Evening star., 1929-07-01
WASHINGTON OBSERVATIONS
BY FREDERIC WILLIAM VILE.

Washington of1icial and diplomatic So
ciety Is much intrigued, as uppertendom
would say, to learn that London Is sud-
denly face to face with O Dolly Gam
problem Of its own. It's been churned
up by the elevation Of the celebrated
Socialist, Sidney Webb, to the peerage,
spropes ope:.i hi: appointment as minister Of
Mr.. Webb has taken the title Of Lord
Passfieid, but his wife insists upon re-
naming Beatrice webb, instead Of be-
coming Lady Passfield. BY her decision
Mrs. Webb produces an entirely new
situation In matters OF English social
precedence. The official code DEGREES
that women take the same rank as their
husbands or eldest brothers.. AS long as
Mrs. Webb refuses the title and prestige
Of the peerage she'll have place at
table and in the receiving line about as
far back as the ones assigned to MIR.
Gam in Washington. London hostesses
contemplate complications. Mrs. Webb,
who has been the intimate political and
literary associate Of her husband, IN in
her 72nd year. She Is the eighth daugh-
ter of Richard Potter, at one time
president Of the Grand Trunk Railway
Of Canada.
M. Franklin Bouillon, the fiery
Frenchman who has stirred up the new
Franco-American debt mess, Is descend
ed on his maternal side from Benjamin
Franklin and was named after him. M.
Bouillon Is an accomplished orator, who
can be equally eloquent In French and
English. He has frequently visited the
United States, and was here on one or
two official missions for the Paris gov
ernment. Now chiefly active in the
French Parliament as leader Of the new
National Union group in the Chamber,
Deputy Bouillon Ia regarded as q diplo-
mat OF conspicuous talent, though his
outburst against the United States last
Two or three years ago, when the
French were solidifying their position in
the Near East, M. Bouiilon was made
Ambassador to Turkey and consum-
mated an important deal with the Mus
tapha Kemal government. In the past
the temperamental politician has been
mentioned as o future French Ambas-
persona grata after recent events. Bouil-
lon has his eye on the French premier
ship, and Is apparently ready to capture
IL on the anti-American issue.
n y y u
A well known Washington club.
woman has discovered that she has O
Mrs. Edward Everett Gam. At a
White House garden party the other
day DollyS double was approached by
another woman, who asked, Aren't
you tired OF being invited out 30 much?"
\ y
Every time Representative Ruth
Bryan Owen enters or leaves the apart
ment house in which she has pitched
her tent at washington she runs into
O weird monument to prohibition. It's
o bronze group mounted in the lobby
| southerly side of Capitol Hill. Sur
mounting o stone pedestal, the group
| depicts q man lying face downward,
drunk, In the gutter, while standing on
| the curb Is a woman, presumably his
wife, with babe in arms and q pair
Of tots clinging to her skirts. The
statue Is evidently o relic of the gay
nineties. for the lady wears q large
| pompadour, shirt waist and full gath
cred long skirt. Recently q visitor to
the Methodist citadel, observing this
chaste work Of art, was heard to re-
mark, "Now that we have prohibition
we don't have drunkenness any more"
y \ % y
Mabel walker Willebrandt oficially
| quit the Department Of Justice on Sat-
urday, but she's going 10 hang around
three or four days longer. The reason
is that "Portia" hasn't quite wound up
her final annual report for the fiscal
year ending June 80, when her resigna-
| ton took effect. Mrs. Willebrandt
promises soon to say something to the
| newspapers. WIN It spin the beans
! about why she left the assistant attor-
ney generalship, or disclose the full
| background of her sensational entry
| into the l92S presidential campaign?
The lawyer lady could give an earful
| on either subject. Mrs. Willebrandt
| viii be on later In the week for idaho
| 10 attend o conference Of seven West
ern state governors on aviation law.
She viii dy to Boise City from Chicago.
49,
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