Evening star., 1933-03-05

new White House social reign with great curl
oSity, calmly answered, Not at ALL A lady
who has travelled who speaks my language, who
is accustomed to social usage the world over
and who knows what is due a guest. can make
no mistakes" The expression Is worth some
thing, for one Of Mrs. Roosevelt's first acts will
be to arrange a reception or tea where she will
have the diplomatic corps as guests. The corps.
like the tide of politicians, comes and goes, and
of members Of the corps who were in Washing
ton when Mr.. Roosevelt was Assistant Secretary
OF the Navy. only Viscount d'Alte, Minister OF
Portugal, and DR.. varela, the Minister OF
Uruguay. remain in their former positions
1t has been said and written that Mrs Roose-
velt could arrange her household affairs either
in her private homes or in the Governors man.
sion in space of Is minutes. At that rate she
should be able to keep the domestic side of the
White House moving in less than an hour each
morning. This is not including the work OF
half dozen secretaries who must be directed
and guided in their work.
Mrs. Taft, whose admirable management OF
the White House has never been surpassed.
says There is never any ceremony about
moving into the White House. You just drivo
up and walk in, and there you are" No Pres'
dents wife needs ever to make changes unless
she desires, because. like each bureau. govern
mental institution, it Is always fully equipped
and in good running order.
When Uncle Sam requires hospitality at the
White House he pays for It. From the south
front entrance where diplomats go through and
stop IN a luxurious dressing room to leave their
wraps and then proceed to the drawing room
suite on an electric elevator, or through the
great front door on the north, through which
the cabinet and those invited to the blue room
enter or on the east side where you and and
all the rest go in, there are courteous men to
greet one and take ones card of admission In
the grand marble entrance hall there are mu-
ClcianS r;v
nnest and Oldest in America-and there are
lights and flowers flowers everywhere and all
paid for by the Government
There are many White House aides besides
the military and naval aides to the President.
perhaps dozen or more officers of lesser rank
each in his full dress uniform, to escort o.
otherwise pay homage to the invited guests,
assigned from their military division to the
task, and there are hundred other things on
the night Of reception dinner for which
the generous United States Government pays
MOT only is the front and back YARD of the
Presidents house kept clean and clipped
and in perfect order from the horticulturists
standpoint. but the Government propagating
house with its big staff of botanists and spe-
cialists and the many day laborers who help to
keep the grounds and gassed-in houses are
watched each season with the object of always
supplying the White House with flowers and to
spare. The particular taste of the First Lady
is learned and special attention paid to her
favorites.
cessor of Mrs. Franklin d. Roosevelt was the
most luxurious mistress in her taste in flowers
that the White House ever had. Orchids and
lilies of the valley We're her especial favorite9
and for months before her engagement to
President woodrow Wilson became publicly
known until she left the White House. she
seldom was seen without a corsage cluster OF
these choice blossoms
There is a special room on the ground floor
Of the mansion called the flower room. where
the flowers are taken when brought from the
hot houses. There they are sorted over, and
finally arranged in vases. Methodicaily filling
shelves are vases Of many colors and kinds
from the most expensive to pottery effects, and
there are baskets and bowls and other recepta-
cles fitted to any par Of the house and for any
occasion. After the flowers are placed on the
table where scissors and other necessary con-
veniences are at hand, the arrangement is made
with often the mistress Of the White House as
s1sttng Both Mrs. Hoover and Mrs. Coolidge gave
the White House flowers personal attention. and
Mrs. Hoover had the rare knack Of decidedly
artistic effect and fitness. She has highly deco
rative sense and where previously flowers had
formed the only adornment of the White House
table, she had center pieces of richly colored
fruits and little ouch which showed clearly her
forethought was in the dozens Of huge pine
cones placed on the great fiat baskets of wood
near the open freplaces, where they not only
furnished charming decoration, but when the
family gathered around were thrown on the
fire from time to time to send lurid flames Of
color from their resin-soaked shells up the
chimney f1ue.
Uncle Sam is the sweetheart who pays for
and sends flowers to the First Lady.
Nor are all the blossoms used to adorn the
social events at the White House. One of the