Evening star., 1926-12-10

The president and Mrs. Coolidge
held their annual reception at the
White House last night in honor of
| the members of the diplomatic corps,
the heads of the SO foreign countries
represented at the Capital being
| accompanied by the ladies of their
families and by the secretaries and
attaches of embassies or legations.
There were few absentees from the
corps and the scene was one of rich
coloring and remarkable brilliancy,
the diplomats wearing their court uni
forms, and the ladies appearing in
charming gowns and Jewels.
Traffic Well Handled.
Compatible with the great dignity
of the reception was the comfort and
ease with which 1t was managed both
outside, where traffic regulations were
perfect, and within, where the simple
and elegant sdetail was carried out
without q moments delay or confu-
sion.
Adding interest were the many
representatives of former administra-
tiOns who were guests-Mr. Elihu
Root, one.time Secretary of State; Mr..
and Mrs. Robert Lansing, the former
also a Secretary of State: Leslie M.
Shaw, Secretary of the Treasury in
the Roosevelt administration, and
Mrs. Shaw; George w. Wickersham,
Attorney General in the Taft admins
tratlon, and Mrs. Wickersham; Miss
Flora Wilson, whose father was Secre-
tary Of Agriculture in the Mckinley
and Roosevelt days, and. of course,
Mrs. Nicholas Longworth. formerly
Miss Alice Roosevelt, who accom-.
panied the Speaker.
toe T1,s, My~ey Tnf<
former occupants of the White House,
held a reception behind the lines in
the blue room all during the evening.
After the reception of guests, Gen.
Pershing, Senator Curtis, his sister,
Mrs. Gam, and one or two others
Joined the President and Mrs. Coolidge
and the cabinet members after they
went to the second floor of the man.
sion.
The March of State.
When the President and Mrs. Cool
idge descended the state stairway
promptly at 9 o'clock, they were pre-
ceded by Col. Sherwood A. Cheney
and Capt Adolphus Andrews, military
and naval aides to the President, and
several of the other aides, the Marine
Band playing Hail to the Chief" The
procession was one Of great dignity,
and Immediately behind the Presi-
dent and Mrs. Coolidge walked the
Vice President and Mrs. Dawes, the
Secretary of State and Mrs. Kellogg,
and the other cabinet members and
their ladies in succession, the Presi-
dents secretary and Mrs. Sanders
bringing up the rear.
After greeting the small group OF
guests assembled in the blue room
the President and Mrs. Coolidge took
Of ri
ber. the doors adjoining were opened,
and the Ambassador of Belgium, the
new dean of the corps, and Baroness
de- Cartier, followed by the embassy |
suite, were received.
Belgium sent her first diplomatic |
envoy to America in 1880. but 1t was
the first time Belgian diplomat ever
headed the diplomatic corps. The |
staff is a small one. and the baroness |
was the only lady. in the group.
British Ambassador Absent.
Sir Esme Howard. Ambassador of |
Great Britain, and Lady Isabella, who
would have Immediately followed the |
Belgian embassy staff, were detained
in England by the death of son. |
There were many other breaks in the |
corps because of sickness or official |
absence.
1t was field night for Senators and |
Representatives, who, with the ladies |
of their families, are always invited.
The Speaker and Mrs. Nicholas Long
worth were surrounded constantly by
a group of friends. Most Of the men,
bers of the foreign relations commit
tee of the Senate and the foreign re.
Iations committee of the House were
there. Groups of politicians met
and conVerSed in the east room,
while the diplomats and their ladies
passed into the green room after be-
ing received and were turned back
into the blue room behind the line,
where members of the cabinet and
their wives, the Chief Justice of the
Supreme Court and Mrs. Taft, the
Speaker and Mrs. Longworth and
others received them.
No refreshments were served, and
while a few guests danced a number
Or two in the east room, where the
Marine Band Orchestra was stationed
after the reception closed, it was too