Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-11-07
MRS. HOOVER FITS
INTO HER NEW ROLE
Known as One of the Most
Charming HoStesSeS in
Washington.
BY SALLIE v. H. PICKETT.

When Mrs. Hoover steps into the
White House as its mistress on March 4,
she will not be in strange territory, for
she has been a frequent and welcome
visitor there since her husband assumed
the portfolio of Secretary of Commerce
in 1921. No woman of the cabinet has
been more intimate or popular as a Wis
itor there, and, like Mrs. William How
ard Taft, whose husband succeeded to
the exalted place after being Secretary
of War, Mrs. Hoover also is well ac-
quainted with the duties awaiting her.
From an educational standpoint no
former mistress of the White House has
surpassed Iler, while in travel and
worldly knowledge her experiences even
exceed those of Mrs. Taft. She speaks
several languages, has the grasp Of
larger hospitality such as the First Lady
OF the Land must exercise during her
husbands administration and is gifted
In the way of putting every one about
her at ease.
Almost the only thing that either Mr..
or Mrs. Hoover dread in assuming their
new positions is the public glare that
opens for public discussion OF all of
their private affairs. Discussion Of
their clothes, their habits, their man
ners and, in fact, a constant intrusion
on their social and domestic life.
Favorite With Newspaper Women.
Mrs. Hoover is a favorite with news
baper women, and while she has never
given out an interview in her whole life.
she yet mingles with woman writers and
gives them every opportunity to use
their own wits and Judgment. she mas
nothing to conceal, but 1t greatly dis
pleases her to have her little philan-
thropies and acts of kindness and char
ity discussed. Only brief time before
the Kansas City convention she carried
out her promise to become the guest OF
the Women'S National Press Club and
while enjoying their hospitality in an
almost girlish manner che invited them
to be her guests at a garden tea. On
this occasion she answered their dozens
of questions, but refused, as she laugh
sngly said, ito be quoted"
It has been written, and truly, that
the price of residence in the White
House is the loss of liberty and free
dom of speech and action, or II not
of liberty, at least of privacy. Lie
in the house of Presidents is almost
like living in glass house where ones
every action is questioned and COM
mented upon.
Social Traditions Held Sacred.
White House social traditions are
sacred to the great American pubic
and must be observed to great extent
not more by the President than by
his wife. In fact, they are as sacred
as the Bible upon which he takes his
oath of office. Mrs. Coolidge, who viii
soon place her mantle of national hos
pitality about the shoulders OF her
friend, leaves a wealth OF tradition OF
perfect though simple hospitality. Her
richest endowment has been her cor
diality and her smile.
Few changes in the White House
management are necessary, each mis-
treSs of the mansion since the advent
there of Mrs. Abigail Adams introduce
ing not more than two or three which
threw the country into social con-
Vulsions, and to quote Mrs. Taft, who
made quite as many as did any OF her
predecessors, "aS a matter of fact no
Presidents wife ever needs to make
changes unless she so desires, because
the White House is a government In
stitution thoroughly equipped and al
ways In running order. Each new mis-
treSS of the house has absolute author
ity, of course, and can do exactly as
she p1eases, just as she would DO in any
other home"
Mrs. FiImOre's Innovation.
It was Mrs. Fillmore who introduced
a cooking range into the White House
kitchen and thereby raised a rebel
lion among the diSmayed domestics,
who were accustomed to fireplace and
crane. and Dutch ovens. There was
genuine glee among the below stairs
residents of the mansion when after
the fire was built the stove refused to
draw and the President himself had
to go to the Patent Office and look
over the model before he could master
the draughts.
Mrs. Benjamin Harrison, when mis-
treSS of the mansion, undertook to
economic by dismissing the French