Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-06-15

I a transformation that would have been
| cause for much to-do in Washington
on an occasion of a social function. On
entering the room the diners were
greeted by a vision of wistaria. Strings
of paper blossoms depended from
bamboo network above until for space
! of 80 feet in breadth by is feet In
| depth the air was filled with the Law
ender hue and one almost sensed the
! scent OF the blossoms. Around the we'll
OF the great saloon hung paraSols, from
the ribs of which dropped wistaria
| blooms. Then. in obvious compliment
to our party of Americans, ribbons OF
red white and blue were stretched from
FAR points of the room to a central
focus in the ceiling. On the tables
candles burned in characteristic Jap
anese lanterns Of plain form but artistic
design.
Artistry in Food Array.
The artistry is not confined TO mere
decorative designs. but appears in the
food array. Some member Of the
pantry force on this ship is sculptor.
His carved ice blocks have appeared
before. Last night he contributed two
great pieces, one of them representa-
ton OF Taiyo Maru and the other OF
The American eagle with outSpread
wings. Ingenious arrangements of col
ored paper In the bases of these ice
blocks give them hues that add to
their effectiveness. They are, however,
more than merely ornamental, for they
serve to keep cold certain dishes that
are for later placing before the guests.
Last night also there was represen-
tation In sugar of one of the public
parks of Toxic, a beautifully created
model OF house. with sugar flowers
growing from a pond. Then there were
CONNECTIONS of trees surrounded by
rocks with turtles clambering up them
When l offered to take one Of the tur-
ties, with the notion that the cook
artist had made them of some kind
of eatable materials, my serving boy
Chinaman Of most punctiliouS con-
sideration for the welfare of his charges
became quite exercised and pulled the
dish away, saying mo, no! Only look
seep This caused much merriment
at my table, our host the purser, be-
coming almost historical at my near
approach to the wrecking of the chefs
particular delight.
Again the other night when the din
ing saloon. was turned into theater
for the giving of an entertainment by
the stewards the decorations were Of
a character and quality to cause many
an American theatrical producer to
perish of envy. With a few banners
or SILK, some screens, some painted
drops OF simple design. these men-the
whole affair Is in the hands of the
stewards-had put on a scene of love-
Illness rarely to be seen anywhere in
our country.
Menu Cards Artistic.
The menu cards Of the ship are all
artistic bits. Color printing is used
to make Of each dinner card a veritable
souvenir. The Japanese art Of printing
Is employed to the best effect In these
commonplace details.
Day after day the deck steward and
his assistant have replaced the chalk
marks on the decks for the various
games, shuttle board and deck golf and
the like, erased in the early mornings
by the Swabbing crew. The letters and
figures with which they designate the
various spaces and values are beauti-
fully drawn, and without the least
variation from day to day. It is .
pleasure to watch them work at this
task, so sure are they and so def in
touch.
The concluding deck game of the
series OF ompetitionS-prizes for
supremacy in which were distributed
last night at dinner-was the always
amusing contest OF putting the eye
in the blind pig" When the time for
this game arrived a boy was sent for
particular assistant to the chief
steward, who. when he came, grasped
bit Of chalk and with half a dozen
swift strokes drew on the deck q pic
ture Of great fat porker true TO life
TO the least line. The drawing was
completed in half a minute.
These are some of the impressions
that we have been getting during the
voyage. indications that the long-heard-
OF artistic qualities of the Japanese are
real and tangible. They have made us
somewhat impatient to get ashore to
see these remarkable people. We may
be disappointed in some Of the aspects
OF life In the islands. but we all feel
assured that in respect to artistry in
the ordinary affairs of life Japan will
he fIIIly Ia sS.aslAs+is -