Evening star., 1935-12-29
BY ROBERT CRAWFORD.

BY ROBERT CRAWFORD.
The gentlemen Of the diplomatic
corps in afternoon dress, topperS and
spats; distinguished Senators, Repre-
sentatives and Representatives, will
trip up the marble steps of the hand
some Townsend mansion, on Massa-
chusetts avenue, this year instead Of
the marble stairs of the Pan-Ameri-
can Building. for the Assistant Secre-
tary of State and Mrs. B. Sumner
Welles are to entertain at card re-
ception for diplomats, official and
smart society on New Year day in
the afternoon, from 5 to Z.
1t is not often that Townsend
House has been opened for general
entertaining since the death of Mrs.
Welles' mother, the late Mrs. Richard
Townsend, who for many years was
the leader of the Capitals smart set.
An invitation to one of Mrs. Town.
sends small dinners was considered
almost as imperative as command
from the White House. These af-
fairs were elegant, exclusive and ex-
quiSite. with table service such as
was rarely seen in this country; rare
wines and a menu that was looked
upon by gourmets as the perfection
of the culinary art. 1t was an Austro-
Hungarian Ambassador who thought
American society bit gauche, who
said that to dine at Mrs. Townsend's S
off bouilla-baisse washed down with
chateau yquem, and pheasant with
rare, sparkling burgundy would be
compensation for a post in the heart
of Africa.
Townsend House is one Of the most
beautiful in Washington from an
artistic viewpoint. Its stately halls,
beautiful staircase, charming drawing
rooms and magnificent ball room
Mrs. Welles was married in this
room-lend themselves to brilliant en-
tertainments. 1t is one of the few
houses surrounded by gardens, and
has very Londoney air, with its high
iron fence-a work of art and thing
of beauty-which, by the way, has
been a bone OF contention for some
years with Commissioners of the Dis
trict and Congress, but it was never
decided whether public parking would
or could not be incloSed as private
grounds, so the fence has remained
as a stately background for the man.
sion.
Mrs. Welles, as the beautiful Ma
thilde Townsend. spent her girlhood
largely in the Massachusetts, avenue
house and when she married Mr..
Peter Gerry of Rhode Island instead
of one of the oldest and most distin-
guished titles OF Southern Europe, she
settled down in Washington. Now
she and Mr.. Welles zen seconde
noce) spend most of their time at
their country house, at Oxon Hill, Md.
She is still lovely, with all the poise
and original charm that made her
noted as girl.
The breakfast on New Year day,
which for many years has been given
by the Secretary of State. in honor
of the diplomatic corps, in more re-
cent times has taken place at the
Pan-American Building. This year,
however. the Secretary and Mrs. Hull
have elected to spend the holidays in
the South with relatives and friends,
so the Assistant Secretary and Mrs.
Welles will do a little pinch-hittng
for them.
Secretary Hull
Looks the Part.
The past IL months have been most
strenuous ones for Mr.. Hull, owing to
the disturbed state of Europe and the
many problems at home, which are
the result partly of the years of de-
preston. He has spent more than a
quarter of a century n public life in
Washington, and it is now sometimes
whispered that he has a great longing
to return to the legislative halls of
Congress, and the touch and go of
that animated scene where one may
speak out with more frankness on
questions in which he feels a vital
concern. Diplomacy is curious, in
tangible, disappointing something
which takes much out of man and
gives but little satisfaction in return.
While Secretary Hull is very pune
tilious and observing when it comes
to official etiquette-and is the most
distinguished looking Secretary of
State Washington has seen In many
a year, he delights In group of old
cronies gathered around his mahog-
any, where conversation can be gen.
eral and one can speak without re-
serve. Quiet and reserved in manner
almost to shyness, he looks the states
man of the old school.
The Pan-American Building, which
Is frequently used for diplomatic func-
tions, is one of the loveliest public
buildings in Washington. It has a
patio that is simply dream all-in-
elusive, with everything that a Span
ish patio should have, from brilliantly
plumaged tropical birds to saucy par