONS

Washington. Official society in
Washington is getting more excited
every minute over the Scott divorce
case.
The excitement probably will con-
tinue for quite a while after the case
itself has been disposed of. A great
many people have been mentioned, in
connection with it, in ways that prom
Use to keep them explaining indefinite
".
Just as one little item
There were 81 members of Con-
gress, with their families, along on
the Panama trip from which Congress
man Scott is said by his wife to have
returned bringing two barrels and a
trunkful Of liquor into the country.
Quite few of these congressman
represent very dry constituencies, and
if it's established that the Panama
junket was drinking party they will
not benefit a bit by it politically.
They are denying it already, but the
word picture painted by Mrs. SCOTS
lawyer of a Kansas statesman carry
ing a whole pitcherful of liquor about
the steamship Cristobal, is pretty Wv
id. Denials may not prove sufficient.
There may have to be q regular in
yestigation.
Start Investigations.
An investigation into the Washing
ton smart sets morals wouldn't be so
easy. What off1cialdom fears is that
Scott's side of the story will give the
country the impression that the cap
ital hasn't got any.
This wouldn't be fair. A great many
of those in the official class live as
decorously as anybody.
All the same, none but very un-
sophisticated Washingtonians are ur-
aware that their town is pretty naugh-
ty. They look on 1t indulgently but
are quite conscious that the prov
inces" are extremely apt to raise
FOWL if they find out about it.
For one thing, probably nowhere
else in the world are there so many
attractive women with nothing to do
as in Washington official circles.
They don't live here. They are simp-
ly staying" in the capital for few
years, during their husbands official
terms. Instead of having homes to
manage, they put up in hotels or apart
ments, where everything is done for
them by servants whom they do not
even have to direct.
''Dashing" Type Wins.
Fascinating bachelors are numerous
likewise.
Dashing, we'll educated, accomplished
army and navy officers are on hand In
plenty.
Among the swarming attaches, sec
retaries and sub-secretaries of the dip
lomatic corps married men are the ex-
ception rather than the rule. What's
more, great many of them have ex-
tremely liberal European ideas on the
subject of sex relations.
affairs" between men and women
of these types have q lot Of snap and
sparkle. They're staged Economically.
The participants wear uniforms, dec
orations, broad ribbons across their
dress shirt fronts, bewitching gowns,
expensive jewelry.
Such affairs" have an air of "class,"
in short.
And drink flows freely. Even pro-
hibitionists, while contending the
country as a whole is much dryer to-
day than it used to be, admit that a
few small groups are perhaps drink
ing more than they ever did.
Well, this is one of the small groups.
Parties don't begin with round of
cocktails, as they did formerly. They
begin with half dozen rounds.
A certain proportion of Washing
toms official population, like certain
roportion of every population, has
the inclination to be sporty. In some
places this inclination has to be res
strained but not in Washington. Here
inclination and opportunity go togeth-
err More, even than opportunity, there
is strong temptation to the sportily
inclined to be sporty.
That's why the Washington "fast
set" is so much so--but it hates to
be caught at 1t.