Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-03-04
WHITE HOUSE MISTRESS
WELL FITTED FOR ROLE
Travel and Education Have Made Her
Competent to Take Charge
of Mansion.

her well has every reason to rejoice.
As mistreSses of the mansion go there
is no just comparison between them
each woman being a law unto herself
at least in so far as personality goes. OF
Mrs. Herbert Hoover. perhaps, even
viewing her through eyes that belong
to the new and progressive cast OF
womanhood. women who stop at nothing
in achievement.
There is absolutely no doubt in the
minds of the great Republic but that
this new First Lady of the Land is large
enough and capable enough to fill her
position with credit. She is perhaps
more generously fitted in the way of
travel, education and general knowledge
of the world than any of her prede-
cesSors.
While large events have come to Mrs
Hoover through association with her
husband, and she has shared with him
the demands of his country, whether in
this or other lands, she has also made a
particular place for herself among
women and men, place so important
that had she been an ''old maid" her
career yet must have stood forth boldly
against that of other women. Not thai
she ever sought the larger places and
worldwide publicity, or even a little
generous recognition, but through her
work 1t has come to her.
Prepared for Duties.
As she assumes her duties in the
White House today she is prepared to
do her duty from every standpoint.
Physically she is fitted to grace the
drawing room, being comely and pleas
ant to look upon. She stands about
five feet six inches and her athletic
tendencies has left her strongly built,
we'll rounded figure, erect and indie
pendent looking Her exquisite complex
ion of pink and white has taken on
none of the harShness of her outdoor
life and with her halo of white hair
shading eyes as blue as turquoise and
perfectly shaped nose and mouth, she
is always considered a handsome
woman. To be sure, there is square
ness of law and curve at the corner
of her mouth which show decided char
acter. Mrs. Hoover may be shy OF pub.
licity and large crowds, but she does
not show it in her general demeanor.
She is self possessed. perfectly poised
and unafraid in meeting people.
Candor is one of Mrs. Hoover's para
mount traits. and add to this the joy
business of living and of being Of use
in the world and she balances in the
scale with her predecessor, Mrs. Cool
idge. to perfection.
While the women of the world are
saying poor Mrs. Hoover, what gu
rantic task she will have in managing
the White House." she is entering the
portals knowing just exactly what
awaits her and that many woman
without half her strength and none OF
her executive ability has weathered the
four or even eight years of life there
with credit to themselves. This is be-
cause the White House is a Govern
ment run institution with some domestic
life attached. Though the head may
change. there are always the competent
employees there who know their duty to
perfection and were the First Lady
deaf. dumb and blind, the institution
would stiil move on with nolseless ma
chinery. This is the wise arrangement
in every department of the Government
~ Completely Equipped.
Even should Mrs. Hoover have for
gotten to take her possessions into the
Mansion with her, it Is so perfectly
equipped that she could do nicely with
out them. And as for Housekeeping
devices. no ready furnished mansion to
let, no matter now perfectly equipped,
could equal the White House, where
from cellar to attic, everything has
been thought out, tried tout and favor
ably passed upon.
She does not have to wonder what
to do next. The schedule is practically
set for everything and she has only TO
be consulted as to the hours for dining
and what she would like served at
meals.
There goes " tn Mrs. Hoover to the
White House today her secretary, MISS
Hall, and many of the servants and
attaches of her mansion on S street,
including Mary Rattley, the cook, whose
] soups. salads and other parts Of a
menu are prime favorites with both the
President and Mrs. Hoover.
There will be a sufficient number OF
their domestics to give the White House
a genuinely home like air and to carry
out the more personal wishes OF the
master and mistress of the mansion.
It has sometimes been said that Mrs.
Hoover does not care for society. Per-
haps she does not in the general accept
ance of the term, but she is so frankly
hospitable and so little of the real
society end Of thlngs-unoff1cla!
society-is exacted of her in her new
position that this will not matter, even
Il If true
Met Obligations Promptly.
In her official life in Washington as
the wife of the Secretary of Commerce
Mrs. Hoover met her obligations
promptly, did what the official world
expected of her, both in and out Of
her home, and kept up number of old
and familiar friendships. Wednesday
~ afternoons at home will long be remem-
bered for their distinctive hospitality
things such as open fireplaces, plenty
of flowers tropical fruits and genera
welcome from the carriage door to the
tea table.
With women in the congressional sci
Mrs. Hoover is particularly a favorite
and were one asked to name some OF
the women in official life who will be
nearest to her and have most frequent
entry into the White House 1t woulc
indeed be difficult for they are all hei
friends.
When members of the Congressional
Club were getting up their cook book tc
use as means for financing the ad'
dition to the club building, Mrs. Hoover
wrote for the book its foreword. There
are some touches of humor in this BIZ
of writing and some touches of imagina'
ton to lift the writer-she signs hel
name Lou Henry Hoover-Quite out o.
the ordinary line of housewives. d"
For our cooking, like our governing
is done for the people and by the
people" Then she leads the housewives
of the country on to purchase by
citing the fact that its many recipes
contributed through the wives of Am
bassadors and Ministers, they ma,
imagine themselves dining at diplo
matte table or even in some strange ant
far-away land.
And yet Mrs Hoover is not domestit