Evening star., 1932-08-07
BY SALLIE v. II. PICKETT.

One of the important events of his
tory in the United States takes place
in washington this week, and, though
the temperature has closed all society
annals for the time, the notification
ceremonies Thursday, when President
Hoover will become of1icially aware of
his nomination, will Of necessity take
on real social phase.
While diplomats are invited to at
tend the ceremonies in Constitution
Hall, the buffet luncheon at the White
House for the Notification Committee
will have as guests no diplomats, but
the Presidents cabinet and many other
officials are invited. There will likely
be missing the sons Of the President
and Mrs. Hoover, but very close friends,
oficial and otherwise, will take their
places.
If the weather is fair the hundreds
Of guests will enjoy an alfresco lunch
con on the south front lawn under the
forest trees, each one Of which marks
the residence in the White House of
some former President. There will be
an arrangement quite similar to that
for garden parties, with gay striped
tents from which the luncheon will be
served, and somewhere in the off1ng one
will hear the Marine Band. The Presi-
dent will receive the guests within the
mansion-a variation from the usual
garden party-and If the weather should
be moist, too moist, that day, the buf-
fet luncheon will be served indoors.
The President and Mrs. Hoover have
been invited to join in the Hoover fam
lily of America reunion at Niagara Falls,
Ontario, but have declined.
The Presidents brandnew Secretary
OF Commerce, Mr.. Roy Dikeman Chaplin,
of Detroit, will attend the luncheon to
get his first glimpse of the immense i'm
portance OF official life in Washington,
and it is not unlikely that Mrs. Chaplin,
pretty and remarkably young looking to
be the mother of several half-grown
children, will come to Washington with
her husband, who assumes his duties at
the Department of Commerce this week.
The Chaplin household will add untold
interest TO Washington official life, and
while but few facts are ascertainable
as to the future life of the family in
Washington, Miss Joan Chaplin Is quite
old enough to have more than mere
curiosity about official society.
Mrs. Hoover'S return to Washington
last week for the purpose Of laying
plans for the notification luncheon,
shows her practical side and no mistress
of the mansion has ever more thorough
ly and gracefully administered hospital
fly there. The President will cut his
birthday cake Wednesday and round
out his So years Of life. Members Of
the family lay but little stress upon
birthday anniversaries except for the
children, and outside Of a small circle
of friends the day is not likely to be
especially marked with entertainment.
Mrs. Hoover. who is year younger
than her husband. always allows her
own natal day to pass unnoticed and
recording her birth year reminds one
that Mrs. Theodore Roosevelt. one Of
the six wives of Presidents yet living, is
the only First Lady of the Land who
has not somewhere recorded the year
of her birth. 1t was said she was eight
years the senior Of President Roosevelt,
a trick of time which certainly did not
show when they lived in the White
House. and this fact made her shy
about putting down the year of her
birth.
Mrs. Coolidge is the youngest Of the
group of former First Ladies yet living