Evening star., 1937-12-26
BY JESSIE FAINT EVANS.

In strong contrast to the large
corps of diplomats and politicians now
resident in a magnificent Capital is
the little village which was the Wash
ington of the early 18O0s. 1t housed
few diplomats and even Presidents
left as soon as they could.
In 1908, for instance, the editor of
the Intelligencer, Washington's Eve
ming Star Of its time, stated in re-
sponSe to a query concerning the resi-
dence of foreign ministers at the
Capital of the United States, that
none OF them are now or have been
for a considerable time at the
seat of government" Philadelphia, it
would further appear, was the choice
OF the majority.
Representatives from Spain. Eng
land, France and Denmark constituted
the entire diplomatic corps of four
persons during the first 2l2 years of
President Jeferson's term of office.
The Marquis Carlson M. de Irujo was
the only one of the four to hold the
rank of minister, the representatives
from England and France being
charge d'affaires. and the one from
Denmark a consul.
Today in President Roosevelt's ad-
ministration, there are accredited to
Washington some 400 to 500 diplo-
matte officers from 81 powers, l8 of
whom hold ambassadorial status.
No Congressman Lived Here.
w. B. Bryan. in "A History of the
National Capital" says that, accord
ing to his search of old records, no
member of either Senate or House es-
tablished a home within tt : limits
of the District.
During the recesses of Congress 1t
was likewise the custom of our early
Presidents to repair to their own
homes. Both jefferson and Madison
were notable examples of Chief Ex-
ecutives who lost no time in shaking
the dust of Washington from their
garments and retreating to the Sc
clusion of their Virginia estates when-
ever opportunity afforded Public busi-
ness was handled through the medium
OF the mails. in contrast with the
facilities for sounding out the Nation
today through the telephone, the cable
and the radio.
Mrs. Madison writes in happy vein
in 1911, I'VE now have members in
abundance with their wives and
daughters" she having experienced
that earlier period when Senators and
others. herded together in Washing
tons then not too numerous boarding
houses and inns, hesitated to risk hav-
ing the feminine members of their
household face with them the Cap
ital's evolution from forest and clear
ing to city more on paper than
seemed possible of realization.
Another chronicler of the time
doubtless stirred mothers of daugh-
terS to look favorably upon Washing
ton from matrimonial viewpoint, for
he wrote home in glowing terms of
the many marriages that are follow
ing a season here"
Girls Win Praises.
Concerning the attributes of the
damsels who were being led to the
altar during these days of our Cap
itals infancy we have this description:
They are good-tempered, and If not
well-informed, capable of becoming
So" Another observer enthusiastically
declares he has never seen "prettier
girls anywhere"
Today five metropolitan newspapers
devote considerable portion of their
daily issues to describing the feminine
pulchritude Of Washington's popula-
ton and their daily and Sunday COM
lngs and goings in season and out As
for mental self-improvement on the
part of Womankind, perhaps nowhere
in the world are there more numerous
or more diversed groups of women of
all ages and walks Of life improving
their minds and keeping well in
formed" as to the march of time, ma
tional and local. artistic and literary
than there are in Washington at the
present moment Current events
classes, study groups connected with
local and national women's organiza-
tions, numerous girls junior colleges
and special preparatory schools, many
business and secretarial courses, Trim
ity College, American University,
Catholic University and the George
Washington University all make avail
able to literally thousands of girls and
women the mental fare of their choice.
Writing of visit to Washington
a little over 125 years ago. Wash
ington Irving said regarding its varied
social background, even in 1911. Il
have found here the most cnmnlete