Evening star., 1932-01-31
Women of Diplomacy
Interesting Interviews With Interesting Person
ages Now i'm Washington.
BY PAULINE A. FREDERICK.

/ sister. Is flaxen haired and is studying
at Holton Arms.
Xxx X
Nine. Prochnik confessed alniably
that her social welfare" work is her
biggest hobby. But she remembers the
days when she studded designing In
Boston and became quite skilled In the
art.
Just to keep in practice, and also
because l love to do it," she explained
I design and make all my own clothes
as well as those of my daughters. !
suppose many people would think that
old-fashioned."
Old-fashioned, indeed! The secret
OF her smart clothes at last was out.
Mime. Prochnik indicated that if the
day ever arrives when time hangs heavy
on her hands she will revert more ex-
tel4sively to her old hobby; for design
Ing to her Is creative means of self
expression.
When two or more persons are dis
cusSing the fashions of the day, the
| conversation turns inevitably to the in
fuence of the Empress Eugene on mi
| lady's head attire for this season.
Some people do look foolish with a
feather dropping into one eye," she re-
marked with a laugh. But I really
wouldn't criticize the American woman
and her mode of dress were I not an
American by birth.
Paris designers rate the United
States as land of extremes. When
they conceive something which they
feel TO be conservative and in good
taste, they nearly always can count on
II becoming an extreme after reaching
this country. This, no doubt accounts
for the Eugene rage. While some wom-
en- look very we'll in the hats others do
not. And the test, of course, of the
smart dresser is that she knows what
not to wear as well as what to wear
for her particular type.
Perhaps I do not know as much of
Austria as would a native" Nine
Prochnik said, as she turned to a dis
cuSsion of the country of her adoption
L have been there only once, and that
was during the trying days of the war
Everything was abnormal, for there was
only one purpose uppermost in the
mind of every true AuStrian-that was
winning the war Through those anX-
1ous days I caught my first glimpse
OF the Austrian people-perhaps a clos
er glimpse than I could have caught
otherwise, for We were all drawn to-
gether by a common bond.
Il was impressed above all by the
indomitable spirit of the people which
refused to say die when once they had
set for themselves a task"
Nine. Prochnik told how she and
her husband and baby had arrived in
beautiful cultural Vienna. where al
was once gay with dancing and music
where the gorgeous court of the HapS-
burgs once reflected centuries of rule
only to find it all engulfed in an ON
/ z har
| turned to anxiety, and the ma iestic
court had become mockery in the face
Of armed conflict.
The Prochniks saw the Emperor
Karl rise and fall, and witnessed the
| final dismemberment of the House OF
Hapsburg, which had swayed the court
at Vienna for more than six centuries
They witnessed Hungary, CZechoSlo-
vakia and Jugoslavia going their sew
eral ways They beheld Galacia join
| ing Poland, Bukovina becoming a part
Of Rumania, and Istria, Trentino, and
portions of Tyrol being annexed tx
Italy.
Thus the Prochniks lived in the
midst of danger for three years, sharing
the fortunes of the brave people with
whom they had chosen to dwell. And
when at last peace seemed in the offing
Minister Prochnik was delegated to &C
| to st. German to lend his services as
secretary Of the Austrian delegation.
The tragedy of it all lies in the fact
/ that a country which once was great
and powerful has been reduced so con-
siderably" Nine. Prochnik declared
, earnestly.
Although she has not had an op-
portunity to return to Austria since
coming to the United States in 1920
this Austrian diplomats wife is plan
ming to do so at her earliest oppor-
tunity
II should like to see the country
under normal conditions" she said
AT any rate, when I do go I know that
whatever particular condition or crisis
the people may be facing I shall find