Evening star., 1934-11-11
BY SALLIE V. H. PICKETT.

The social crater in Washington is
erupting after smouldering before
election day, emitting now and then
a few brilliant sparks but keeping we'll
within bounds, until just now date
books for the season l934-35 are
filling up, page by page, with large
promise for the coming big season.
The White House cast the die by
sending forth its official announce
ment a week ago, and hostesses are
filling in between those dates by
planning dinners and securing guests
of honor for the future.
Society must look far into the dim
son, farther ahead than in any other
Winter in long time, which reminds
one of a popular diplomat who face
tiously said he refused to be engaged
in one season for the next seasons
dinners-the hostess might change
her cook in the meantime. But there
is one hardy annual that the whole
of society welcomes, the Navy Relief
Ball, which as usual finishes up the
lively program for Thanksgiving day.
That night is always saved for the
Navy Relief Ball, to which the Presi-
dent and the First Lady always lend
their patronage. Particularly inter-
eSting committees for the various
branches have been chosen, Mrs. Will
liam D. Leahy being chairman, acting
for Mrs. William H. Standley, who is
in London. Mrs. Emory Laid is
chairman of boxes. The ball furnishes
o nice feature for after-dinner parties.
There is heard criticism over Mrs.
Roosevelt's candid announcement that
she and the President would serve
wines in the White House, but just
why the criticism is difficult to under
stand. From the time of the first
President on down to the advent of
the Volstead act wines were served
in the mansion, and so simple and so
great man as Thomas jefferson be-
moaned the fact that he had spent
more than ten thousand a year in
furnishing liquors for guests at the
mansion. Only Mrs. Hayes had the
historic crystal for such service rele-
gated to the pantry shelves so long
as she remained in the White House.
Handsome old decanters and glasses
stand on the shelves of the cabinets
OF historic tableware on the ground
floor of the mansion to tell the story
Of hospitality.
The matron who thinks it is very
well to serve the beverages that our
forefathers enjoyed still bemoans the
fact that cards are sent out for cock
tall parties and she wonders why you
do not put on your dinner invitation
chicken or duck, that the fastidious
diner may make his choice of accept
ing or staying away. In the prosperous
days OF old, hosts simply offered some
thing to their guests without discus
sion. Perhaps one of the trif1ing stories
that has carried farthest is to the effect
that the First Lady attended a cock
tail party given by woman bankers
at their recent convention here. For
a fact, she stopped by the Mayflower
for few moments at their big banquet.
where no wines or other liquors were
served, did not even break bread and
after expressing her disappointment
that she could not tarry longer took a
train for New York.
Mrs. Roosevelt continues to fill her
daily calendar with useful work. and
yet finds time for buying direct from
farm women whose market out
Bethesda way she patronizes for the
White House table. Cheese, cakes and
other good things travel almost direct
from the farm woman's kitchen to the
hite House table.