The Washington times., 1929-02-26
NEWS OF WASHINGTON SOCIETY
President and Mrs. Coolidge Feted
Officially For the Last Time
Gifts to First Lady From
Various Official and
Unofficial Groups

The phrase for the last
time has been used to much
of late that one begins to
think our retiring officials
must be making as many
''f in a. appearances" as
Patti. But its use is inevi-
table in connection with the
dinner which the Speaker of
the House and Mrs. Nicho-
las Longworth are giving
tonight in honor of the
President and Mrs. Coolidge.
For this is the last official
hospitality in honor of the
retiring Chief Executive.
Historic Incidents
The question as to whether or
not the outgoing President
would return to the White
House with the incoming Presi-
dent has been answered in the
negative, The President and
Mrs. Coolidge expect to go to
the Union Station direct from
the Capitol.
It was Theodore Roosevelt
who broke the thread of tradi-
tion which decreeG that the out
going President should ride back
to the White House with the
new President. Perhaps he did
not relish the idea of playing
second fiddle in setting where
he had doomed as bass viol.
Certainly it was before the
break of which the Bull Moose
was born. At all events, the
Roosevelts left the Capital from
the Capitol-and Mrs. Taft had
the distinction of being the first
woman to ride down Pennsyl-
.vania Avenue with the newly
inaugurated President of the
United States.
White House Luncheon
History tells of the continuity
having previously been broken
For John Adams, disgruntled at
not having been reelected, LETT.
Washington at 4 o'clock in the
morning of inauguration day. And
President Grant having refused
to ride in the same carriage with
his predecessor, because Of a long
and acrimonious feud, Andrew
Johnson did not have any part IN
the inauguration.
At the White House luncheon,
which will follow the ceremonies
at the Capitol the President and
Mrs. Coolidge will make their first
appearance as hosts. Their guest
list will be worth scanning, for
presumably it will contain the
names of Mr.. Hoover's Cabinet,
Today Mrs. Coolidge ATTENDED
the last meeting for the season
of the ladies Of the Senate and
received frcm this group, over
which she had presided as the
Vice Presidents wife, the gift
they had chosen as a souvenir OF
years of pleasant association.
Mrs. Dawes, the retiring presi-
dent of this Senatorial ladies
luncheon club, was also presented
with a parting gift.
The gift chosen for Mrs. Cool
idge was an antique desk-she
had expressed a preference for
such a desk-upon which was a
silver inkstand.
Mrs. Dawes gift was set of
beautiful silver candlesticks pat
termed in an antique design. And
at the places of each the retiring
First and Second Ladies was a
Corsage bouquet.
Mrs. Peter Gerry, chairman, of
was called out of town and so
was unable to be present at the
pretty farewell ceremonies today.
Others on this committee were
Mrs. Charles S. Deneen, Mrs.
Porter Dale, Mrs. Morris Shep-
pard, Mrs. Henry F. Ashurst,
and Mrs. Tasker Oddie.
From the Cabinet
Members of President Coolidge's
official family are making part.
ing gift to Mrs Coolidge-a set
of silver service plates, each en-
graved with a fac simile auto
graph of the head of one of the
executive departments. And yes
terday Mrs. Coolidge received
from group of Washington
women admirers a handsome dia-
mond brooch. the attached card
being inscribed ITO Mrs. CALVIN
Coolidge, in Affectionate Appre-
citation of Her Kindness and Ora.
ciousness while Hostess of the
White House.
The names of the donors,
shrouded in secrecy, are inscribed
in a leather bound book which &C.
companied the gift. Its duplicate is
to be enshrined in the secret
archivesof the State Department
to be dug up possibly some day
hxy Sesv l.;