The Washington times., 1927-12-28

New Year EUe Without ''Ihe Mclean
Ball" Will Yet Be Gala Night
Several Brilliant Parties
Are Planned, But No
"Social War" Brewing
By JEAN ELIOT

b 0y V1A4&N AAS$
MR.. AND MRS. EDWARD
NA BEALE MLEAN'S New
Year Eve ball has been so
long THE event Of the holi-
day season that somehow we
don't quite know what to
do without it.
For a dozen years or more
they have entertained in their
big house in I Street, carry
ing on q tradition established
many years before by the
late Mr.. and Mrs. John R.
Mclean, so for almost a
quarter Of a century New
Year Eve has been sacred
TO "the Mclean ball. "
IT'S always a comprenensiVe
i function, the guests number
ing close to 1000 and skimming
the cream Of WashingtOn's of
ficial, diplomatic and social
groups. with a great dinner be-
4orehand for the most impress
.;x,e sort of n company. So it
would take a brave hostess to
start an opposition party, and
few have ever had the temerlty.
Moreover, this is usually the
one big party the McLeans give
in their town house. They pre-
fer to do most Of their enter
tanning at Friendship, their
country home, and it is there
that their famous Sunday morn
ing breakfast parties are held.
OCCASIONALLY. however, Mr..
" and Mrs. Mclean 80 early to
Florida, an they have this year,
and leave New Year Eve open to
competing HOSLeSScSs
Sometimes the results are start
ling. Two years ago. remember
the newspapers made quite a SUR
about the merry social war" be-
ing waged between Mrs. Joseph
Letter and Mrs. George T. Marye,
both of whom had announced
dances for New Year Eve. AS a
matter Of fact, there really wasn't
very much to it. for neither party
was very large, comparatively
Rpeaking, and, although some
guests were asked to both, they
didn't overlap enough to damage
either. 1t was quite possible to
take in both dances during a long
and merry evening; some did. and
both were pronounced very sue
eoesful. As for any i'll feeling be-
tween the two hostesses--well, I
suspect that idea originated in
some fertile brain. For the two
families had been-and continue
to be-friends; and know that
Mrs. Letters mother. Mrs. John
r. Williams. was q guest OF Mr..
and Mrs. Marye both for the dance
and the dinner which preceded it.
arriving late at her daughters.
WNHIs year neither Mrs. Letter
l. who has been entertaining
continuously and very delight
fully all winter. nor Mrs. Marye,
Just back from a European trip,
are planning New Year Eve parties.
And l don't believe thereIl be
much conflict between those
which are scheduled.
The "smartest" ball of the eve
ming undoubtedly will be the one
which the Minister of Hungary
and Countess szechenyi are Civ
Ing. The Hungarian legation
boasts a charming new ballroom,
which was christened when Count
and Countess Szechenyi gave re.
ception q few weeks ago to pesent
their daughter. Countess Cornelia
SZechenyi, to their friends in
Washington, and this is the first
party they have given in it for
their own contemporaries. It's to
be a comparatively small dance, I
believe, and the guests will be re-
cruited largely from among the
diplomats and the exclusive resi-
dent group with which the
Szechenyis are affiliated. Mr.. and
Mrs. Letter are going to this party,
which Is perhaps one reason why
> they decided not to pinch hit"
for the McLeans this year.
RNR. AND MRS. DUNCAN c.
Wk PHILLIPS will also give
small dance, entertaining for
Miss Elizabeth Aeker, who is, l
believe, sister OF Mrs. Phil
lips. And Mr.. and Mrs. Copley
AInory are planning what would
seem to be an original form of en-
tertainnaent for New Year Eve
o musicale.
Then there will be Mr.. and
Mrs. C. c. Calhoun's party at
RoSsdhu,, a small dance which Is
by way Of being a house warm
ing for their beautiful new home
although they are planning an
! "official" house warming later on
when they will have some OF
their Scotch relatives visiting
bitGIAi' Anu, VI COuISc1 thCA z IL Uo
merrymaking at all the clubs,
hotels and restaurants, with the
Chevy Chase Club perhaps the
most favored spot.
IT'S difficult to know whether to
i class Miss Harriet Huntress'
party for Miss Jeannette Hume,
one of the most popular of the
seasons debutantes, among the
festivities of New Year Eve or
New Year Day. It's something
new in the way of a small and
early '-an honest.to:goodness
breakfast party at o'clock on
Sunday morning. But instead of
getting up for it. the guests will
stay up for it. all of them coming