The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1929-04-06
Wa7tO
Finish!
Battle Over Mrs. Gam
R e C aIIS 'PettiCoat'
Fight When Jackson
Was President.
By KENNETH G.. CRAWFORD
United Press StaT Correspondent

a AoIAAAFG OAFs ApA4l u 70
w sible consequences OF the so
cial var involving the status Of Mrs
Edward E. Gam. sister of Vice
President Charles Curtis. continued
the principal topic Of drawing room
conversation today.
In all such speculation. the petit
coat battles Of The Jackson admin
istration. which broke up a cabinet
and made a President. figured
prominently. although the present
controversy is by no means par
sllel for the JaCkSonian episode.
Peggy ONeil Eaton. daughter of
n Washington ipnkeepor and young
wife of Jackson's secretary of war.
was the cause of the society war
now history.
According to most historians. she
vas beautiful and vivacious, albeit
somewhat short tempered and as a
bsrmaid in her fathers inn has at
tracted the notice and won the
friendship Of Senator jackson.
ID UT when Jackson became Presi-
ID dent and Eaton a cabinet men,
Der Washington matrons refused to
accept Mrs. Eaton.
They snubbed her openly. disre-
Earding Jackson'S displeasure.
Only Martin Van Bureau. score
tary of state. a widoWer. among al
the members Of the cabinet. dared
be cordial to Mrs. Eaton.
He gave elaborate parties for Mrs.
Eaton and one historian Of the time
says Van Buren, even bribed two
single members OF the diplomatic
corps to do Likewise.
All Of which pleased the President
and brought Van Buren, into favor.
Other members of the cabinet and
Vice. President John c. Calhoun.
Van Burens rival for party leader
ship and whose wife vas among
those who snubbed Mrs. Eaton. be-
came objects of the chivalrouS Jack
sons famous te. nper.
Finally Van Buren, and Eaton re-
signed from the cabinet as an ex-
ample to the other members. who
we're forced. some of them unTill-
tngly, to do likewise.
Van Buren,. largely because of
Jsckson's influence, succeeded the
old general to the presidency.
THERE is no question in the pres
i ent case about acceptance Of
Mrs. Gam, whom Curtis has desig-
mated his official hostess. It is
rather the degree of acceptance.
Curtis has demanded she receive
81 the social recognition ordinarily
accorded q Presidents wife.
The state department has ruled she
is not entitled to that rank.
Curtis has appealed for a re-
versal of the ruling and indicated
readiness TO fight for Mrs. Gam. as
Jackson fought for Peggy Eaton.
The first indication OF the reaction
in the diplomatic corps TO Curtis
protest came today when Chilean
Ambassador Davila announced he
would abide by the state depart
ment'S ruling at a formal dinner
party for 200 guests here on April
IL. unless Secretary Henry L. Slim
son reversed ii.
ATHILE there was no indication
fNthat the White House would
intervene in the controversy. it was
recalled here that a similar stu
alton took place during President
Theodore Roosevelt's administra-
ton
For two years Speaker Joe Cam
non declined to accept social invi-
tationS because a department rul-
ing similar to the one on Mrs.
Cams status. failed to give his
daughter the same rank as his wife
would have received.
President Roosevelt then gave a
dinner for the Speaker. placed Can
non and his daughter in honor po-
sitions and capital society was quick
TO follow his example.
Meantime. considerable interest
was being shown here in the pre-
dicament of Edward Everett Gam
husband of the Vice Presidents half
sister
A quiet. prosperous attorney. and
caring little for the rigorS of So
ciety, he. nevertheless. accompanies
his wife to all social functions. He
has no social status and usually
stands at the end of receiving lines
and far removed from host or host
eSS at dinners
Gam declined to discuss the bat
tie stirring capital society, or his
own feeling about it.