Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-03-04
ERRORS In PRECEDENCE
OFTEN CAUSE TROUBLE
Code Devised by State Department After
More Than Century of
Difficulties.


duties-and both Mr.. Young and Col.
Crook were regular clerks connected
with the Presidents executive Offices
could not fill the post.
Dunn Social Arbiter.
1t was with this realization that Mr..
j. Pierrepont Moffat, now secretary of
the United States legation at Bern,
Switzerland was appointed to the place,
or rather the role in its new form.
Succeeding him is Mr.. James Clement
who before his present appointment
from the State Department had filled
other posts there and in the Diplo-
matte Corps He is a gentleman OF
culture and has proper sense Of what
Is due the Presidents position not only
from American citizens who ask social
recognition but diplomats and others
who come to our shores.
For many years there has been a
master Of ceremonies at the State De-
partment whose duty it is to look up
precedent in entertaining royal and
other distinguished guests who visit
this country, look after the funeral
arrangements of diplomats who die
while on duty in Washington, arrange
the important subject Of seating guests
at high mass said at certain times in
Catholic churches, and on other occa-
sions where the matter of precedence
Is required. Mr.. Charles L. Cook. officer
OF ceremonials coming under the De-
partment of State, has long held this
position. and one OF the most delicate
tasks allotted to him Is making the
introductions when the Secretary Of
State receives diplomats. Mr.. Cook, it
is said knows every member of the
Y.yyn 2-1~A A,%A 1Axar %tVyn-
ton, the name and country accompany
his immediate recognition. So pre-
senting them to his chief in proper
ceremonial form Is not a difficult task
to him.
Gen. Washington, the soldier and
country gentleman, found many vexa-
tious questions confronting him when
he was chosen President of the new
Republic. and It was Alexander Harnil-
ton, his Secretary Of Treasury, who was
best able to advise him. Tobias Lear,
who went calling with Mrs Washing
ton. also advised the first President on
many points.
However. the knottiest questions
arose In John Adams administration
when he attempted to be little more
democratic than was the first Presi-
dent. He kept his son, John Quincy
Adams in hot water trying to satisfy
the Diplomatic Corps. the Cabinet and
Congress.
Coolidge More Democratic.
Much of the form and ceremony
established by President Washington In
New York and Philadelphia, under the
advice of Hamilton, obtains today, ex-
cept that President Coolidge and many
gentlemen who preceded him were
much more democratic. Gen. Wash
ington also established the fact that
certain amount of form and cere-
mony relieves a President of much
waste of time in unnecessary converse
ton and gives him more time to devote
to affairs of the Nation.
President John Adams wrote, In con-
trasting some of his ideas with those
of Jefferson, who later became Presi-
dent, and Gen. Washington, whose form
Adams followed with little change: II
held levees once q week that all Of my
time might not be wasted with idle
visits Jefferson's whole eight years
was levee. dined a large company
once or twice a week. Jefferson dined
q dozen every day" Then he added for
further contrast: Jefferson and Rush
were for liberty and straight hair. I
thought curled hair was as Republican
as straight"
According to the arrangement made
by Alexander Hamilton and evidently
agreed to by Washington, we find:
Il. The President to have o levee
once a week for receiving visits: an
hour to be fixed at which 1t shall be
understood that he will appear, and
consequently that the visitors are to be
previously assembled. The President to
remain half an hour. in which time he
~ royycrca rs,rcoYiIv m, diff arny,f cyih.
jects with such persons as shall invite
his attention. and at the end Of that
half hour disappear. A mode
of introduction through particular on
GERS will be indispensable. No visits
to be returned.
Formal Entertainments.
"2. The President to accept no invi-
tations and to give formal entertain
ments'-nowadays called state recep-
tions-"only twice or four times year,
the anniversaries Of important events
in the revolution. II twice on the
| day Of the Declaration Of Independence
and that Of the Inauguration of the
President, which completed the organiza-
| ton Of the Constitution, to be preferred.
| II four times, the day Of the treaty OF
alliance with France, and that Of the
| definitive treaty with Britain be added.
| The members Of the two houses of the
Legislature, principal officers of the
Government, foreign ministers, and
other distinguished strangers only to
| be invited. The President on
the leyee days, either by himself or
some gentleman of his household to
give informal invitations to family
dinners on the days Of invitation. Not
more than six or eight to be invited at
| hA fN f4a
essentially to members Of the legislature
and other official characters. The
| President never to remain long at the
table"
AS President Adams, the second
President, would not see his very Demo-
cratic friend, Thomas Jefferson, induct-
ed into office, and the latter remained
in his boarding house on Capitol Hill
to let the ceremonious atmosphere OF
Adams vanish from the White House
before he took possession, it is not
strange that the third President should
set himself about establishing social
custom Of his own. A survey Of the two
administrations Of Jefferson would lead
one to believe that the ways of his
predecessors were easier. Nothing so
irked the third President as that the
forms and ceremonies of Europe should
obtain in the White House. He had
lived for some time IN Paris. officially,
and had no keen liking for forms Of
court etiquette. sympathizing as he did
with the revolutionary party.
He at once abolished the weekly
levees, refused to have his birthday
anniversary celebrated with blare of
trumpets and great ball. such as had
attended the natal days Of his success
ors HIS official edict was that only
July and January should be cele-
brated. On these days the White
House was thrown wide open and the
people took possession and dignitaries
and those in the humblest walks Of life
rubbed shoulders.
Ranked as Guests.
In the Jefferson papers one finds his