The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1937-06-26
NOW
Capital Meets
Van iceland
HE CAPTTVATES
BY HELEN EssARY

A~~
land. And having him in office
they should send him visiting
over the border and way across
the seas, to make friends for the
home land.
Few visiting potentates Of for
eign governments have made as
charming an impression in Wash
ington as Belgium's youthful
Prime Minister and his delight.
full wife. Mr.. van iceland has the
same sort Of flashing smile and
quick interested manner that
makes Mr.. Roosevelt S!!nost op-
positionproof.
Last night at the reception
given at the Belgian Embassy by
the Belgian Ambassador and
Countess van der Straten-Pon-
thoz, the Prime Minister and
Madame Van iceland talked as
happily to strange guests as II
they had been speaking to the
bosom friends Of a lifetime.
The Prime Minister paused Tor
special personal talks here and
there. Even dipped into an in.
formal interview about President
Roosevelt, his own methods OF
campaigning and the Washing
ton climate.
He was "keenly impressed with
Mr.. Roosevelt" Mr.. van iceland
said. "His method Of treating
with people is magnificent and
yet so simple. BY being quick to
respond to suggestions himself;
he persuades others to relax and
be frank with him. Out Of much
that is offered him he takes what
he wants and discards the rest.
Discards it with a smile. Always
he knows what he is doing and
what he is wanting. It is easy to
understand the secret Of his great
power. There is a man whose
mind never sleeps"
This long quotation will prove
to you that the Prime Minister
speaks English without the slight
est struggle. He actually losses
off epigrams with smile and no
accent.
I persuaded him to tell me a
little of his own system of cam
paigning. At the last election he
did an unprecedented thing for
a Belgian prime minister. He
went out over the country and
made speeches to the people, tell
ing them why they should not be
too conservative and support the
Rexist or extreme Right candi-
date.
II learned one thing def
nitely by this experience" said
MIR. van iceland. mo one wants
to be talked down to. I gave to
the people in the small towns
and to those who had not had
as many advantages as the very
wealthy, exactly the same sort
Of talk / gave to more influential
audiences. / spoke to them as If
they understood the intricacieS
of government. They felt they
were treated as people of intelli-
gence, as they were. And they
responded superbly.
"Mr. ROOsevelt's approach to
the people of this country is. like
mine, only much, much better.
He makes the simplest sort Of
people feel that he is speaking
their language. Immediately
they are ON tiptOe trying to rise
to the Presidents conception Of
them"
Even the Washington climate
does not make less vivid the en-
thusiam of Prime Minister van
iceland. He said he had been told
that Washington would be very
hot. But it was not. Last night he
felt as comfortable as-he paused
for a moment-"as a fish in
water"
Madame van iceland looks like
a girl. Slim, tall, brown-haired,
with a vivaciouS, responsive man.
ner, she was as informal as a col
lege girl. Washington was even
more beautiful than she had eX-
pected. All her impressions were
very "gentil." Her English" was
not good but she was very happy
here.
"They are just a young mar.
ried couple" said the Belgian
Ambassador, smiling at the sue
cess of his distinguished guests.
-Four children, yes-but the old.
est is only nine"
I didn't believe that any late
June party could be as charming
and as cool as last nights Belgian
Embassy reception. The guests
were quite few-only about hun
dred. The rooms were not
crowded. The women were in thin
chiffons and pastel satins, Almost
without exception, the men wore
white linen dinner coats. black
trousers and black ties. And very
smart and cool they looked.
Countess van der Straten Pom
thoz was radiant in white satin.
beautifully draped close to the
figure. Madame van iceland wore
a green and gold lowered satin,
low and square at the neck, with
a skirt that just escaped the floor.
Mrs. Alice Longworth was in
full-skirted black net with bright
embroiderieS about the low decol-
letage. She carried huge petit
point bag. Madame van Haersma
de With was enchanting in white
satin with narrow twisted Shout
der StranS.