The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1929-04-12
100 Victories
Mrs. Gam and Dry Law
Triumph at WineIess
Diplomatic Dinner.
BY LOUIS Jay HEATH
United Press stan Correspondent

w Decisive social victories
scored by Mrs. Edward E. Gam
and prohibition here Thursday
night at the precedent smashing
dinner staged at the Pan-Amer-
lean Union by Don Carlos G.
Davila, Chilean ambassador, were
among the chief topics Of con-
yersation here today.
Despite the completeness of the
triumph of both at Ambassador
Davila's dinner there are still
many among Washington's social
elite skeptical today that either o.
the presidents established Thurs
Gay night will hold.
There was no uncertainty about
the cordially of the reception &C.
corded Mrs. Gam.
From the time She entered the
Pan-American Union on the arm
Of her half brother. Vice-Presi-
dent Curtis. until she babe her
hosts goodnight, she was the CEN
ter of attention and attraction.
Diplomats crowded about her
as If eager to convey by the cor
diality of their reception the as
surances the state department
rather than the diplomatic corps
questioned her status as entitled
to all courtesies shown the wife of
a Vice-President at diplomatic
functions
The triumph of prohibition
equally was complete The dinner
given on the occasion Of the visit
TO Washington OF Pablo Ramirez,
Chilean minister of finance, was
bone dry.
L ACCHUS, god Of diplomatic
II dinners, was dethroned and
in his stead sat Senator Wesley L.
Jones of Washington, father of
the -and-ten law"
Almost as much thought was
given to the liquor question as
the ambassador was forced to eX-
pend upon the burning social
question of where to seat Mrs
Gam
The diplomatic cor0g Itself
finally settled the latter for the
envoy at a solemn meeting held
at the British embassy Wednes-
day after the state department
side-stepped the question by de-
clining to rule on Mrs. Cams
status. The corps decided to
accord her the rank she occupied
Wednesday night.
The ambassador. himself, how
ever, settled the liquor question.
There were several considerations
that swayed him.
First, there was the apparent
jncongruity OF inviting Andrew J.
Mellon, secretary of the treasury,
in whose department the work OF
prohibition enforcement is locat-
ed; members of President Herbert
Hoover's cabinet, White House
officials and the Vice-President to
watch the legal violation Of
United States prohibition laws by
immune diplomats.
n
CECOND. all servants employed
- to serve liquor at the dinner
would be transporting and ham
ding it in violation Of dry laws.
Third, the Pan-American Union
building where the dinner was
held could not be considered as
strictly Chilean territory even for
the evening.
Ordinarily, approximately, lie
quarts of red and white wines,
champagne and other liquors
would have been required to Stake
the thirst of such a large gather
ing numbering two hundred
guests
Diplomats usually figure the al
iotment a person at dinner of
this size as follows:
One-twentieth OF a bottle of gin
and one twentieth of a bottle of
vermouth consumed in cocktails.
One-eighth of a bottle of white
wine Undurraga or Santa Rita at
Chilean functions.
One-eighth of a bottle of red
wine, San Carlos Navegado, Cum
AGO, Concha y Tore or Carmen.
One-siXth of a bottle of cham
paign.
One-twentieth of a bottle of
liquor.