Evening star., 1934-04-15
Tales of Well Known Folk
In Art, Literature, Politics
Mrs. Clifford Pinchot Sparkling Witness
Queen Marie Elongated Her Skirt With
'Fan-Mabel Boardman 5 Surprising Ability.

It has been some time since a Con-
gressional Committee has had as
poppy witness as appeared recently
in the person of Mrs. Cornelia Bryce
Pinchot, wife of Gov. Clifford Pinchot
OF Pennsylvania, the Nancy Astor OF
the Key Stone State politics.
When she appeared before the
Senate Labor Committee, at hearing
Of the Wagner labor disputes bill. to
argue that it stand without qualifica-
ton or amendment. she asked no
Charter and gave none.
AIRS. Pinchot is perhaps one of the
few wonderland men too, as for that
Fin American politics who can stand
heckling-seems to enjoy it, and hurls
back an answer that frequently nails
her point. Out West they would say
she always has her finger on the trig-
germ the hottest discussion can give
a1Roland for an Oliver, cause hearty
laugh and then shake hands all
around.
aOne of the twentieth century leaders
in the. cause for woman suffrage, she
Aino o4lO"Co ilO oOSAdl duI4cS 10
fere in the work for the cause she
espouSes. Whether it is education, in
dustry or politics, she puts into it the
best she has, and, although reared
in the purple, she can live among the
miners, speak their language and
understand their problems.
sMrs. Pinchot, like her husband, who
WRs the beloved friend and intimate
q the late Theodore Roosevelt, loves
tie outdoor life. A fine horsewoman n.
falr golfer and mountain climber. she
yet finds time to interest herself in
bmestic economy and the problems
which confront the housewife of small
means.
On one occasion she invited Mrs
Franklin Roosevelt, to luncheon and
demonstrated that 15-cent luncheon
could be filling and palatable at the
same time. 1t is said that later Mrs
Roosevelt, tried this out at the White
House. History does not record whether
or not this was the meal the deg stole
The late Mrs. James w. Pinchot,
mother of the Governor, unlike her
daughter Law, was more interested
in art than politics, and while
worthy charity always received her
interest, she was a generous patron
of the fine arts. Her beautiful house
on Rhode Island avenue and Six
teenth street was filled with rare and
carefully chosen pictures and other
objets d. art, which she had person.
ally collected.
Her hobby was fans, but she was
untiring in her efforts among women
in Washington who were the for
tunate poSseSSors of rare fans, laces
and tapestries, to induce them to
lend their collections to the National
Museum, that the general public might
enjoy them.
There are still some of Mrs. Pin
chot's fans in the museum, which
are excellent examples of different
periods in the art and style of fan
decoration, which in different coun-
tries adapted itself to the exf ger cies
Of the period in which they were used,
largely depicting the dress and tastes
of the people.
For example, during the revolution
in France. the decorations were re-
publican in conception, such as fig
ures of liberty, triangles and the let
ters "R. F."-Standing for Republique
Francaise. Phrygian caps on the fig
ures and the costumes Of the revolu-
tionists. While in the time of the
Louis XVI period, several Of the lovli-
est fans were elaborately decorated
with shepherds and shepherdesses,
and all the exquisite detail that char
acterized the court of the Inflated
Marie Antoinette.
This collection has two rare Vernis
Martins. One of them has an en-
broidered portrait supposedly of Mime
du Barry. the favorite of Louis XIV;
SO deftly and skillfully is the needle
work done, and so accurately the
coloring and shading, that it has all
the appearance of painted minia-
tlire.
Was it not Nine. de Stael who said:
81 will wager that in all the para
phernalia of the loveliest and best
dressed woman in the world, there
is no ornament with which she can
produce so great an effect"-as far.
When the beautiful Marie, Queen
of Rumania, was being entertained
at dinner at the White House, she
evidently felt that her gown-follow-
ing prevailing style-Was trif1e short
for an American court function, so
she gracefully draped large feather
fan over her knees.
4Spring is the time to visit the Pea
cockl room in the Freer Gallery if
you wish to see it at its loveliest. Go
on bright morning when artificial
lighting is not needed.
This Is royal dining room. The
princess from the Land of Porce-
lain,'" over the mantle, will look down
al you in all her loveliness, in a XII
mono of gray and pink, beige and dull
blues toned up with live red sash.
She will look out of her golden
frame of exquisite Oriental workman
ship, conscious that she was the
raison d'etre for one of the most beau
tiful and unique rooms in the world.
The Princess" was meant for
Christine Spartah, daughter Of a
sometime Greek consul general at
london, but now a royal figure of
Oriental splendor and monarch of all
she surveys.
james McNeill Whistler did not get