Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-01-02
Brilliant Throng of Officers,
Diplomats and Statesmen
Add Note to Occasion.
PLAIN CITIZENS RECEIVE
AS WARM A GREETING
Crowds File By Executive and First
Lady Throughout Morning
and Early Afternoon.

Flinging wide the doors of the
stately White House to welcome plain
cltlzenry OF America. as well as the
gold braid of diplomacy and arms
from more than so nations represented
In this capital. the President and Mrs.
Coolidge yesterday extended their per-
sonal greetings by warm handshake
to 1908 people of many ranks and
stations. of several races, and all
ages.
1t was an international reception OF
distinguished Importance. for inter
changing fluctuations and good will,
auspiciously to usher in another year
of American life. Attendance was
larger than last year.
1t was a grand display Of the para.
phernaila, the medals, the dress uni.
forms and distinctive decorations.
which the leading nations Of the
world have bestowed on their chosen
representatives. 1t provided a pic.
ture Of gold and silver braid, swords,
cockades and fine feathers such as
/ perhaps no. othet event in this city
brings forth.
Friendliness Is Supreme.
But running through the occasion
true current of good will and
happy understanding, growing ac.
quaintanceship and friendship seemed
to blend the rigid formality of the
greatest reception of the year into d
warm inforfnality, which according to
those who have witnessed similar oc.
casions for years, marked the function
as one of the most friendly yet held
In the executive mansion.
On account of the long lines to pass
| by the President and the First Lady
of the land their personal greetings
necessarily were not lingering, al.
though cordial. The spirit of the oc-
casion, however, seemed to permeate
the classic rooms of the great home.
and after the callers had EXCHANGED
fluctuations with the President and
Mrs. Coolidge, both in the official re-
ception during the morning and the
public reception of the afternoon,
there were groups which gathered In
friendly discussion, or as interested
spectators. happily enjoying the rare
hospitality of the first house of the
Nation.
Guests Linger Long.
This fDiendly gathering of guests
was noticeable especially in the on
ctal reception during the morning
hours, when ambassadors and min.
listers, princes and charge d'affaires,
cabinet officers, judges and counsel.
lors from many lands mingled to.
gether and seemed inclined to linger
instead of rush away.
The official morning group was ad.
mitted at IL o'clock, there was a brief
interval for lunch, and the doors
swung open again at 1 o'clock to the
public, which then filed past in an
unbroken line for so minutes. The
total number of guests greeted by the
President and Mrs. Coolidge during
the day, according to the machines
counting them at the doors, was 3,303,
as compared to the count Of 3.257 a
year ago. In 1922 a record number.
5000 attended the reception of Presi.
dent and Mrs. Harding. During the
90 minutes of the afternoon public
reception, 2,207 persons passed BY the
Chief Executive and his wife, or at
the rate OF about A persons each
minute.
When the last of the guests had
gone. the President and Mrs. Coolidge,
together with his Army and naval
aides in full dress uniform, braved the
chilly blasts of wintry afternoon
growing colder momentarily TO facz
the line of cameras. carrying pics
ture OF the occasion to the millions
of Americans who were unable to be
present in person.
Setting Is Imposing.
The setting at the White House
for this annual event. which dates
back to the early days of the Republic
when George Washington inaugus
rated the custom, was not only dis.
tinguished by tradition but beautiful.
The place was festive in palms, ferns.
carnations, roses and the holiday
poinsettia, while the red. white and
blue uniforms Of the Marine Band
Orchestra on either side of the en-
contrast to the soft tones of the old
mansion walls and columns.
Beginning promptly on the dot, as
usual, President and Mrs Coolidge,
followed by members of his cabinet
and the woman members of their
families, descended the grand stair
case to be greeted by trumpet call
and the stirring strains of Hail to
the Chief" as they turned into the
Official reception hall, the blue room.
Prior to this there had been a recep-
ton upstairs for the members of the
President s official family.
In the reception room the Presi-
dent and Mrs. Coolidge were attended
by their chief aides, who took turns
in making the introductions: Col. s.
A. Cheney. Engineer Corps, U. S. A.,
and Capt Wilson Brown of the presi-
dental yacht Mayfiower.
Mrs. Coolidge was charmingly
gowned in a brocaded velvet dress of
"dregs of wine" color. with panels Of
beaded georgette. Her hair becom.
ingly coiffured made a soft line about
the face.
Pass Between Flags.
AS the President and Mrs. Coolidge
and their Official family entered to
the strains of the military music of
the orchestra. they passed through
the doorway of the blue room fianked
on one side by a sailor from the
u. S. S. Mayfiower holding the Presi--
dents flag and on the other by a
soldier from the Headquarters Com.
pany of Washington with the Amer
lean flag. These flags. held by a
changing color guard, presented a
fine picture, framing the door of the
reception room at the end of the
entrance hall.
The diplomatic corps gathered in
the State dining room. where the
splendor of their dress uniforms
cleaned resplendently. They chattsd