The Washington times., 1929-07-18
'fSn1Grt Washington After Six o CLOCK"
ReDielUed in Letter to Society Editor
Article by Mrs. WILLIE
brandt Contains Little
Proof Of Change, Says
Writer
Society Editor.
The WaskiAgtow Times,
W0ek IN syf0sp ~. r..

Washington ". Z.
Dear MEdass:
I have been q little be-
hind in keeping up my cur
rent reading due to its being
30 warm for this time Of
the year, although I don't
mind the heat as much as
some people I know. How
ever, I have Just got around
to reading Mrs. Mabel
Walker Willebrandt's article
In the Ladies Home Journal,
where she tells about Smart
NV a hington After Six
, Clock. =
NY Ideas
And I thought perhaps you
might be interested in my ideas
and some I have heard ex-
pressed about this piece Of writ
ing.
! have heard It remarked by
those who move around IN what
I would call the smartest circles
in Washington that they wonder
what Mrs. Willebrandt knows
about that strata Of our great
Capital after that hour. That
none Of them have ever seen
her taking in that phase Of our
night life.
And they gay-and 50 do T.
What about that hour just be-
fore s o'clock when 30 many
people in Washington society
serve what il called tea in the
newspapersbut you hardly get
the same effect when you drink
it.
Hoover StandaCd's
Mrs. WiIIebrandt says that
hostesses are ''vying with one
another to achieve the Hoover
standard Of hospitality. entertain.
ment and good time" But how
does she know what that 10? I
have read that Hoover was q
man Of the world and knew his
way around anywhere and was
not provincial ana also what
would be the Hoover standard
for the M. B. of z. p. and p.
nj. might not be considered the
Hoover standard by The Dancing
Class-though I believe the
leaders Of that were for Al
Smith, iS have my Washington
right, as they say in the cosmo"
politan language.
And by.the.way, speaking Of
languages, before I forget 1t.
can you tell me through the
columns OF your newspaper how
many languages the President
and Mrs. Hoover speak apiece?
i have often wondered and now
that Mrs. Willebrandt refers to
It in her article, I remembered
that I wanted to know just for
reference.
Multilingual
I know. OF course, that they
can speak Australian and Chinese
and English, as they lived in
those countries so lOng--and the
Belgian Relief dialect 40 they
worked in that district Of Belgium
during the World War. But
how many others and What2
Then Mrs. Willebrandt says that
history tells US that we cannot
stop the forward urge Of q great
idea. I'm not going to contradict
that, but, in my simple way, will
point out that the history. ] have
read-and really read good
deal, although you might not
think It to see me socially y-shows
the surge forward or backwarO
and the triumph Of some very
mean ideas that meant y lot Of
trouble and degradation for hu.
1lanity in It's broadest sense.
What I mean to say is that just
because the idea triumphed doesn't
seem to prove its high character.
And another thing. ] wish Mrs.
Willebrandt has explained that
Einstein rslativity in the same
STEW simple sentences used by
DR.. Robert Milliken that so
thrilled the other guests at $500
8 st. before the owners went to
live at the White House. have
always wanted to understand that
relativity. but never found any
body who could explain It.
! Supreme Court
Chief Justice and Mrs. Taft are
certainly lovely people. and 7
Just adore his chuckle, but then
they don't entertain enough to
really count In general survey
Of Washington society.
Nor do Justice and Mrs.
Brandeis, who hardly are com
Hidered to entertain at aIl-except
one or two intellsctuals occasion.
ally. All of which is very nice
and interesting, but doeetn't
mean any change In the customs
Of Capital society ~ far az I can
see.
In fact the Supreme Court is
conspicuous for not doing much
socially, except in their small
way, so why quote them so much,
I would ask.
Loquaciousness in official life
is very likely to prove embarrass.
ing. says the writer. Well, that
is q blow or . boost for open
diplomacy arrived ut in the open.
1t seems.
She quotes Theodore Roosevelt
as saying that alcohol ''stupefies
without invigorating. Now I
would put Il this way--It
gtupefies after invigorating, for
that is certainly the way 1t looks
to me and have seen . lot hav-
ing q contact with the younger
set as well as the older through
my daughter. n
And as for depending on
artificial gtiinulants. Don't we
all? Or that In to say which are
that?