Evening star., 1928-01-08
Tales of Well Known Folk
In Social and Official Life
White House Mistresses Noted Among Those
Who Have Contributed to Betterment of
American Home Life
ny MARGARET b. DOWNING.

BY MARGARET b. DOWNING.
Mrs. Coolidge will stand among the
n,istresses OF the White House as one
who aroused the daughters OF Uncle
Sam TO appreciation of the craft oi
hsndicraft OF their fellow citizens in
nast md present time, just as Mrs,
Taft during her regime aided so pow
erfullv the cult of the best music. The
first Mrs. Woodrow Wilson in brief
time accomplished much for the beau
" Of the Capitsl. Her crusade against
the unsishtly alleys has resulted most
benefcially and the garden which she
clanned in the east grounds OF the
White House remains the loveliest
part of the park. Mrs. Coolidge has
led no reform, nor has she associated
herself with a particular group. but
her preference for the splendid crafts
men of New England and the Middle
States and her intensive study OF thelr
methods has led to sweeping changes
in the manner OF furnishing homes.
1t is not likely that she will attempt
to change anything in the nondescript
equipment of the state rooms or the
White House. in view or the tact that
she. if not the general public. long ago
accepted the Presidents words AT
leaving the historic mansion in March
of 1929. But she has definitely
pointed 20 the anomaly of Nation
which has produced such masters OF
household equipment as this one. fol-
lowing the French mode of several
centuries ago, discredited even IN
Europe. and importing wall coverings
al a lofty price, which may he oh
tanned in more artistic form in this
country. II would not take a prophet
TO depict Colonial White House
within the next decade. and that from
the English basement to the newly fin-
ished third floor. instead of heing
found only in the private rooms which
Mrs Coolidge has had furnished ac-
cording to her own ideas.
Mrs. Rockefeller Mccormick has
been for 20 years quietly buying the
most valuable emeralds placed on the
market in any part Of the world. and
she has now what is regarded as the
most complete and rarest private col
lection in the world. She has many
of the famous gems of the Russians
and she has occasionally been able
10 purchase some stones from the
rajahs of India, for whom this green
gem has a peculiar fascination. Like
wife of the last CZarist Amba ssador
10 Washington, who was Miss Mary
Beale of this city, Mrs. Mccormick
buys only emeralds, though many are
circled with diamonds and pearls.
which are as valuable. Mime. Bank
metieff. daughter of the late Gen.
Edward Fitzgerald Beale, died in Paris
fiv years ago, and her jewels are all
locked safely in the vault of one of
its banks. NJ. Bahkmetieff never
made peace with the Kerensky gov.
ernment and the Soviets confscated
his property and exiled him. so that
he has never returned TO this country.
Lacking a passport, though this Gov.
ernment offered to waive this require
1 ment, he has filed copy Of his wife's
will In the American Embassy and
has gone through all formality re.
auired TO secure the fortune and the
/ jewels against his death. The emer.
aids. it ss understood. are willed to
: the small daughter of Mr.. and Mrs.
Edward B. Mclean.
The Spanish Ambassador, Senior
( Alexandra PadilIa, has had placed in
the marble entrance of the new char n.
scelry. which faces on Fifteenth street
near Girard street, one of the most
fascinating national coat-of arms ever
seen in Washington. 1t displays the
sshieids of the four ancient Kingdoms
sof Spain-Castile. Arragon. Leon and
fNavarre-with the central shield con-
staining the coat-of-arns Of the Bour-
Ebons. now the reigning house Of the
sIberian peninsula. Senior Padilla has
s1n sense restored the arms of Spain
Ito public view In this Capital. for not
seince the departure Of the envoy of
sAlfonso XIII I'm 1897. preceding the
declaration Of the Spanish.American
War. has the insignia OF that nation
been seen on its chancelry. for the
reason that for almost 20 years the
aOfiices have been located In a hotel or
apartment house adjacent to the en.
bassy. IL is evident that Spain fore
sees no rupture Of friendly relations,
since a vast sum has been expended
ton Its Washington home and chancei.
Ty, and on both buildings has the
1ninIster OF foreign affairs ordered the
Tationai insignia set imperishabIy
into the stone rather than the remov.
sbIe shield which In shown on the
cissncelry OF the British embassy. On
1he new British embassy and chancel.
ny. however, the Lion and the Uni.
corn viii be craven into the building