Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-01-05
BY MARGARET B. DOWNING.

When President Hoover led the off,
cial world last Wednesday in mailing
the year 1880 he followed the example
of heads of nations in all of
Christendom. In the more picturesque
years Of the past, some dozen or more
New Year celebrations occurred in the
Capital, those at the Russian embassy
in the days of the Cars being espe-
cially brilliant and unique. But In 1918
after the reigning Car and his family
had been assaSsinated and all his
kindred eXiled, the ruling powers swept
away the old tradition of the Julian
calendar and substituted the Gregorian.
Since that date other nations following
the Greek Orthodox faith have fallen
into line, Serbia 90 Rumania in 1919.
and Greece in 1928. Bulgaria had taken
over the more modern way of reckoning
time years before the World War, and
the Ottoman empire changed its
calendar in 1917. Other Christian
nations have, however, chung to their
more ancient ways.
One of the gayeSt welcomes to the
New Year is held in November at the
Persian legation, where the Iranian
calendar followed is cycles older than
the Julian and thus antedates the
Christian era by centuries. The Far
East officially recognizes the advent of
the New Year by the reckoning of Pope
Gregory and celebrates it with marked
respect. But Japan. China, Siam and
other old countries of Asia keep their
own feast with traditional pomp and
solemn religious services. Great Britain
and her colonies :epted the Gregorian
calendar in 1852 and, eliminating IL
extra days. displaced the birthday of
many of the founders of this nation,
including that of the august Washing
ton, whose natal day is recorded by all
exact historians as February %, new
style-10th, old way-of counting them
Mrs. Hoover doubtless will. if leisure
permits. persuade the President to take
a leisurely motor trip into Virginia and
along those highways where there have
recently been placed so many informal
tive inscriptions to guide the seeker for
historical sites. The Old Dominion has
gone through a regular orgy of marking
during the past year, and now not only
are the sites properly inscribed. but out
of-the-way places are pointed out, as,
for instance, on the Richmond Highway
may be encountered a prominent sign,
-Four miles east on this road may be
found the birthplace of Henry Clay.
Eight miles east is Hanover Court,
where Patrick Henry made his first
great speech in 1863" Mrs. Hoover,
like her predecessor, Mrs. Coolidge. takes
keen delight in visiting such places.
These new markers mount into several
hundreds and include famous colonial,
revolutionary and Civil War battle
grounds, as well as recalling the con-
structive work done by pioneers in the
centuries which came after Jamestown.
The last mentioned place, jamestown,
and Williamsburg are perhaps the rich
est spots in the republic so far as COM
menorative inscriptions go.
Mr.. Frederic MoSely Sackett, Senator
from Kentucky, who will succeed DR..
Jacob Gould Schurman as Ambassador
TO Berlin, Is a transplanted Yankee,
having gone from Providence, r. l., to
the capital of the Blue Grass State.
He claims Brown University as alma
mater and took his law degrees in
Harvard. But he married a belle of
Dixie, Miss Olive Speed, daughter of
Mr.. James Breckenridge Speed and a !
descendent of eminent Virginians who
invaded Kentucky and the dark and
bloody ground" with the cohorts of
George Rogers Clark DR.. Schurman
has not been in robust health and for
the past two years he and his family
have led retired lives in a small hotel
on the PotSdammer PlatZ. But there
exist an abundance Of clubs and
patriotic and benevolent societies made
I'D Of citizens Of Uncle Sans domain
20 carry Oh the amenities and they have
most Hospitality taken over the obliga-
LIONS which are usually relegatsd to
the Ambassador Senator and Mrs
5sckeTt VII Il Il the situation with
ease, 4oTs besides the social graces. they
nave an ample fortune. This Govern
ment mar Yet 70 buy an embassy and
chancellery and rentals reach the top
notch. Al Berlin II the o6hcis1 and
social way speaks English, though Eens-
tor Sackett has q general knowledge
Of German and Mrs Sackett has the
usual social accomplishments
y
Il CiaUdeI. the French Ambassador.
who Is one Of the versatile 6iplonatists
% his era. being the first student Of
foreign affairs II the French Republic
ard at the same time its most eminent
oramatist and mystic poet has enjoyed
many experiences IN his long career.
One Of these was. In 1922, 70 be sp-
pointed chief examiner Of candidates
seeking 70 enter the French foreign
service. The Ambassador is interested
in such matters and often comments on
the easy role of the foreign service
personnel in conducting examinations
at the State Department. The candi-
dates IN washington meekly meet all
requirements in both written and oral
examinations and retire at the end of
several hours Of anquishing labor, and
they viii not know the result Of their